Sad silky oak

whirlwind · 31st October 2011, 12:32 PM

Hi there.
Can someone help me with some possible causes and remedies for a 20M sad Silky Oak. For the past 3 years it has had very little foliage. It still flowers and has some green foliage but is very bare. It's in the Sydney metro area.
There is a smaller Grevillia nearby which has (probably still has) borer's in it. I'm planning on removing it but will poison the borer's first as I'm concerned they may migrate elsewhere. I fear they may have already migrated to the Silky Oak (10M away) but there is no visible evidence. It does drop small branches which are very dry. Are Silky Oaks desirable for borer's.
Is there anything else that may cause this problem? All other plants nearby (apart from the Grevillia) are healthy.
Thanks.

derwoodii · 1st November 2011, 02:45 PM

Silkys are seasonal or monsoonal deciduous trees at certain times of the year. Is yours always in poor leaf vigour or only late spring early summer. The borer in the small tree are long gone, treating the exit holes now will do nwat.

Pictures of the sad big un will help.

whirlwind · 1st November 2011, 04:11 PM

Have attached a picture I took on the weekend. Contrast not great but you get an idea of how bare it is. Photo size was too big so converted to pdf to upload.
Previous to the last 3 years it has been much fuller and dense when it comes to life in Spring. Foliage is green but just not much of it. Flowering at the moment. Surprisingly there are many flowers. Probably more this year than the last 3 years.
Thanks.

derwoodii · 1st November 2011, 04:19 PM

I got streets of Silkys just like that, Hopefully the upper tip twigs are still green.
Hmm give it 2 months, after flowering should come good. Howz the ground conditions? no changes of late? no digging dumping etc under the canopy. While you wait research how to best fertilise a silky, I am unsure on this, but low P likely and less is best at this stage. good luck

whirlwind · 1st November 2011, 05:01 PM

Thanks for the reply. Nothing has changed around it that I can remember. Who knows what may go on in the neighbors. Will see how best to feed it and wait and see.
Cheers.

31st October 2011, 12:32 PM	#1
whirlwind I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Sydney basin Posts: 3	Sad silky oak Hi there. Can someone help me with some possible causes and remedies for a 20M sad Silky Oak. For the past 3 years it has had very little foliage. It still flowers and has some green foliage but is very bare. It's in the Sydney metro area. There is a smaller Grevillia nearby which has (probably still has) borer's in it. I'm planning on removing it but will poison the borer's first as I'm concerned they may migrate elsewhere. I fear they may have already migrated to the Silky Oak (10M away) but there is no visible evidence. It does drop small branches which are very dry. Are Silky Oaks desirable for borer's. Is there anything else that may cause this problem? All other plants nearby (apart from the Grevillia) are healthy. Thanks.

1st November 2011, 02:45 PM	#2
derwoodii Mature tree Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 406	Re: Sad silky oak Silkys are seasonal or monsoonal deciduous trees at certain times of the year. Is yours always in poor leaf vigour or only late spring early summer. The borer in the small tree are long gone, treating the exit holes now will do nwat. Pictures of the sad big un will help.

1st November 2011, 04:11 PM	#3
whirlwind I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Sydney basin Posts: 3	Re: Sad silky oak Have attached a picture I took on the weekend. Contrast not great but you get an idea of how bare it is. Photo size was too big so converted to pdf to upload. Previous to the last 3 years it has been much fuller and dense when it comes to life in Spring. Foliage is green but just not much of it. Flowering at the moment. Surprisingly there are many flowers. Probably more this year than the last 3 years. Thanks. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Jeff Darby; 1st November 2011 at 04:27 PM. Reason: embed photo

1st November 2011, 04:19 PM	#4
derwoodii Mature tree Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 406	Re: Sad silky oak I got streets of Silkys just like that, Hopefully the upper tip twigs are still green. Hmm give it 2 months, after flowering should come good. Howz the ground conditions? no changes of late? no digging dumping etc under the canopy. While you wait research how to best fertilise a silky, I am unsure on this, but low P likely and less is best at this stage. good luck

1st November 2011, 05:01 PM	#5
whirlwind I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Sydney basin Posts: 3	Re: Sad silky oak Thanks for the reply. Nothing has changed around it that I can remember. Who knows what may go on in the neighbors. Will see how best to feed it and wait and see. Cheers.

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