fir trees.
By Geffersboy
United Kingdom 
in my garden i have some dark green fir trees
they have been in about 5 or 6 yrs now ? and are well established ive lopped them off at about 5ft. and cut them back every so often , they are in fact forming a hege affect.
anyway to the point , 3 of the trees have gone brown over the yrs, there is a hint of green still in them but not much.
they were all bought same time same place [ b@q.]
they have been like this a while now , and allthough a bit crumbly to the touch they are not falling to bits .. .are they no good .do they need chopping out. will they affect the others ?what do i do ?
advice please..g.h.
3 Aug, 2008
Answers
Sadly i agree with Bluespruce,
These are beyond redemption so please dig them out and burn them this will irradicate any chances of this problem spreading to the others...Sorry..
Best Wishes
Kev
4 Aug, 2008
Hi Geffersboy, Your trees are not fir trees, they are called Lawson or False cypress (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana). All fir trees are from the Abies species. Yes, your dead trees need complete removal including the roots. A possible cause could be Phytophthora an ever increasing fungal disease of Lawsons that affects the roots, over watering and bad drainage can be major factor.
3 Aug, 2008