Aphids on cedar trees

Credit: Derrick Coetzee

Q: I have cedar trees in my yard, which are browning and loosing foliage. There are ladybugs in various stages on both trees. I have sprayed them from top to bottom, hoping to wash the aphids off. There is more dead foliage on the bottom and inside the centre of the tree, but I continue to spray with water.

Is there anything else I could be doing to help my trees?

This is an educated guess because I’m unsure what kind of cedars they are, how long they’ve been planted, if the insects are aphids or some other type and if the browning is normal or a result of other factors (e.g. diseased, lack of light, aging, etc.).

Firstly, I would suggest you take pictures of your trees to your garden centre for a more thorough diagnosis. In the meantime, I suggest washing off the insect from the plant as the quickest way to remove dead debris, but not kill the ladybugs. Keep your cedars mulched (5 to 10 cm thick), watered (especially during long dry stretches), and/or fertilized (as directed on fertilizer label) as needed to maintain proper plant health.