Red Apple Groundcover Yellowing: Check for Gopher Root Damage

Question: Large red apple area on slope; part green, part yellow/brown. Water more? Fertilize? Both?

Answer: Three Causes—Water, Iron, or No Roots (Gophers)

1. Lack of water
2. Lack of fertilizer (especially iron)
3. No roots—gophers eat roots, leave tunnels. Soil sinks when stepped on.

Test: tug yellow sections—if they pull up easily, roots are gone. If roots intact, apply localized fertilizer + water.

—Russel