Are my thujias dying?

[Username10202847]

I have seven thujas in various spots around my garden, and in the last few weeks they've all started to turn yellow in places. I've never seen this before with them - are they dying?

Hopeful bump!

I think you've identified for me a tree in my garden, though I'm not sure which species/variety it is.

I've seen hedges of these trees, usually newly planted, that look completely healthy except for one specimen that's completely brown. It seems they can be a bit temperamental.

The Rhs has information on blights that can affect them, link below and within the page, if it was just the one plant I'd say it was wind or animal damage. That they're all affected though, I don't blame you for being concerned.

www.rhs.org.uk/disease/thuja-blight

Oh no, that doesn't sound good 😬I was wondering whether it could be the drought over the summer, although I did try and keep them watered. I'll try cutting out the brown bits...

Are they fairly newly planted?

No we planted them 4 years ago and they've always been very healthy.

Hopefully just a blip them, it was very hot over the summer. I don't know if you noticed
I felt more than a little wilted myself.

Haha, me too!

Conifers, although evergreen, don't keep all their old foliage forever, and they do shed it from time to time, mainly from the inner branches that have been shaded out by new growth. It is autumn, and quite a few conifers choose this time of year to do it.

It has been a hard summer, so it might be a good idea to give them a mulch now, and then a good feed in the spring, around mid-March to early April depending on where you are in the country.

Thank you, fingers crossed this'll work.