Newly planted red sunset maple problem

[Quad]

I planted 3 red sunset maples about 2 months ago. They are each about 18 feet tall and have a 3" diameter trunk. I planted them each in a 6ft diameter hole about 3 feet in depth being careful to make sure the base of the tree was not covered.

Everything was fine for the last 2 months until it started getting hotter. Now my trees' green stems and leaves are starting to turn red (like in the fall). I've cut down on watering but they seem to continue changing. There isn't any wilting, so I'm assuming I'm not overwatering or underwatering. Soil type is slow draining, but not impervious. The soil around each tree is moist to the touch, but not wet.

Help!

 

[grizzly2]

This may not be the problem, but just throwing it out there. Does the soil smell? If you overwatered through the spring, or if the soil already had water issues, you may be dealing with anaerobic soil. You could also be contending with a number of other soil related issues. Was there trees present at the location prior to planting? What has the area been used for, etc.

I planted them each in a 6ft diameter hole about 3 feet in depth being careful to make sure the base of the tree was not covered.

What did you determine the base to be? The top of the rootball or the actual trunk flair. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the issues.

Any pics would also help to better assess the area.

 

[Quad]

The trees came from a garden center and were burlapped with a metal cage. They were planted in a subdivision that had previously been a farm field about 4 years ago. I'll go out and smell the soil. I'm pretty sure its planted correctly.

If it is an anaerobic problem how do i correct?

I'll get some pictures.

 

[grizzly2]

If it is anaerobic, the only means would be soil amendments or moving the trees to another location. Just so you realize, anaerobic isn't usually the issue, but I've seen it often enough, especially with the situation you described.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Watering is the biggest problem for new planting, either too much or too little.

The soil inside the root ball will dry out much faster than the surrounding soil.

You need to probe into the root ball with your finger or a stick before watering.

Ideally, soak the ball good, then let it just dry out before watering again.
Poorly drained soils can create a bowl which holds water, and that can be a problem to have standing water.

When a tree is transplanted, a large percentage of the roots are cut off. Even under ideal watering, it's not uncommon to have some die back, which is preceded by early senescence.

 

[Quad]

pictures of problem

Here are some pictures. More to follow

 

[Quad]

more pictures

Let me know what you think.

 

[Dadatwins]

First glance at you pictures look like they are in to deep. Did you probe the root ball to find the root flair or just look at the bulge in the trunk? Trees that size from a nursery have been rewrapped a few times, this can cause some bulges along the trunk as the trunk is constricted by packing material like rope and wire. Common mistake to see a trunk bulge and assume it is the root flair. As for the packing material, did you remove any rope or wire around the base before planting? Burlap left in the ground can also pull moisture away from the root system.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Where is the trunk flare? It's planted too deep!
What happened to the grass around the wood chips? Are they poison wood chips? Or is dumping weed killer on new plantings a new type of fertilization program?opcorn:
In spite of your attempts to bury and poison the tree, I still think your problem is watering.

 

[treeseer]

Where is the trunk flare? It's planted too deep! In spite of your attempts to bury and poison the tree, I still think your problem is watering.

Don't pay any mind to Mike, he's full of

Today I was at a high-end garden center/nursery buying mulch. I went up to the first red maple I saw planted in their landscape, dug down 2" with my finger, and found a 1" dia root girdling the stem. MOST red maples I see planted in the landscape have this problem. nOthing else matters until this is fixed. See the July issue of tci magazine for a stirring account of pruning roots that strangle stems.

See ******

New Tree Planting

Think of the tree you just purchased as a lifetime investment. How well your tree, and investment, grows depends on the type of tree and location you select for planting, the care you provide when the tree is planted, and follow-up care the tree receives after planting.

Planting the Tree

The ideal time to plant trees and shrubs is during the dormant season’Äîin the fall after leaf drop or early spring before budbreak. Weather conditions are cool and allow plants to establish roots in the new location before spring rains and summer heat stimulate new top growth. However, trees properly cared for in the nursery or garden center, and given the appropriate care during transport to prevent damage, can be planted throughout the growing season. In tropical and subtropical climates where trees grow year round, any time is a good time to plant a tree, provided that sufficient water is available. In either situation, proper handling during planting is essential to ensure a healthy future for new trees and shrubs. Before you begin planting your tree, be sure you have had all underground utilities located prior to digging.

If the tree you are planting is balled or bare root, it is important to understand that its root system has been reduced by 90 to 95 percent of its original size during transplanting. As a result of the trauma caused by the digging process, trees commonly exhibit what is known as transplant shock. Containerized trees may also experience transplant shock, particularly if they have circling roots that must be cut. Transplant shock is indicated by slow growth and reduced vigor following transplanting. Proper site preparation before and during planting coupled with good follow-up care reduces the amount of time the plant experiences transplant shock and allows the tree to quickly establish in its new location. Carefully follow nine simple steps, and you can significantly reduce the stress placed on the plant at the time of planting.

