Arborvitae Browning After Summer Planting

Planting evergreens like arborvitae in June often leads to interior needle drop. The root system can’t supply enough water to the foliage even with regular irrigation. The plant sheds its oldest needles as a stress response. If more than 50% of the foliage is brown, recovery is unlikely. For best results, plant evergreens in fall or early spring.