This is the second white pine tree ( three foot tall), grew each year and then each of these at some point became lighter in color, then took on a tannish color and finally every needle went from green to brown. Replaced one last fall and now another one has just begun this change..........any idea what would cause a very healthy and bushy white pine tree to die like this? I am baffled.

 

What are you planting them in? What soil? ( I mix a compost with my new trees. )

Are you fertilizing them? Water schedule?

 

And until they have their first year's defoliation, they will need a rather acid soil. Their own needles will provide that in future years. As Mike said, watering and soil amendments like compost are important.

 

Around here it was drought and heat. It even killed a lot of well established trees.

 

All the pines were planted in a soil that does have a clay content but have all grown well, original ones in the outside row are now twenty feet. This next row are around 2-3 feet, all get good watering on a regular basis especially when we have a dry spell and do lightly fertilize but not sure that made any difference since the first row grew so large. I just don't get why a tree doing well begins to fade in color and then it is tan and then it winds up loosing all its needles!