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Landscape Design Topiary Trees

Can my tree be saved?

Jennifer. G. (Chicago IL)

10 months ago

last modified: 10 months ago

Hello, I need help. Ive had my Boulevard Cypress pompom for about 6 years. I recently had it trimmed back into the Poms poms as the tree grew out of its shape. After that was done I put 3 Jobo fertilizer stakes in the ground at the drip line. I also gave it a good water afterwords. It's been about 4 weeks now and my tree is starting to brown on the foliage. I get a lot of browning on the inside of the tree but never the outer. Its almost always green and soft on the outer. I don't know what's happening here. I'm not sure if I have over fertilized it or what. If so should I water to get the sodium out or will the over watering damage the tree also? Is it dieing? Please help! Ive added photos. The last photo is what it looked like 4 weeks ago before fertilizing it.

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Comments (5)

Jennifer. G. (Chicago IL)
Original Author
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
Marie Tulin
10 months ago
Would you tell us where on this earth you live, please? And closest city name.

You can add that info permanently to your name & it will always show up

Thanks! Climate is important to identifying factors that affect plant health.
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is it still laying there?? any chance at a pic??? it does not surprise me.. that it could leaf out on stored energy ... and yet i am thinking.. you are spot on ... about failure in the heat of the summer ... but of course.. we have no way to know what is underground ... so whether or not the loss of that one root is terminal ... who knows ... stand it back up.. stake it properly.. and see what happens .. or if your personality dictates that it will drive you insane with worry.. get rid of it .... ken
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Jennifer. G. (Chicago IL)
Original Author
10 months ago
I've added the city. Thanks Marie.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 months ago
NEVER use a tree spike again.. EVER.. useless.. waste onf money..

any chance at a before pic??.. im wondering if the haircut was so intense.. that now that all of that stuff is gone.. the stuff under.. was not hardened off to heavy june midwest sun.. and is now sunburning...

dont leave the drain pipe under this tree... at least during heavy rain..

take a hand trowel.. and insure there is moisture down 3 to 6 inches.. where this trees roots are.. water more if need be..

your plant is stressed .. fert is NEVER an answer to stress...

perhaps we can see more.. with some closer pix...

tree time is counted in decades.. fert applied 4 weeks ago is not doing this... i rule that out totally.. but i would still tell you to go dig up the spikes.. and throw them away... or if you have a compost pile.. break them up.. and throw them in the pile for next year...

ken
Jennifer. G. (Chicago IL)
Original Author
10 months ago
@ken_adrian the last picture is what it looked like after the cut. I'll post here again. I tried looking for the 3 fert spikes to pull them up, the rocks are in my way. I'll try again. I'll move the drain when we get heavy rain, it's been heavy rain this week and more expected so moving it now. I checked for misture and was satisfied but I need to go deeper as you suggested. It does look like the sun has burned it but it has never happened before. I guess the big chop stressed it. I'm wondering how far this brown is going to spread. I just hope it's not dieing. I love this tree.

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