I recently had one Italian cypress die–green six months ago, a little less green than the ones near it maybe, then gray and dead all at once three weeks ago. When getting ready to take it out, I saw that it has a support wire within a small hose girdling the trunk. The trunk has almost grown over the wire and hose, which circle the trunk multiple times. The other trees have the same support wire and hose embedded in their trunks. The trees are trying to grow around the wire, and it’s too deep for me to get it all out without harming the tree.I don’t believe the tree died from spider mites. We have been spraying them with strong flows of water, and the previous owner sprayed with pesticide every year.Could this girdling have killed the tree? Am I just waiting for the other trees to die the same way? Can I or should I try to get the wire out of the other trees?
Yes the old wire is girdling and killing them. Do what you can to remove it…perhaps cutting it with a small metal cutting circular saw on a Dremel too. You have noting to lose by trying since they will die anyway without some relief. As long as you can salvage some of the bark intact through the process, they will have a chance at recovery.