What can cause brown spots on the conifer?
Dry or brown spots on a conifer can have various causes. Often the discoloration is due to the weather or is caused by incorrect maintenance, such as:
- wrong cutting
- insufficient watering if it is too long dry
- Magnesium deficiency
- Mold diseases
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Damage from cutting back
Conifers are quite easy on pruning and recover well from pruning. However, if the cuts are too strong and go into the old wood, the plant can no longer renew itself. There are no new shoots at this point. However, since the other branches are still growing well, they can be carefully bent to fill in the bare spots. The branches can be tied loosely with zip 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 is falling.
A lack of water leads to brown spots, which, however, are renewed by the plant if there is sufficient water supply.
However, if the conifer is completely dried out and discolored brown, it is difficult to save. It may be helpful to dig around the plant and fill it with water until the root ball is soaked through.
Magnesium deficiency in the soil
If the conifers are mostly brown at the bottom and in the middle, a magnesium deficiency in the soil may be to blame.
This deficiency can be remedied with special fertilizers from the garden center. The fertilizer is administered exactly as directed. In granular form, the fertilizer can be wonderfully raked into the soil.
In order to prevent a magnesium deficiency, the hedge is best supplied with a complete fertilizer for conifers in spring.
Browning 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 bush die off. The only thing that helps here is to cut off the infected parts immediately. After the cut, all tools and equipment must be disinfected to prevent the disease from spreading.
In the case of severe infestation, the use of a fungicide is advisable.
Mold growth can be prevented by properly cutting the hedge. The cut should be made in such a way that the inside of the bush also receives light. A slightly pyramid-shaped cut ensures that the lower areas of the conifers also receive light.
Tips to avoid getting tanned
It cannot always be avoided that a conifer gets brown spots. However, if you keep the following tips in mind, brown branches can usually be avoided:
- choose a location that is not too sunny
- annual fertilization with Epsom salt
- cut in overcast weather, the sun dries out the interfaces too quickly
- Frequently loosen the soil
- water regularly
- Control for pests, control pests
