Oak tree Skinny, Wont fill out

mountainmanmike

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Hi was wondering if someone might have some hints as to why me 8 yr old Shumard Red Oak tree won't fill out. Its just tall and skinny and not near as full and thick as any other Shumard Red Oak I have seen. I used to think it was just the nature of the tree but the dead small sprouts all over it (see attached pics) is the root of the problem why it wont fill out. I really need the shade! Any Ideas? I appreciate any suggestions.

Someone told me that the tree must be planted too deep but I don't think that is the case, the trunk 'buldge' is above ground, see pic.

Thanks,
Mike

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osb_mail

remove about 3 foot of sod from arround the tree put 3 inches of around tree make sure to kept it off the trunk of the this should help .It also looks like you might want to do a soil test .

mountainmanmike

Hey thanks for the response! But it looks like something got cut off. Put 3 inches of what around the tree? And why do you say might need a soil test, the color of the leaves?

Thanks very much for your help!

Mike

treeseer

seeing the flare/bulge is good but you must also see the major roots coming off the stem to be sure there is no strangling.

yeah the leaves do look a bit yellow to me; at least check the pH.

osb_mail

mulch

kieren

Its an oak and a young one! let it grow remove the grass and mulch with the leaves that fall from it seasonly it will look fantastic in a hundred years plant a faster growing tree for shade

blair duncanson

Perhaps even the shelter from your building has promoted tree to be more stretched and leggy? Now that it is above your build and exposed to more wind etc it will fill out in reaction.

TreeSpecialist

Red oaks have a tendency to hybridize or "bastardize" as wind pollinated trees. Some red oaks labeled as Shumards are actually more of the pin oak variety and require a different soil pH (more acid.)

A soil test is in order before randomly throwing chemicals or fertilizers on the tree. Find out what the soil pH is and proceed from there.

Was the tree container grown or balled and burlapped?

Did you plant the tree or have it planted?

__________________

willem

I also think the problem is in the soil. There are number of thinks I can think of.
Water
Type of soil
Soilstructure/oxygen

First water from your picture I get the idea that the tree is in eleveated position towards the rest of the garden if so it may be struggeling to find water.
Watering it in hot and dry periods is a good idea.
Or is it in a wet spot perhaps through rain runoff from the shed??
Check the moist contents of the soil for a couple months to get an idea of the moisture available for the tree.

Type of soil. Maybe the soil is to acidic or is it just white sand with no nutirients
A test could be helpful. Soilimprovment would be adviced ( read mulching)

Soilstructure/oxygen
Is the soilstructure recently been altered through digging or driving around with heavy machinery ( perhaps when building the shed). This can lead to soilcompactation. Which creats and soilenviroment in which roots have a hard time growing. Making the soil loose through the use of compressed air is a solution. Ask a specialist for advice.

Mulching is certainly a good idea, get rid of the gras and get so mulch in.
This will help almost with all above problems