(August) We have a sick silver maple in our yard and we need your help. It was
sick last year but seemed to come out of it. This year we are having trouble
with the firs and evergreens that are nearby. They just "brown" out and die.
What is causing this and what should we do?
I would investigate a little further. Whenever you have a wide variety of unrelated plants showing signs of problems, it is usually something physical or chemical that is related to the site. Rarely, will a disease or insect cause problems to a variety of plants at the same time. Check for any pesticide, fertilizer or other chemical usage. Has the house been painted, or treated recently, new construction, etc? Check drainage, or possible gas leaks. Hopefully, you can determine what is causing the problems, and correct it.