Question
Dear Jim,
I have a ranch in Willow Springs CA. It is very dry and hot in the summer here.Almost no rainfall for a good 4-6 mo.s.
I have about 45 Afgan Pine trees and about 50 other trees of different types that have been in the ground for about 3-4 years all ready. In the rainy season, the pines look great and
are dark green with new growth during the winter.
In the summer I usually water them every 4-5 days about 5-6 gallons each. They are mostly around 8-12ft. tall.
This year almost all of them started developing brown and crispy
needles from the inside outward. Looking like they are really dry.
I also noticed some of my Sioxland and white Poplars started yellowing quite a bit. I have pruned out the inside sprouts around the trees to let more air and light in, and that has seemed to help. I have fed them twice this year with miracle gro at half there recommended formula. They still are developing new shoots and leaves also. Some trees are just fine also with none of these signs. Am I just watering to darn much because I think the heat requires more? I experimented with one pine and watered it every other day. It really started to look brown and dying.
I also use a Bayer complete insect control insecticide sprayed on them once every other month. Up in the Tehachapi Mountains near me
the pines and oaks look great with the same amount of rainfall.
Bigger and deeper root systems? Sorry about all the questions,
i don't have any one to ask who has as much backround as you do.
Thanx,
AL
dosage.

Answer
Too much water--over watering will have the same effect and signs as too little water--browning foliage etc. Water only when the soil under the trees is dry down to about 3-4 inches. Then water with 1 inch of water--place a pan under the tree and turn the sprinkler on and when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. Do this only if you have had a couple of weeks of dry weather and the soil is dry. Conifers do not need much water and since the trees were planted several years ago they have a good root system and can with stand a little dry weather. Trees naturally can with stand periods of little water without watering. Lay off the fertilizer this can cause problems during dry weather. I would not fertilize until late Fall--fertilizer for trees is for root production mainly. Sounds like you are giving them too much "love" back off a little.