Last year I planted 20 emerald green arbor-vites. I planted 11 of them in an existing swall wall which is covered with large river rocks. The bed is on an incline from south to north and easr to west...yes our property is on a hill. They have grown beautifullt, about one foot since planting. The problem is that the last two ate bottom of the incline are turning brown on one side, even though they have grown, larger than some of the others. I first thought it was a water problem, since they are at the end of the incline and the pitch of the neighbor's yard is greatest at that point, not to mention his downspouts are poointed in the same direction. Could it be too much water or maybe even too little due to a possible increase of the runoff factor. They were 3 footers when I put them in and now some are 5 foot and then some. I need to save them as they are part of a beautiful privacy wall.

Hi Dennis Water could certainly be an issue if at any time it collects at the boittom of that incline. It could be drowning those last two plants. You mention that the browning is on one side, so there could be something on that side that is impacting the plants. If that side exposed to drying winds that could also be the problem. Check the soil after a rain to see if the plants are standing in water, but also look around to see what might be affecting only that side of the plants.