Trees dying?

We seem to be having an issue with a corner of our yard... anything we plant is dying after a while.. we have tried a spruce,pine trees, regular fruit trees.. nothing seems to live... We have an easement in our yard that I think passes thru there, could that be a reason? We always plant our trees using good soil. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

you say easement, but what kind? Is there a pipe under the ground? This could easily be the problem. The pipe or concrete may be influencing the soil or even contaminating it and eliminating nutrients from the soil over time. I have a storm drain easement in a piece of my back yard and I have an extremely hard time getting anything to grow there, grass included. But so far, I have had better luck this past year with Tall grass, like Zebra grass.

 

Yes there is a concrete pipe going thru my yard and the neighbors yard. She doesn't seem to have any issues though. However she might not be planting near the pipe itself.

Thanks,

 

From your post it seems that you would have to dig pretty deep to accommodate the root ball, but I wonder if the "roots" of the various plants/trees are obstructed or the area may have poor drainage.

In the event it is a drainage issue – I’ve had success with the following soil mixture mix - all equal parts - this will also solve any soil issues and promote a stronger root system.

For Evergreen Trees/Shrubs
Lava Rocks (SMALL)
play box sand
Organic soil conditioner
Holly-tone
http://www.espoma.com/

Non-Evergreen Trees/Shrubs
Same as above – BUT replace Holly-tone w/ Ironite Mineral Supplement www.ironite.com


I hope this helps.