Arborvitae Have Turning Brown And Black At Bottom

Question From: D. Matthews - Watervliet, New York, United States
Q: I planted 20 arborvitae (4-5ft high) in June 2014 in upstate NY. They are about 3 ft apart. I watered them "generously and regularly". Shortly after, i noticed some brown spots at bottom of plants and subsequently blamed my dog for urinating on them. I covered them with burlap for winter beginning of Nov. I recently removed the burlap and found ALL 20 plants brown and black from bottom up about 18-24 inches. And sporadic browning on all of them. Is this a disease? Could I have over watered them? Please advise

A: You may have overwatered them. Wrapping with burlap is not suggested. Better to put up a burlap screen. If they were mine I would get an onsite inspection from a certified arborist. To find one in your area go to www.tcia.org. Good Luck and thanks for visiting Yardener.com