The evergreen tree is one that lives up to its name, providing a constant symbol of beauty for your landscape. They are able to hold on to their leaves or needles throughout the year, and are always green. However, if the tree has to suffer through a harsh winter, or infestation, they may turn from green to brown.
While a brown evergreen can be a serious eyesore, this is also a cause for concern. Here you can learn more about how to inspect your tree and take steps to help nurse it back to health.
Reasons Your Evergreens are No Longer Green
In order to fix a brown evergreen, you have to first figure out why the needles or leaves are no longer green. Here you can learn more about the most common causes of this problem.
The winter elements can be extremely tough on trees; however, evergreens are more vulnerable to damage than other types of trees. The roots rely on water that is stored in the tree’s needed after the ground freezes. This can cause the water stash to be quickly drained away, and result in the needles turning brown due to dryness.
A solution for this is to use a protective spray for evergreens. This will help reduce the potential of dehydration during the colder months of the year.
When you take the dry winter air and then add in the beating sun, you have a tree with even thirstier needles. This condition is referred to as sunscald and causes the needles in the direct sunlight to turn brown because of additional water loss. You may also begin to see dried or dead areas of bark on the trunk.
One option is to use an anti-desiccant spray, which will help with the dryness. To prevent sunscald, consider wrapping the trees bark in burlap, which will keep them warm while protecting them from the winter elements.
Evergreen trees can attract a number of diseases and pests, such as cytospora canker disease and the pine beetle. If the needles on your trees are turning brown, then it may be a sign of an infection, along with sawdust, small holes or larger cankers that leak white sap on the branches.
For this issue, the best thing you can do is call the professionals as the trees will need quick help for the issue.
Unfortunately, winter weather can really take its toll on evergreen trees. Make sure you know the signs of a problem and call for help from the professionals if you notice any issues you aren’t able to handle on your own. They will help ensure your tree remains healthy throughout the season.