A coniferous hedge as a privacy screen in the garden or a great solitary shrub in the front yard are always a special eye-catcher. But at some point you notice that one or more conifers have brown, dried-up spots. Various immediate measures are called for here.
There can be various reasons when the conifer turns brown
What can cause brown spots on the conifer?
Dry or brown spots on a conifer can have a variety of causes. The discolouration is often caused by the weather or is caused by incorrect care, such as:
- wrong cutting
- lack of water when the drought is too long
- magnesium deficiency
- Mold Diseases
Damage from pruning
Conifers are quite tolerant of pruning and recover well from pruning. However, if the cuts are too severe and go into the old wood, the plant can no longer regenerate. There are no new shoots at this point. But since the other branches are still growing well, they can be carefully bent to fill in the bare spots. The branches can be loosely secured with cable ties for some time until they grow in the given direction on their own.
Brown conifers due to lack of water
Conifers like moist soil and should be watered regularly in summer when not enough rain falls.
A lack of water leads to brown spots, which are renewed by the plant with sufficient water supply.
However, if the conifer is completely dried out and turned brown, it is difficult to save it. Digging around the plant and filling it with water until the root ball is soaked can be helpful.
Magnesium deficiency in the soil
If the conifers turn brown mainly below and in the middle, a lack of magnesium in the soil can be to blame.
This deficiency can be remedied with special fertilizer from the garden store. The fertilizer is applied exactly as directed. In granular form, the fertilizer can be wonderfully raked into the soil.
To prevent a magnesium deficiency, it is best to supply the hedge with a complete fertilizer for conifers in spring.
Brown discoloration due to mold diseases
Thuja, Taxus and Leyland cypress are among the conifers that are susceptible to mold diseases. As a result of this disease, the branches of the shrub die off. The only thing that helps here is cutting off the affected parts immediately. After the cut, all tools must be disinfected to avoid spreading the disease.
If the infestation is severe, the use of a fungicide is advisable.
Mold growth can be prevented by properly trimming the hedge. The cut should be made in such a way that the inside of the bush also gets light. A slightly pyramid-shaped cut ensures that the lower areas of the conifer also get light.
Tips to avoid tanning
It is not always possible to avoid brown spots on a conifer. However, if you observe the following tips, brown twigs can usually be avoided:
- choose a location that is not too sunny
- annual fertilization with Epsom salts
- cut in overcast weather, the sun dries out the interfaces too quickly
- Loosen the soil frequently
- water regularly
- check for pests, fight pests