Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Plant Species >> Trees

Arborvitae Browning from Rock Mulch Heat

Rock Mulch Causes Root Zone Heat Stress

15 arborvitae with mid/brown lower foliage, green tops. Rock mulch absorbs/releases heat, reduces soil air pores, increases water loss. Mulch ≤3–4" organic preferred. Water 1 inch weekly. Trees may recover but lower density may remain thin.

Trees: Rapid Decline in Water Oak: Brown Spots to Total Defoliation in Days; Newly Planted Lilac with Brown Leaves: Transplant Shock or Disease?; Fungus Gnat Control: Target the Larvae, Not the Flies; Planting Curly Willow: Fall Planting, No Fertilizer First Year; Volcano Mulching Killing Your Tree? How to Fix an 18‑Inch Mulch Mound; Leaf Spot on Weeping Redbud: Fungal Management; Troubleshooting Brown Tips and Splitting Leaves on Yucca; Identifying & Treating Scale on Rubber Tree; Palm Yellowing with Brown Spots: Nutrient Deficiency vs. Fungus; Arborvitae Recovery: Fertilize, Mulch, Professional Spraying

Garden Articles

Arborvitae One-Sided Browning: Environmental Diagnosis Needed

Cherry Tree Sudden Death: Brown Rot Blight

Best Mulch for Mature Maple Trees

Maple Tree White Spots and Leaf Eaters: Lichen and Insect Control

Bald Cypress Knees Threatening Foundations: Root Barrier Solutions in Texas

Baby Bald Cypress Uprooted Twice: Builder Warranty Replacement

Managing Fungal Leaf Spots on Tabebuia Trees

Plants

Grape Vine Brown Rot: Fungal Disease Management

Universal Brown Spot Diagnosis: Fungal Management for Any Plant

Oak Tree Fuzzy Spots: Photo Request for Gall vs. Disease Diagnosis

Stanhopea Leaf Spots: Sunburn vs. Fungal Infection

Brown Spots on All Rose Leaves: Weather Stress vs. Fungal Disease

Growing a Brown Turkey Fig Over a Pergola in the UK

Brown Spots After Snow Melt: Snow Mold or Just Dormancy?