Deadheading and a brushup worked wonders....

This particular conifer seems to be prone to this. I've no idea why...perhaps it isn't as hardy as we would like..but I have no idea really. I'm glad it's reviving for you!

a couple of my conifers in pots are browning rather severely, i was never sure what to do wiht them, might be worth trying to take the brown off, if they're dying anyway I can't do much harm.

But even the lerge trees beyond the fence were browning earlier this year, so it might be seasonal - for some speiceis, though I think mine are past that.

Someone once told me when a conifer goes like this there was no point in cutting out the brown as it wouldn't re-grow and the plants was probably dying anyway. Just goes to show how wrong some people can be. I'm so glad yours is recovering :)

What a lovely surprise Lincs - and isn't it a joy to be able to get down to some proper maintenance again!

Al your work as paid off, so good to see the Conifer recovering;0)

I was also told that there was nothing to be done but figured it was worth a try, I hate losing my trees, it changes the look of the whole garden and I only like small changes, lol, the huge spreading juniper near the waterfall did the same thing a few years ago, so I reduced it by half, that one has a lot of new growth, it always goes a bit brown on one side each winter but I give it a trim and tidy it up as soon as the spring flowers have gone over....
Fran if you give it a go remember to wear gloves and long sleeves, they do bite back...
Stera I'm making up for lost time, my old mum used to say best thing to do if one aches is to work the joints loose, lol, mind you that doesn't mean that you have to copy, lol....

Hi Pansy, I do like to give them a fighting chance, have to admit its a boring chore though, some would say I have too much time on my hands, lol....

Well Lincs if you have I can't think of a better way to spend it;0)

I'm pleased about your tree :o) I didn't think conifers would grow back like that. I thought that if you cut into the old wood, they would just die.
Shows what I know lol ... but I am pleased for you :D

PS ... and I hope this year will be better for you :)

Thanks Hywel, I can see all the garden again now and my trees do have individual leaves instead of green blurry smudges, lol, I have to be careful as my knee plays me up a bit, can't kneel very well so its a case of bending down and thats a right pain when planting things but its worse if I sit about, I'm fraying around the edges Hywel but not giving in, born under Taurus definitely the right star sign for me, lol.

We have to do the best we can with the complaints we've got :)

You never said a truer word Hywel

:)

i trimmed my small conifer, it wasn't as brown as the other two, hope it don't mind too much. the others might, but only one way to find out, and nothing to lose in any case!

lol Hwyel, some old Greek said that if all the world's ills were put into a pile, and everyone had to take an equal share, most people would be happy to pick up what they originally had.

Would I be correct in saying that this is a low spreading conifer called "Blue Carpet". We cut back the brown pieces on ours each year and it seems to regenerate OK. One year I put half a dozen of the offcuts in pots .. 2 of them took and are now doing very well. I guess that is always an option for you possibly, to strike a couple of new cuttings then dig the old root out and replant the new ones. I hope you are able to have a more active year in your garden.

Would it be possible to fleece if it's caused by the cold? Still, if you're getting new growth, probably not necessary. What a pity we can't prune ourselves and get new growth:-))))

Bornagain, what a great idea (self pruning) ... Who knows what medical advances will take place in the next two or three thousand years ? <]:~))

lol but you can bet that if/when "they" perfect "self-pruning" it'll take a loooooooong time for it to be cheap enough to be affordable to the likes of us.

Good point Fran, I'll just try and grow old gracefully :~))

Mine is one of the gold ones Alan, think its maybe Gold Coast, I actually have two and the other one rarely suffers, I also have one of the blu/grey ones both at bottom end of the garden and I guess more protected from the wind.
Never thought to try cuttings from them but always willing to have a go, thanks for your good wishes, you know what they say "you can't keep an old dog down" lol, just pace myself better, lol..

Enjoy your gardening.