Planted Autumn Blaze Maple in Cedar Hill, Texas

vktaylor

Dear Community:

I planted an Autumn Blaze Red Maple in early March 2007 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Ironically, this year Dallas/Ft. Worth has received twice as much rain and wind as years before.

When I planted the trees I poured GreenLight's root stimulator around the trees roots. Also, three weeks later I poured Bayer's Tree and Shrub protection around the trees to protect it from insects. Everything was fine.

However, in April there was a lot of rain and strong wind. 1st problem, I saw the leaves on the tree have black holes on them. Therefore, I took leaves to my local nursery and they said the leaves have wind damage. Also, I was informed to pull off all old leaves and new leaves will grow back. I did exactly that and they did. However, the same symptons appeared on the trees again. This time I pull back all leaves and I prune the limb that appeared to be dead.

At this point, I don't have any buds or new growth. I have scratched the tree for green and I see it sparing.

Another specialist told me not to dig up the trees because they may come back. Maples are strong trees and they have a tendency to repair themselves and recover from stress. Is this possible or should I throw in the towel and give up? What do you think?

Sean Freeman

Hello vktaylor, the first thing that comes to mind is that what you describe sounds very much like tar spots on the leaves of your tree, see the attached pdf's, however tar spots are not normally a serious problem and really more of a visual problem than anything else. The best treatment like most fungal disorders of leaves is to ensure you burn all infected leaves raked up. I don't like using fungicides since they kill beneficial and pathogenic fungi alike, rather apply a dilute solution of seaweed extract and organic silica as a spray onto the leaves, stems and buds and as a soil drench.

The branch/limb that you removed was it dead or not?


Check the pictures or tar spot and see if it matches what you saw on your tree
tarspot.pdf

Leaf diseases on ornimental trees.pdf

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

vktaylor

Yes, the limb were dead. That's why I prune the die back.

vktaylor

Yes, the tarspot looks similar to what is presented in your images.

Sean Freeman

I wouldn't be giving up on your trees just yet, if it is tar spots its not a big deal. Were they bought as bare rooted plants or Balled & Burlapped or in pots?

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

vktaylor

From my understanding, the trees were in medium size pots, possibly 10 or 15 gal. Would this make a difference? If I don't have leaves at a certain time, should I give up? I mean I have invested in preventative for these trees, but I a skeptical because for one instance I think they are dead. However, I have been told to not dig up the trees. What is the reason for seeing green and brown when the bark is scratched? Is it under stress? Will the bark green back up completely when it recover from stress?

Sean Freeman

The quality and reliability of nursery practices vary from one side of a town to the other let alone across oceans! But plant stock grown in pots can hide many defects that are easier to pick in bare rooted stock. Your trees sound very young, how many did you buy and plant, and are they all suffering the same symptoms?

Young trees are very resiliant and able to bounce back from most minor problems, however despite being virtually 100% active tissue unlike older trees they have only small reserves of energy to commit to cellular maintenance and defence, having to regrow the entire volume of foliage twice will have induce significant stress.

Without pics its very hard to give you precise answers, you would not expect to see brown streaking just under the thin outer bark on a young maple, but if you scratched too deeply you would break through the cambium and then yes you would see light brown colouring.

There's nothing lost by persisting with the trees for a few months yet, I wouldn't be ripping them out of the ground unless you are convinced they have died.

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

vktaylor

Thanks. Do you recommend continuing with root stimulator twice a month despite the fact that no leaves are showing? Will root stimulator do things to the roots that will not be present in the leaves? Should I see any leaves by Fall. Autumn Blaze trees should have a bright orange/redish color in the Fall.

Sean Freeman

If you've still got some of it left, sure continue using it but I would not go out and buy more, rather use a dilute mixture 1:100 of the seaweed extract, fish emulsion and molasses this will achieve the same aim at a fraction of the cost. The aim of this is to create the best possible soil environment not just for the growth of tree roots but for the wide range of micro organisms so essential to long term healthy tree growth...as for the emergence of leaves well I'd be hoping very much that you'd see some before the fall.

Good luck Sean.

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

vktaylor

Sean:

Thanks for all of your help. As I am writing this email, heavy rain is falling. I will wait until Fall before dig up the trees. They may rebud before Fall.

I will not buy additional Root Stimulator. I will invest in a can of neotodes. These little microscopics viddles have been known to attack and eat away at grub worms. I have seen grubs in the lawn when I dug holes for the trees.

THanks,

vktaylor