Check the buds at the end of the branches. If they are plump, slightly green and covered with whitish to greenish scales, the tree should be okay.

If new growth is weak or turning brown, root injury or canker disease may be involved.

Pines don't like water and this can make it turn yellow. Is your soil well drained?

Call your county extension agent and have him take a look and do a soil test.

I agree with Dave.
Photos of the buds/needles/branches/entire tree would be nice though. This is how to post:

Join photobucket.com (it's free) - create a folder - select upload photos (several "formats" such as multiple or new uploader or old uploader, etc-) - transfer your photos from the name of the folder you created in your "My Documents" - "My Pictures" - and then select, upload. . .Now your photos are on photobucket. Left & Right click your mouse on the third string of characters, "line" underneath each photograph, select "copy" and then > add that string of characters here in the Message Box (that we all type in). And wham!!! you click on the blue box - "Preview Message" - and you'll see your photo - along with any text you may have typed.

Looking forward to helping your tree.

Thanks Wyoming-

Daxman

your pine is NOT 'established' ... it has not established the root mass it needs to make it thru winter ... that may take a year or two more ....

it had a hard time dealing with the drying effects of winter winds .... and/or .. the effects of winter sun ... perhaps reflected off snow ...

i have had pines.. in said circs lose all their needles.. and do just fine ...

as noted previously.. its all about the buds...

if they are black and mushy.. they are dead.. if all die.. the tree is dead ...

if they are tannish.. and start elongating here in the next few weeks.. then your tree is alive.. and it will do just fine... just insure it has PROPER water the rest fo this year .... ask if you are unsure about PROPER watering of a pine ...

ALL pine shed needles... these damaged needles will fall off in a year or two.. ignore them .... once the plant flushes out in late spring.. they will be un-noticable ...

pix would help avoid further speculation ....

good luck

ken

Hi everyone-

I'm in the same boat: My 2 beautiful Vanderwolfs have started turning brown, a year after planting as ball and burlap. The are planted 40 feet apart, but are experiencing the same problems. I've posted some close up pictures and more details here: http://contractsmart.com/Vanderwolf_Help/

Any and all suggestions welcome!

Thanks, Jeff in Denver

Here is a link that might be useful: Vanderwolf Pines turning brown

Jeff in Denver,

That looks like typical winter dessication to the needles and to the buds. It appears the tops of the trees suffered the most which sort of correlates with what I am thinking. Often, the bottoms of the trees are buried in snow and this insulates the needles/branches. Where I see needles in a cluster where some are green but others are brown, that looks like, typical, dessication. Also, now you are going to see brown needles amid the branches especially in the center of the tree. That's going to give you a false sense of something else is wrong. Those are needles that are shedded, annually, and nothing more.

What to do... Look closely at the branches where the entire tips are dead and see if there are any buds at all beneath the damage. If you find one, clip an inch or so above... if no buds are found, clip off that branch. Some branches that are larger you will most-likely find whorls of buds below the tip clustering of buds... trim the deadened material off to the above the set of buds beneath.

I think, with time, you'll have nothing to be concerned with.

Dax

Winter cold is very likely the problem; Vanderwolf is from the Arizona/New Mexico area, and Wyoming will be a bit marginal for it. Ditto for Jeff in Denver.

Resin

Thanks everyone.

Dax- I will try your suggestions on clipping. Once a cluster of needles turns brown, is it safe to assume it will never return back to green? By clipping, am I helping the tree or just making it aesthetically pleasing.

With respect to the winter dessication, what should be done going forward (e.g., watering, fertilizer) to give them the best chance at restoration. Specifically, how much water should be given to the trees from May- October?

Thanks again!

Jeff in Denver

Jeff,

Wiggle the buds and see if they are turgid or if they are dead. Brown needles doesn't mean dead buds. Look over the entire tree and see what the healthy buds look like for clarification. Usually the dead buds will often appear to have a silverish and black combined color. Other healthy buds will most-likely be brown in light and dark shades, sometimes a healthy-black. You'll get the hang of it.

Watering isn't necessary all the time with conifers. An established tree can go without water, annually. ...After two years of care. Fertilization, too, will not be necessary at all for you.

Dax

I have 5 Vanderwolf's at 6500' in Castle Rock and all are doing fine. I did plant them in more sheltered locations, behind my front wing fences, and behind the house (but still in sun) for shelter from the Westerly winds. I think your trees are likely going to be fine, assuming they are drained holes. Most of my pines have some dead branches in the first couple years.

frazier_1977 how about an update? I am new to the Vanderwolf family. I planted one in a south west corner of my yard last fall. I watered it throughout the winter, 15 - 20 gallons per week. Last September, mid month, we got a cold snap and then a hot spell, the tree was in the ground for about a month at that time. Many of the needle tips on the south side of the tree turned brown in October. I think it is just a burn and nothing to worry about. What do you all think?

dana. ...dont expect an update on a5 year old post.. many peeps do one post.. and never come back ...

you ought to start your own post.. add the pic.. add a pic of the whole ...

how big was the transplant.. what was the source of the plant.. was it a season end bargain????

tell us where the plant is.. how you planted it.. what your base soil is .... and how you came to think 15 to 20 gals per week was magical???? [it might be or might not.. depending on whether your soil drains properly]

its great you tried searching.. but with the soil issue ... your problem most likely.. has nothing to do with the 5 year old problem ...

and finally.. if it was professionally installed.. what does your seller say about it???

ken

if the damage.. is that one single branch [that is why i wanted a pic] ... then it was probably damaged in the process of shipping it from the field.. to the store.. to your house.. to your installation ... who knows how ...

its never a disease or bug.. if its limited to one branch like that ...

the key.. is the future.. and what the buds look like .. and if they bud out properly.. problem solved ... as there is no current problem.. it was an old problem ...

i didnt mean to scare you away ....

ken

Ken I didn't mean to insult everyone by posting in an old post but really "...and how you came to think 15 to 20 gals per week was magical????" ----- Surly I just pulled the number out of my butt! I guess I am not smart enough to use this forum and your response has shown that to me.