Dig a shallow, broad planting hole. Make the hole wide, as much as three times the diameter of the root ball but only as deep as the root ball. It is important to make the hole wide because the roots on the newly establishing tree must push through surrounding soil in order to establish. On most planting sites in new developments, the existing soils have been compacted and are unsuitable for healthy root growth. Breaking up the soil in a large area around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to expand into loose soil to hasten establishment.

*********Identify the trunk flare. The trunk flare is where the roots spread at the base of the tree. This point should be partially visible after the tree has been planted (see diagram). If the trunk flare is not partially visible, you may have to remove some soil from the top of the root ball. Find it so you can determine how deep the hole needs to be for proper planting.
Remove tree container for containerized trees. Carefully cutting down the sides of the container may make this easier. Inspect the root ball for circling roots and cut or remove them. Expose the trunk flare, if necessary.

****Place the tree at the proper height. Before placing the tree in the hole, check to see that the hole has been dug to the proper depth’Äîand no more. The majority of the roots on the newly planted tree will develop in the top 12 inches of soil. If the tree is planted too deeply, new roots will have difficulty developing because of a lack of oxygen. It is better to plant the tree a little high, 2 to 3 inches above the base of the trunk flare, than to plant it at or below the original growing level. This planting level will allow for some settling (see diagram). To avoid damage when setting the tree in the hole, always lift the tree by the root ball and never by the trunk.
Straighten the tree in the hole. Before you begin backfilling, have someone view the tree from several directions to confirm that the tree is straight. Once you begin backfilling, it is difficult to reposition the tree.
Fill the hole gently but firmly. Fill the hole about one-third full and gently but firmly pack the soil around the base of the root ball. Then, if the root ball is wrapped, cut and remove any fabric, plastic, string, and wire from around the trunk and root ball to facilitate growth (see diagram). Be careful not to damage the trunk or roots in the process.

Fill the remainder of the hole, taking care to firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause roots to dry out. To avoid this problem, add the soil a few inches at a time and settle with water. Continue this process until the hole is filled and the tree is firmly planted. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.
Stake the tree, if necessary. If the tree is grown and dug properly at the nursery, staking for support will not be necessary in most home landscape situations. Studies have shown that trees establish more quickly and develop stronger trunk and root systems if they are not staked at the time of planting. However, protective staking may be required on sites where lawn mower damage, vandalism, or windy conditions are concerns. If staking is necessary for support, there are three methods to choose among: staking, guying, and ball stabilizing. One of the most common methods is staking. With this method, two stakes used in conjunction with a wide, flexible tie material on the lower half of the tree will hold the tree upright, provide flexibility, and minimize injury to the trunk (see diagram). Remove support staking and ties after the first year of growth.
Mulch the base of the tree. Mulch is simply organic matter applied to the area at the base of the tree. It acts as a blanket to hold moisture, it moderates soil temperature extremes, and it reduces competition from grass and weeds. Some good choices are leaf litter, pine straw, shredded bark, peat moss, or composted wood chips. A 2- to 4-inch layer is ideal. More than 4 inches may cause a problem with oxygen and moisture levels. When placing mulch,

******be sure that the actual trunk of the tree is not covered. Doing so may cause decay of the living bark at the base of the tree. A mulch-free area, 1 to 2 inches wide at the base of the tree, is sufficient to avoid moist bark conditions and prevent decay.
Provide follow-up care. Keep the soil moist but not soaked;

******overwatering causes leaves to turn yellow or fall off. Water trees at least once a week, barring rain, and more frequently during hot weather. When the soil is dry below the surface of the mulch, it is time to water. Continue until mid-fall, tapering off for lower temperatures that require less-frequent watering.

 

[Ed Roland]

Where is the trunk flare? It's planted too deep!
What happened to the grass around the wood chips? Are they poison wood chips? Or is dumping weed killer on new plantings a new type of fertilization program?opcorn:
In spite of your attempts to bury and poison the tree, I still think your problem is watering.

go get em tiger

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Don't pay any mind to Mike, he's full of

Why, because I explained the problem?

nOthing else matters until this is fixed.

Although deep planting will surely kill a tree, the decline we see here is faster than what we see with planting depth issues. So whatever is killing this tree matters. If the current problem is resolved, there may be time to pull the tree out and replant it correctly.

See ******

Huh?

Dig a shallow, broad planting hole. Make the hole wide, as much as three times the diameter of the root ball but only as deep as the root ball.

This advice kills more newly planted trees than all other problems combined. Do not dig the hole as deep as the the root ball!

Dig the hole 2 to 4 inches shallower than the distance from the bottom of the ball, to the trunk flare!

*********Identify the trunk flare. The trunk flare is where the roots spread at the base of the tree. This point should be partially visible after the tree has been planted (see diagram).

Bingo!

It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.

