Hi folks, new to the site, hope I'm in the right area. I'm having trouble getting my Monkey Puzzle tree to grow. It has begun to turn brown from the bottom up. This is the second time this year in the same spot in the lawn. The first tree was planted in the spring and died about 3 months later. The replacement tree was planted in early summer and is turning brown now on the bottom 1/3. Both trees were bought at a local nursery at about 2 feet in height. I was told not to water them too much as they don't require a lot of water. Would moving it be the thing to do or is it to late for this one?
A few things come to mind that might be a problem. One, you've got clay that is keeping the roots wet, is creating a "bowl" for water to sit, and/or is impeding its tap root from sinking in. Two, you've been blessed with one of the many soil fungi known to attack conifers and their relatives. Three, organic mulch is pushed up against the trunk of the tree and creating a fungus problem. I am sure there are other things that could cause this, but those would be my top 3. A copper-based fungicide may help. Most Araucaria species, especially yours, tends to grow in deep, rich, well-draining, volcanic soils in its natural environment.