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What keeps killing these arborvitaes, second time #930308

Asked May 01, 2026, 2:42 PM EDT

4 yrs ago, removed 4 - 20 ft blue spruce that were either dying off or diseased. During the dig to replaced with 4- 6 ft green giant arborvitae, company hit a gas line and there was a geiser of gas shooting up in the air for about 4 hrs directly in the middle of the dig. The arborvitae were installed and died within 6 months. Last year, top soil was brought in, 4 new 6' arborvitae were installed, and a burrow was made around each and they were hose watered daily until fall, following by sprinkler daily. In the fall, used Jobe evergreen spikes, one in each water line, trees were beautiful and actually began to grow. Around January, trees started to brown/orange. Not watered as of this year but we have had significant rain. Solid is a comb sand and clay, well drained. No signs of disease or fungus. Questions: company seems to feel it was the Jobe pikes and trees were overdosed ? MSU Hotline hypothesized may be overwater ? Is there any possibility the gas leak may be contaminating the soil ? Is there a test for natural gas or oxygen content in soil and/or for the trees themselves to determine source ? Any feedback and/or referrals would be greatly appreciated.

Oakland County Michigan

Expert Response

Thank you for contacting Ask Extension. Trees die from a natural gas leak first by the roots dying. Then signs show on the leaves and branches. To understand the impact of a gas leak in the soil on trees, consider the following points: Gas leaks can lead to soil contamination, affecting tree health. Roots may struggle to absorb nutrients and water due to altered soil chemistry. Toxic gases can inhibit root growth and function, leading to stress. Trees may exhibit symptoms like wilting, yellowing leaves, or stunted growth. Long-term exposure can increase susceptibility to pests and diseases. Monitoring and remediation are essential to protect affected trees. It seems that the gas leak has caused issues within your soil and could possibly be the culprit for why your arborvitae are not doing well. 

An assessment by a certified arborist on the site can tell you more. These arborists have received training and passed certification tests. His/her experience with trees and using special equipment, can examine the soil, leaves and roots, to determine the health of the tree. I am not sure but, ask the arborist if some soil remediation could help trees planted in the future - aeration, soil replacement or amendment. The fee for a diagnosis is modest compared to losing, removing and replacing more trees. Find a certified arborist by zip code search here— www.treesaregood.org 

Concerning a soil test, MSU does not test for gases within the soil, but I do believe that an arborist has access to that. 

Here are some publications for your reference:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10625672/ https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2024/06/trees-in-ann-arbor-harmed-by-underground-dte-gas-leaks-report-says.html https://insideclimatenews.org/news/20052020/tree-deaths-urban-natural-gas-pipelines/ 

contact us if we can be of further assistance.

Thank you for contacting us! Replied May 02, 2026, 4:43 PM EDT

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