Question
About 18 months ago in late farll I planted 51 arborvitae around the perimeter of a fenced in back yard.  By the end of the following summer, 15 had to be replaced; they were browning up -- from the outer tips -- entire portions of the trees were dead while other portions were healthy.  Some eventually died altogether.  The landscaper assumed not enough water but later decided it was too much.  We replanted them higher -- they looked good until this month, May, after much rain, now even those that are 18 months old are browing up from the bottom.  The soil is heavy clay and most of the trees that were lost were at the bottom of a slope which receives run off water from my lawn and neighbor's lawn.  But now the problem is attacking even those older trees which were planted on higher ground and had shown no problems prior to this month.  There is much new vigorious growth, even on the inside branches -- the browing can kill one part of the green tips while adjacent tips are still growing well.  But eventually whole sections of the tree turn brown.  It always starts at the bottom.  I've had numerous people out and it seems no one knows what's going on.  could acid soil play a role?  I haven't had my soil tested but I'm told the area here in Overland Park Kansas is acid clay.  I've spent thousands of dollars on these trees and am devastated by this slow creeping death.  Any ideas as to what's happening?  It seems now almost atll 51 have started browning, even the older ones that had done so well the first year.  We had significant rain this spring --
Many thanks
Janice Graham

Answer
Hi Janice
Your Problem is definately soil, heavy clay on the one part is good for fertility and anchoring the trees but the drainage is very poor. soil acidity could be a consideration but it would have to be at a point where nothing would grow there. My guess for you is the drainage because its at the base of a hill and gets plenty of water
and no drainage because of the heavy clay.
You should start with a soil test to find out whats going on first, and then amend the area with some compost or other organic matter to help break up the clay. other considerations are temperature and direction. for example
a northern exposure will be colder and less sun, a western
exposure will face the drying winds. so what ever direction your trees are faceing you have to adjust the enviroment to meet there needs.  Start with the soil test
and then go from there.  Good Luck  Larry  ;-)