Conifers dying

[tootiredtospeak]

My conifer are dying at the top it doesn't make sense they are completely brown at the top but the rest of the conifer is green and healthy. Does anyone have any idea how to stop this I will have to cut it down but it's a border and to do so means we will be staring right into the neighbours garden.

Are they getting enough water? Does the soil around them need topping up. If they aren't getting enough nutrition then they will start dying and it will start from the top as its furthest from the roots. The lower branches are getting all the nutrition because there isn't enough to go around.

Chop them a few inches below where they start going brown, get some good quality compost and fork it into the soil mixed with some conifer feed and water it in well. They grow back fast.

I am giving lots of water but its hard to know they are very brown almost like they've been set on fire. It doesn't feel like it's been any drier this year that any other. I ts good to know it's not strange that's its from the top. Other neighbours have horses and said I can use their manure so was going to do that and then put mulch on top plus cutting them down and keep my fingers crossed.

I’d suggest the same as pp re water them more and feed them.

Trees drink a lot per day. When it’s hot and a dry spell they need to be watered, either by a hose when we are allowed, or from a bucket/watering can.

Once their roots grow deeper down they will get to the water table themselves but until then just water yourself.

Cross posted there, I see you’re watering.

Could it be neighbours the trees may affect are deliberately poisoning them?

Be careful with manure, it can burn if put on neat, I think it needs to rot down or mixed first but I might be wrong.

It's a possibility but dont want to be too paranoid they arent keen on the conifers but find it crazy to think they would try to kill them. Thing is they've been in 7 years so cant see why suddenly this year would be any different
They have put their own fence on this year though behind them so that will have disturbed the soil ect.

Perhaps they put weedkiller down on their side to kill weeds re new fence, not realising it would kill anything in a radius of where they sprayed it, as it travels through the soil?

Maybe they have said they haven't but their new turf behind the same part where our conifers are dying seems to be dying too. I just dont want to have to rip them out they have a 3ft fence so we can see right into their garden without them at all usually keep them at about 5ft. The manure is in a pile from her horses well rotted so hopefully should be ok. I have tried to attach a picture so you can see it but wont post when I try which is weird.

If everything in the general area is dying it could be because if something in the soil. Either they’ve weedkillered it or perhaps something in the concrete is bad.

I’d go round and ask them if they used any weedkiller recently as your trees are dying and so is their turf, and see what they say.

Are they the yellowy conical ones that are often called 'Goldcrest'? They are a bit touchy and can die back without warning.

Conifers don't always grow back very well if you prune them hard, so if I were you I'd fight your way to the middle, cut out only the dead branches and leave the rest. You can pull them back into shape by wrapping string round them in a spiral.

At this time of year you can give a good feed of liquid seaweed to conifers, and water the foliage with it as well as the ground.

I dont think they are we inherited them so cant be sure anyone know how to add a picture can attach at the bottom but will not post if I attach something x

You could also use bonemeal