It is also not recommended to apply poisons at the time of planting.
Seriously, newly planted trees often have thousands of cut root ends. Weed killers, lawn weed killers, pre-emergent weed controllers, enter the tree directly through these wounds. Round-up can be applied to stumps to kill them, it will also enter a tree through leaves, smooth bark, or open wounds, like root ends of a newly planted tree.

******be sure that the actual trunk of the tree is not covered. Doing so may cause decay of the living bark at the base of the tree. A mulch-free area, 1 to 2 inches wide at the base of the tree, is sufficient to avoid moist bark conditions and prevent decay.

Bingo!

Provide follow-up care. Keep the soil moist but not soaked;

I disagree.
The cycling from moist to dry is what facilitates the soil gas exchange. Roots need oxygen.
When you water dry soil, the water fills the pour spaces in the soil. This pumps out the CO2.
As the water is pulled out of the pour spaces by gravity, plants, and evaporation, fresh air is pulled into the soil.
If the soil is kept moist, the new water just replaces the old water, and no oxygen is pumped into the soil. Then you end up with...

******over watering causes leaves to turn yellow or fall off.

:deadhorse:

Water trees at least once a week, barring rain, and more frequently during hot weather. When the soil is dry below the surface of the mulch, it is time to water. Continue until mid-fall, tapering off for lower temperatures that require less-frequent watering.

This is more bad advice.
New tree owners want to cycle the tree between wet and dry. Trying to put every geographic location on a schedule base on a calender, could mean a guy in arid Arizona is watering the same as me in wet Wisconsin.

Besides slowing the soil gas exchange, keeping soil moist for extended periods sets trees up for soil fungus pests. When I'm at a site that is irrigated, my first suspect, when I see plant foliage problems, are soil fungus pathogens. They display themselves as over watering symptoms, like we see here with Quad's tree.

go get em tiger

How'd I do?

 

[treeseer]

Mike, the rootbal is measured from the flare to the bottom; read ANSI. True, this is not common understanding yet, but let's follow the standard.

As you may have guessed, my post was just a copy of the isa brochure. I do agree with you that allowing soil to dry A LITTLE BIT between waterings is a good idea, so I would propose that change.

i put the ***** next to the parts where I thought the problem was on quad's tree. Like overwatering, which s/he acknowledged. :deadhorse:

"Round-up can be applied to stumps to kill them, it will also enter a tree through leaves, smooth bark, or open wounds, like root ends of a newly planted tree. "

Good point. and please do See the July issue of tci magazine for a stirring account of pruning roots that strangle stems.
Lack of constructive criticism is driving me nuts, and you are a master of both.umpkin2:

 

[Quad]

response to treeco and a prescription is needed

Treeco, I cut the wire cage off of the trees before planting. I also just planted these in the spring about 2 months ago. They were purchased at a nursery. They were in burlap supported by a wire cage.

So what I'm hearing is that I need to better expose the trunk flare and to watch the water (let it dry out between waterings). As far as the fungus pathogens are concerned, will this just go away when watering is better or do I need to treat it?

Lastly, the roundup isn't a factor as one of the trees (that is experiencing the same symptoms) had no roundup applied to the grass.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I do agree with you that allowing soil to dry A LITTLE BIT between waterings is a good idea, so I would propose that change.

I'm less concerned about letting the soil dry out between waterings. If you move some mulch back and feel the soil, it could be completely dry, but when you poke down a few inches it's still wet. That's why I like to poke into the ball with a stick or finger, it gives a better idea of soil moisture.
The tree leaves will wilt if it gets really dry. I don't recommend waiting that long, but if you do get a little wilting on occasion, it's better than over watering.

 

[osb_mail]

I would say from the picture that they might be to deep . But from my point of view these tree don t look that bad ,for newly plant trees.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I would say from the picture that they might be to deep .

Might be too deep? You can't even see the graft union.
I'd guess the trunk flare is at least 11" too deep.

As for not looking too bad, I wonder what bad looks like...:bang:

 

[jrparbor04]

i agree on that they are planted too deep,,,i have planted many and many of trees,,,mostly the problem with nurseries are that they are too deep when dug because of how many nurseries cultivate the soil around the trees,,,,this is getting better though through time,,,i believe they are planted too deep and still have shock from the original planting,,,always,,,always give about 10 gallons of water per week,,,depending on weather,,, to a newly planted tree and never prune on a newly planted tree for at least a year,,,unless broken or diseased twig

 

[Elmore]

Red Maple graft incompatibility

...You can't even see the graft union...

Mike, typically Red Maple clones are grown from rooted cuttings. Properly they are not grafted. If your supplier tries to sell you grafted or budded Red Maples, Acer rubrum or the Freeman maple cultivars, go somewhere else.
Red Maples show a delayed graft incompatibility. I suspect that a few do graft them but science tells us that many if not all will eventually will fail.

"Due to graft-incompatibility problems which cause the tree to break apart, preference should be given to cultivars produced on their own roots."

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ST041

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I stand corrected.

It's still planted too deep.