OT: My brother is seeking advice about yard care in western NC

[MagicDawg]

My brother lives in the Smoky Mountains in western NC. He is going to the great Bulldog nation for advice from folks with ag/botany backgrounds. His county extension agent where he lives is, in his words, "too creepy to deal with."

So -- here's his question. There must be someone here who can help him. I am not quite sure what he's talking about as I'm a physics guy and there's not a single free body diagram in his pictures for some reason.

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Seeking advice on pruning, maintenance, etc. Southern Appalachia, western NC.

1. The spruce have significant amount of 'dead needles.' Only a few inches at the ends of the limbs look 'alive.'
2. Spruce are encroaching on possibly choking the arborvitae.
3. Gold mops are encroaching/choking some spruce. Any advice appreciated.






By contrast, lawn looks fine:

 

[Augustus McCrae]

Just use magic.

 

[MagicDawg]

Just use magic.

Sigh. Okay.

 

[thatsbaseball]

My brother lives in the Smoky Mountains in western NC. He is going to the great Bulldog nation for advice from folks with ag/botany backgrounds. His county extension agent where he lives is, in his words, "too creepy to deal with."

So -- here's his question. There must be someone here who can help him. I am not quite sure what he's talking about as I'm a physics guy and there's not a single free body diagram in his pictures for some reason.

--------------------------
Seeking advice on pruning, maintenance, etc. Southern Appalachia, western NC.

1. The spruce have significant amount of 'dead needles.' Only a few inches at the ends of the limbs look 'alive.'
2. Spruce are encroaching on possibly choking the arborvitae.
3. Gold mops are encroaching/choking some spruce. Any advice appreciated.

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By contrast, lawn looks fine:
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LOL Don't know about his bushes and trees but he's a lucky S.O.B. to be living there.

 

[Shmuley]

Sigh. Okay.

Somebody’ll be along directly to give a helpful response.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

My brother lives in the Smoky Mountains in western NC. He is going to the great Bulldog nation for advice from folks with ag/botany backgrounds. His county extension agent where he lives is, in his words, "too creepy to deal with."

So -- here's his question. There must be someone here who can help him. I am not quite sure what he's talking about as I'm a physics guy and there's not a single free body diagram in his pictures for some reason.

--------------------------
Seeking advice on pruning, maintenance, etc. Southern Appalachia, western NC.

1. The spruce have significant amount of 'dead needles.' Only a few inches at the ends of the limbs look 'alive.'
2. Spruce are encroaching on possibly choking the arborvitae.
3. Gold mops are encroaching/choking some spruce. Any advice appreciated.

View attachment 323306 View attachment 323308

View attachment 323309 View attachment 323310


By contrast, lawn looks fine:
View attachment 323311 View attachment 323313

The way it's dying back but green on the ends, I'd guess it's a needle cast fungus most likely affecting the spruce. Local arborist would be who I'd talk to about getting it healthy.

 

[Augustus McCrae]

Sigh. Okay.

Somebody had to say it.

Seriously though I wish I could help but I’m way out of my depth on this one. I am jealous of your brother’s location. Western North Carolina is a great area.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Looks like needlecasts.
Treat with fungicide.
Treatments may not save old damage but will keep from spreading to new growth.

Cut out everything encroaching on the tree to promote good air flow. Mulch. Keep sprinklers off of it, especially late afternoon/night. I learned the hard way that running sprinklers at night may have less evaporation for grass, but can start all kinds of fungus problems for ornamental trees and shrubs.

 

[WilCoDawg]

Somebody’ll be along directly to give a helpful response.

Hopefully they won’t blame Trump for it.***

 

[MagicDawg]

Thanks to all of y'all for the responses. I shared them with my brother and he says "Thanks and Hail State."

 

[CochiseCowbell]

2. Spruce are encroaching on possibly choking the arborvitae.

I learned a new word today.

 

[RocketDawg]

I have a theory that may or may not be true.

We've just had what must have been the mildest overall winter ever. December was quite warm and things were thinking about starting to grow. Then the cold spell hit right around Christmas with temperatures at or near zeros with several days failing to rise above freezing. Then things warmed up again and what wasn't already dead from the December cold days tried to start growing again. January and February were very warm compared to normal. Around mid-March we had temps in the lower 20s, with some areas into the teens, and that hung around for while. Trees already had early leaves, azaleas had bloomed in some cases, so all those things were killed back. Around here, there are lots of dead evergreens (like the spruce and arborvitae in W. North Carolina). So now, it's warm one day, then cool another. But the temps bouncing around in the winter have done their damage. Western North Carolina no doubt had similar winter weather to us with its variability.