Sugar Maple leaves

[Steve Hamilton]

We live in Pickering Ontario. We transplanted a 20 foot sugar maple tree last fall. Green leaves were still on. A month or two later the leaves turned light brown but did not fall off and stayed on the branches all winter. Now it is spring and most of the light brown leaves are still on the tree. We are not sure if the tree is dead we see buds but they don't look fresh. If we pinch the bud we see green. Is that tree still OK…. If it is, do we need to prune the brown leaves??
Thank you for your help.

 

[diezelsmoke]

Get to a couple branches about the size of a pencil and slice it off. Look just under the outer bark and you should see an almost flouresent green ring. If you see just a pastel kind of green the tree probably didn't make it. A 20 yr tree is almost imposible to transplant.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

Thanks for your reply. Tree is 20 feet. Bit younger than ... 4-5 years I expect. The branches do have a fluorescent green inside.

 

[diezelsmoke]

Ok speed reading didn't do so well.

It's probably ok, leave the leaves alone. Maples leaves will turn brown when they are super stressed, you will often times see this on hot/dry summers. It also may bud out later than the rest, like even close to a month, so cross your fingers. If it does start to bud I would use the jobe tree fertilizer spikes around the outside of the tree plug and use the whole box.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

Ok speed reading didn't do so well.

It's probably ok, leave the leaves alone. Maples leaves will turn brown when they are super stressed, you will often times see this on hot/dry summers. It also may bud out later than the rest, like even close to a month, so cross your fingers. If it does start to bud I would use the jobe tree fertilizer spikes around the outside of the tree plug and use the whole box.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

Thanks .... will keep our fingers crossed

 

[ACATS]

Thanks .... will keep our fingers crossed

you don't need to prume branches off, as if done incorrectly will leave stubs on the tree. Just pluck off a bud and roll it between your thumb and finger. It will be green and smell sappy if the tree is alive. If not It will be brown and very hard\ dry.

The brown leaves are normal if the tree is stressed from the transplant...... perfectly normal.

Maples can and will hang onto some leaves, dropping them in spring. I have a lot of hard maples that are at the same stage as yours but are not transplants. In a few weeks they'll leaf out. Be patient.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

good news .... bit of patience and it will be fine. Thanks

 

[Marine5068]

I have many trees that keep some leaves all Winter. That's not an indication that they are dead. You'll just have to wait and see.
Make sure it has steady water throughout the year. Not all at once, but when it's really hot out, give it water. Rainwater is best.
Also some transplant food (tree fertilizer) may help it gain a grip and get roots established in it's new home.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Mulch and water are best for recent transplants. Fertilize if specific nutritional needs are lacking.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

Mulch and water are best for recent transplants. Fertilize if specific nutritional needs are lacking.

Awesome ... Thank you

 

[BC WetCoast]

+1 On the mulch.
I like to add some bone meal as it can stimulate root growth.
I'm not s big fan of Jobes spikes as they can nitrogen burn in some situations.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

+1 On the mulch.
I like to add some bone meal as it can stimulate root growth.
I'm not s big fan of Jobes spikes as they can nitrogen burn in some situations.

Thanks, the comments we are getting are very helpful.

 

[Toronado3800]

A 20 foot tree is a pretty decent sized transplant. Some level of shock is to be expected.

 

[Steve Hamilton]

Thank you .. we will be patient as thee tree settles into its new home.