What is the chemical content of pine trees?

Pine tree needles are yellowing - more than winter as the cause?

• We planted 300 pine tree seedlings 3 years ago and gave left overs to a neighbor who plated them 2 days later. Their trees are taller and greener. Our trees needles look almost anemic or something. They have a noticable yellow cast which they also had last year. I was wondering what could be making the difference. The trees are planted in the same orientation to the sun, get exactly the same amount of sun, and are spaced about the same. The area where our trees are planted is a little lower and not far from a creek so it has a higher moisture content. There are crayfish towers (winter hibernation of Devil's Crayfish) all around that area. I am not sure how the two areas compare as far as soil content. I do know that the two areas have differing grass types and were put in at different times. Long needle pine, which is what these are, is native to the area. Anyone have an idea? I would love to find out the cause so I could improve their condition a bit.

• Answer:

  Yellowing and elongation of the tree are signs of over-nourishment, specifically an increase in the nitrogen content of the soil. Check for cross-polination of nitrogen rich underbrush. Additionally, if you are fertilizing the area, stop. If there is a serious problem, you might want to have the ground-water checked out.