Redwood is turning brown at top

Billy Click

I have a redwood tree in my backyard that is over 50 years old. Last year I noticed that the needles on one of the branches was turing brown. This year it appears that about 4 feet at the top is brown as shown in the photos. There is another redwood about 10 feet away that is doing fine. Is there anything I should/can do? Will the tree be okay? I've included an overall photo and a closeup.

Thanks, Mike

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Brent Ferris

Please post some pics of the base of the tree, the ground around it, and the trunk, and a closeup of the foliage.

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Billy Click

Here's a few photos of the tree base and green foilage. The brown foilage at the top is not accessible. I feel like that we had above average rain this year in Northern California. I have a total of 4 of these trees on my backyard and this one is the second in height.

Thanks for looking,
Mike

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Brent Ferris

The tree looks to be beside a new fence with a concrete ledge, and the ground around the trunk seems to be higher than I would expect for a tree of this size. Trees normally flare out at the base, strongly suggesting that the roots have been buried, and the roots are being suffocated, and the new fence strongly suggests roots were cut when the concrete ledge/fence was installed. The result is loss of root vitality and tree death, Sorry for the news.

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)

Billy Click

Thank you for your response.

My wife and I just purchased this property so when I looked at the disclosures I found that the fence was installed in 2008 by the previous owners (from my further research I found that the browning branches could take three years after the damage before showing - which is consistent to this timing).

I took a closer look around the tree base and there is not a concrete ledge (in the previous photo what appears to be a ledge is a desiccation crack in the soil), however there is a concrete footing at the base of the post right next to the tree (see photo). I would say that definitely at the post footing the roots were cut to place the footing. I don't know all the construction that took place by the previous owners but I feel they may have re-graded this area and added the wood chips.

From your response this sounds like an imminent death that can't be reversed. This makes me very sick, as this tree had gone for so long and had a long time to go.

My final questions: If there is anything at all to do please let me know who to call. It appears that you live to far away, otherwise I'd ask you - if you know anyone in my area please let me know. Also, if removal is the only option, how long should I wait? Maybe cutting the top off first and then see what happens? (Sorry the other photos I've added may have too many shadows, I could retake them later if necessary).

Thanks,
Again.

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Brent Ferris

Hey Mike, I don't mind a return ticket to California LOL.
Seriously, dig down and see if you can determine the depth of added soil. You should be able to see colour changes, and probably different soil type. If it is possible to remove the excess soil than do so. If not, a number of holes to aerate the roots will likely help. I can provide more details. Applications of liquid seaweed or kelp will help, and organic fertilizers - bone/blood meal, potash -- a Bacillus and Trichoderma application will help, make sure the tree has enough water -- the damage may be reversible, maybe....
What kind of soil is the parent material, and the added soil; what is the diameter of the trunk, is the yard graded, and how much competition does the tree have?

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)

Billy Click

This is the right time of the year to visit the California! Thanks for your help, I'll post the results.

Brent Ferris

It is vitally important to remove the excess soil.

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)

Billy Click

I may have an additional problem. Right around the time the first browning (one branch) started to occur, my neighbor in the yard on the other side of the fence was selling his property. He installed new lanscaping before placing it on the market in August of 2010. Just after this was when we noticed the first browning. The other four feet turned brown recently (this year).

When we first moved in to our house, my wife and I have looked between the fence boards of this neighbor and could see (with a limited view) a rugged terrain with limited grass and many holes and mounds of dirt. This house was not maintained and in order to sell they upgraded everything. At that time my wife and I went to one of the open house. Attached are pictures (not good resolution as taken from the realty website) of what the backyard looks like with new landscaping. You can see the holes and mounds near the rear of the yard are now level.

Since my tree is directly on the other side of this fence, my question now is:
Do you think the browning is as a result of this regrading that took place approximatly one year ago? or could it still be from the post that was installed in 2008?

Thanks,
Mike

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Brent Ferris

Could be either one, try and find out how much soil was added - most yards are a similar height - compare yours to theirs. If a lot of soil has been added to theirs you then need to assess how many roots from your tree extend into their space. If there are a lot of roots, and a lot of excess soil, the tree will likely die on that side. Removing the excess soil on your side may help the tree on your side, and to quip and paraphrase a well known phrase, half a tree is better than none.

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)