I live n North Carolina, and am beginning to thing that trying to grow pretty much any cryptomeria in this region for any length of time will result with a tree or shrub turning brown (I am guessing from some sort of fungus).
Three C. japonica 'Black Dragon', a couple of globosa nana, a spiraliter falcata, and a 'Little Diamond have been growing in my backyard from 1 to 5 years, I lost a "Little Diamond" earlier this summer due to this browning spreading to the entire plant despite early attempts at pruning off the bad branches and spraying with an organic fungicide.
A little bit over a week ago, we had a quite a bit of rain after a rather extended period of no precipitation at all, and the last couple of days has found me pruning all three 'Black Dragons', and a Spiraliter falcata to remove a sudden outbreak of browning.
Over the last three years I have experienced similar problems with two Gemstone hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa ' Gemstone '), but my Chamaecyparis obtusa nana gracilis, and aurea nana remained unaffected.
Does anyone have a good method for preventing/controlling I am presuming to be fungal attacks on cryptomeria and chamaecyparis?
Any help would certainly be appreciated!