Hello In the last couple of days several branches have suddenly started drooping over on my Arnold's Sentinel Pines. I pushed some mulch aside and checked the soil. It is not dry. I have had these trees for 7 years and they have thrived. I run the irrigation system twice a week for 15 minutes each time. The only change is that I noticed a couple of months ago that the sprinkler head behind these trees had sunk so low that it was barely above the ground level when sprinkling so I added a 3" riser. My soil is fine silt and clay so it doesn't drain really well although I have added compost every year which I hope has improved it and last year I had two drain channels installed. Am I watering too much or too little? thanks for any help!
Fastigiate conifers falling open under snow loads is the common issue; don't know why you are having this in August. Do know that with the soil conditions you describe after 7 years you can take your pines off the system. And maybe many of the other plants also. That are well established. Perhaps even the Hydrangea paniculata.
Oh thank you so much. I never thought of that. We are in a drought in the Vancouver, B.C. area. Maybe I should just hand water them once a month?
