A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Shrubs and Trees White Pine

Good Morning,

The neighbor behind us planted a row of White Pines about 10 years ago. They grew rapidly and provided a wonderful privacy wall between our two yards. However, in the last 3 years several of them have died and now I notice that two more have died, which will probably be cut down in the spring.

The original owner has since moved away and the new owners keep a very sloppy yard. I doubt that they take any care at all of these trees. I don't relish the thought of all of these trees dying off eventually leaving us with no privacy at all and a view of a messy yard behind us.

I would be willing to care for them and I highly doubt that the neighbor would mind if I did. What can I do to preserve the ones that are left? When first planted, the homeowner put down a layer of black plastic (trash bag type material) to keep the weeds down. Could that be causing a problem? Do they need fertilizing? I have no idea what to do, but would like to try. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Donna

Pines of all types are being killed off here in California by a pine bark beetle. The plastic mulch is probably not a problem. Pines usually need deep watering in their growing season. Other than that I really can not help much. I hope you can save them.

Good morning to you, Donna & happy holidays.

My first guess is that lawn fertilizer could be poisoning them,
since mine are thriving on a humussy top layer of decomposed pine
needles, vegetation- other leaves w/perennials- shredded with a
mulching mower, and not much else.
Other than that, they may be crowding each other out. Pines in
general do well in humusy conditions and moderate moisture and little else.

I'm thinking that disease or insects are doing the damage.