By Gabriel Foster
Evergreens! They come in the form of trees and shrubs. Invincible masters standing tall and majestic throughout the landscape. Long after the summer growing season has ended, these natural works of art paint the landscape with enduring excitement during the autumn and winter seasons. Majestic pieces of art or not, these wonderful miracles of nature are not entirely invincible as they may seem. The promise of forever green can and sometimes are broken by the browning of the plant, sometimes to its ultimate detriment.
Evergreens are a part of nature and nature is a part of you. During the winter months, you count on that visual stability of seeing such trees flourish in the wild spirit of snow, cold and gray. The connection you feel from looking at them keeps any potential depression and dread from entering your mind during the season. So! If you’re one of those unlucky people who have an evergreen that’s browning, here are potential solutions to help save those breathtaking trees and shrubs.
Winter Damage
Often the cause of an evergreen turning brown is the fact that during the late summer and autumn months, the evergreen doesn’t receive enough water. As a result! The evergreen needles begin to turn brown, and the harsh winter climate takes advantage of this deficiency and causes browning to spread throughout the evergreen itself. During the winter months, the ground freezes and dries out, causing water to never reach the roots of the evergreen.
To combat the lack of evergreens not getting enough water during the winter season, make sure that you water them regularly during the summer and autumn to avoid the damaging effects of winter. Another solution you can take is to spray your evergreen with an anti-desiccant spray. Anti-desiccants coat the evergreen with a wax that protects it from losing moisture from its foliage/needles during the winter months. You can buy these at your local garden center and some retailers. If you can afford it, you can even hire a tree service to handle the spraying. A third solution would be to mulch the evergreen fully, so the moisture in the soil can be retained.
Animal Damage
Animals themselves can be factored into the equation of why your evergreen is turning brown. Low lying branches are often made a snack by animals. Rubbing and gnawing the bark of the trunk of an evergreen tree by animals can cause the tree to lose nutrients and hydration from the damage resulting. Not to mention that it could be become an entry way for disease.
To protect the bark of the trunk from animal damage, use a tree wrap on the bark.
Root Rot Damage
If your evergreen is experiencing root rot, it means that a fungus has penetrated the roots and triggered the roots to become diseased. Disease then does what it achieves best, it spreads throughout the trunk and branches of the tree.
The solution to this issue is to remove any bark and see if the wood beneath is soft and brown. The fungus that causes root rot flourishes in very damp conditions. If your inspection is positive, dig up the damp soil and let the roots dry. Take this time to perform a second examination, this time on the roots themselves. See if you can identify any kind of sores or cankers along the root system. If yes, it’s another positive indication that your tree is suffering from root rot.
Rust Damage
Rust is another type of fungal disease known to infect evergreens. It does its job by causing powdery fungal spores to appear on the needles of an evergreen tree.
The solution to helping your tree in this case is to have the infected branches pruned off. Again, you can do this yourself or hire a tree service to undertake the task.
Pest Damage
Those pesky pests can do a lot of damage to your evergreen trees. Example, the spider mite (one of many types of mites), commonly attacks the Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Christmas Tree). They go after the inner needles of the tree, sucking the juices from the needles. Signs of their presence can be seen by yellowing or browning needles and tiny spider webs.
The solution to most mite pest related problems, is to spray the tree with a miticide. Example. I like using an organic version called Neem Oil.
Remember that these evergreen plants are vital to our eco system and ultimately ourselves. In terms of inspiration and mental health, just being able to look out the window in winter and be reminded and energized that we are seeing plants alive and vibrating with life throughout that season in our property in the landscape, or the forest near within eye shot, is worth the motivation of trying to keep them in good health………. always.
Click the following amazon link to learn about a specific brand of Neem Oil that gets good results for you.
GF Wisdom | Within evergreen trees, stand the wisdom of how they are able to parade the picturesque look of summer into the season of winter. ~ Gabriel Foster
