Help: sugar maple looks pretty bad

[confused]

Moved into new house this weekend and I have a very nice sugar maple ( I think anyways)

The drought this year looks to have had a pretty significant hit on this tree

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Right now I have a hose on free just soaking (30 minutes really low flow)

What's the best way to save this beautiful fall tree

Trunk dia is about 7"
Height 20 ft

 

[ATH]

That is a red maple (or maybe Acer freemanii which is a cross between red and silver maples)

Can you take a picture of the base? I suspect a problem at the root collar...it is fairly common on deep planted maples. Watering will only do so much good if the tree can't take that water up.

 

[confused]

Thank you, I'll post picture first thing in the morning

 

[confused]

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5' in dia
Roughly 1' raised above grade

 

[confused]

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Leaf picture

 

[ATH]

I am even more conviced it is a root issue now.

Read up on planting depth/volcano mulching:
The Perils of Planting too Deeply
Trees Are Good article on proper mulcing

That will often (especially in maple) lead to stem girdling roots:
A Practitioner's Guide to Stem Girdling Roots of Trees
Stem girdling roots article from Purdue


The solution? Excavate some of that mulch and soil off of the root system. You may even have to cut off some advantageous roots to get low enough. Properly reapply mulch. Then water, water, water.

 

[confused]

Thank you very much