Thuja turning brown from top down

sigfried

We have a small thuja tree which looks nice and green at the bottom but is turning brown from the top downwards.
We don't know the history of the tree and how it should be treated from a year to year basis.

Is that a lack of watering or what could that be? What could we do to save the tree?

sigfried

Nobody got an idea? Think they are also a kind of cypress if that makes any difference?

Dovefromabove

That looks like the effects of drought to me ... not sure if there's anything that can be done at this stage ... usually by the time the leaves are turning brown like that they've had it.

Anyone else got any ideas?

sigfried

Thank you two for the replies - I think you might be right. We had a closer look at the inside of the tree and it looks like the bark is not too healthy.
It might not recover.

Obelixx

Looks like a goner to me.  You can wait for it to die gradually or take it out now but whichever you decide, take it out with as much root as possible.  You'll then need to revive the soil there with plenty of well-rotted garden compost and/or manure to renew fertility and condition before you plant anything new.

Make sure anything you do plant is well watered in its first year and that all plants get water during any future drought and, if possible, a mulch to retain moisture down at the roots.   

Busy-Lizzie

We had one that did that, then it grew a new shoot and we cut the old bit off. The new bit got quite big but it was lopsided after that.