my poor conifer

I killed one in the garden of my old house too - I didn't DO anything, it just happened!

This time I plan to take action and keep my conifer alive, but I could do with some advice please. The tips of the foliage are yellowing (see picture), and it's also looking pretty dry and brown close to the trunk (other picture). I thought maybe it was just thirsty given the lack of rain we've had here (until last night!) but the yellowing is all over rather than starting at the bottom.

Grateful for any thoughts!

 

Sadowska, once conifers start to die back, it's very difficult to save them.
Anything could have caused it, but in my experience it's usually wind or frost damage.
If you prune it - it won't produce new growth. So, sadly it will slowly die back and you will probably have to dig it out.

 

Oh no! Not looking forward to digging it out, it's on the top of the rockery... Will be tricky getting leverage!!

 

If you look at page 4 of General Gardening discussion you'll see my thread there called Lleylandii Thug. That will tell you how to go about removing it.

You can see from the thread what my neighbour and I will be contending with at the end of the summer.

Happy digging!

 

Are you sure the yellow growth is not just new growth forming.
Some conifers have yellow new growth which turns green later.

Conifers, of this type, will always be brown inside near the trunk.

It looks fairly well established, unless planted as a large plant, so I'm guessing drought would not be a problem.

 

I've taken a second look at the pictures Pete. Sorry you haven't convinced me. I still believe it's on the downhill road, going on my own experience.

 

I wasn't trying to convince you or anybody.

I was just giving an alternative view, probably wrong.:D
Its always very difficult to give a definite answer, I find, in these cases, without actually seeing the plant, or for that matter knowing even the cultivar.

 

I suppose only time will tell! I'd like to be proactive in case it is salveagable, although thanks for the removal advice which I will probably need given my track record!
Unfortunately I have no clue about conifer cultivars so don't know if the new yellow growth might apply. Don't know if you get much sense of scale from the photos but it's a dwarf, about 6 feet tall.
It could well be thirsty as it's at the top of the rockery, adjacent to retaining concrete wall, and it has only just rained twice this week after over a month of totally dry weather (south London). I read that drought damage would show from the bottom up but on further thought I'm not sure that make much sense... Other than just watering (and nitrogen feed??). Or could yellow leaves mean a mineral deficiency?

 

You could be lucky with it. It may just be a lack of water, they are quite thirsty plants. Only time will tell, really.

 

Give it a good soaking, bearing in mind you want to keep it, and see how it goes.
It aint dead till its DEAD