Young Maple with no leaves on top 1/3 of tree

rjones

Hello,
I have 2 autumn red maple trees that we have had for 3 years. One is doing beautiful the other I am worried about. The problem I am having is that the top 1/4 of the tree has no leaves and the leaves on the bottom 3/4 are wilty looking. In addition, I have a flowering cherry tree that has no leaves on the top 1/3 of the tree and the bottom of the tree is also wilty? Any one know whats up with my trees? How do I fix them? Thanks!

MoDirt

First thought is water, not enough or unable to conduct it.

Was there any recent fertillizer, herbicide or pesticide spread recently?

What has the weather been like the last month?

Is there a tree circle or grass growing right to the base?

Try and push your finger into the soil at the base of the tree. Is it moist? Can you even penetrate the soil?

How deep are they planted? is the trunk root flare even with soil surface?

Even if you fix the tree the top will have grow back and this process will take a couple of years. If your trees are still moderatly small and the soil does seem very hard you have the option of digging them up and having a look at the roots. If you do this it would be best to dig the soil up around the tree and in a sence fluff the soil surrounding the planting hole, replant and water well.
Try and anwser the first few questions and then let me know as it may change the anwser I give you.

But first guess is "inability to conduct water efficiently"

rjones

Our trees were purchased when a nursery was planting trees for one of our neighbors. They stopped by and asked if we would like some trees. We purchased 5 trees from them and they planted them by digging the hole and placing the rootball in the ground the man said they were aprox. 5 years old and we have had them for 3 years. He instructed me to water the base of the tree a lot and stated that our trees would grow a lot better so I place a pvc pipe in the ground and put the hose in it and watered each tree with slow water flow from the hose for 10-15 min 3-4 days per week. We fertilized each tree with miracle grow tree stake and mulched around each.
The first season we had them they all looked good and healthy. The next spring the cherry tree did not grow any leaves on the top. I noticed a slit in the trunk of the cherry and thought that was the reason it was not getting leaves. I left it alone other than watering my husband told me to do so and stated that it might not make it. All of my other trees looked good and were full of leaves. Then the cherry started to turn fall colors in summer and the leaves started to fall off. I then went to a local nursery and told them about what was happening and they told me to get rid of my mulch because it would rot the bottom of the trees because it was too wet and humid here. So my husband and I decided it would be a good time redo the whole back yard we built a deck and landscaped around it with landscape stones we also did this round each tree then we chose to place rock instead of mulch because of the trees. When we removed the mulch there were a lot of little tree roots that were level with the lawn. We placed the landscape stones then put new black dirt over the roots then matting then the rocks. When we were building the deck we did not water as much because we were working back there but once the deck was finished we started watering a lot again because of all the new plants we placed and made sure we watered the trees well. That was fall last year.
Now this is our third season and the cherry tree did not grow any leaves on the top 2/3’s of the tree and looks pretty bad and already has some leaves turning colors for fall already. Which I have come to terms with but in addition my maple did not grow leaves on the very top 12-18 inches of the tree. There are no cracks in the trunk and no damage that I can see anywhere. The leaves on the bottom of the tree are sick looking and wilting. I moved the rocks and stuck my finger down in the soil. It is damp and cool, there are a lot of little roots that I wiggled my finger thru I would say the soil is slightly firm but not hard for the 3 to 4 inches that I was able to get to with my finger.
We live in a new development so our yard is also new and we have aerated fall and spring for the last 2 years and over seeded and fertilized for the yard to come in. We fertilize spring, summer, fall and we winterize the lawn. We also fertilize the trees with the miracle grow tree stakes spring and fall. Now we have good grass growing. We have had good rain this season and we also water for about 15 min. in the early morning and in the evening when we don’t have rain. Again this is for the grass but we had hoped the trees would benefit. Our soil is clay so we brought in new black dirt when we started to grow the lawn and again when we needed it for the trees. We used and organic mix with no fertilizer.
My other maple has a lot of leaves is full and I can see the new growth from this spring. In addition the trees my neighbor purchased at the same time are all beautiful and full and way bigger than my trees. He tells me he just waters the lawn? Thanks for your help.

Eric Frei

Get some pics up, make sure though you follow the rules with the pics, sizes and loading etc.

How to post| add a picture or file| embed picture

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Brent Ferris

Need pics, but really sounds like not enough water, 15 min a day, or even twice a day doesn't allow water to penetrate to the rooting area which is typically at least 6 inches deep. I would suggest at least 4-6 hours once per week to give the ground enough water to allow penetration to the root zone. And if you added topsoil over the clay, there is a possibility of root suffocation. How much soil did you add? I assume the sod was the normal 1 - 1/2 inches thick? And when you aerated the lawn, how was it done -- with compression spikes or by taking out plugs of dirt? And how deep was the soil aerated? You might also ask the neighbour how long he waters.

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)

rjones

Here are a few pics of my Maple. Thanks!

rjones

Here is my very sad Cherry! Is there hope? Thanks!

rjones

Aeration by taking out plugs of dirt aprox 3 inches deep. We put a thin layer of soil over the roots aprox 2 inches after removing the mulch. no sod at all just overseading for the lawn and just the soil over the roots of the trees then landscaping mat then rocks.

MoDirt

Sorry to say it but I think your die back is caused by your tree rings.The condition it is in now is similar to being planted to deep. I would remove the bricks and the stones and the fabric and any extra soil that is left. If this is not done I think your tree will continue to die back until death or it will be in such a weakened state it will become a host for disease which would also eventually kill it.
Sorry if this is bad news, it looks nice but it is not healthy.

If it is fixed I see it improving.


Now is a good time to cut the dead out as well.

Eric Frei

I agree.

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Young Maple with no leaves on top 1/3 of tree

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Brent Ferris

I agree with Modirt and Eric - the neat look around the tree doesn't help the tree, it just looks good on the lawn. THis is of little consolation, if the tree dies.

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)