Question: My evergreens have taken on a pale appearance. I can’t see any insects, but the plants seem to be dying from the ground up.

Answer: Several types of evergreens have problems with spider mites. They’ll cause the plants to lose their normal green color, often fading to an olive drab, then tan and brown. Thump an affected twig over white paper. If you see very tiny pests start to move, those are probably the mites. Apply a labeled control.