Backyard Maple Failing To Thrive
Late last September I planted a red Maple tree in our backyard. I was diligent about watering it (not over-watering) and gave it a blanket of mulch. It appears to have lived through the Winter, but it isn’t growing nor blossoming. I know the spot I chose for it is acceptable as it is about…
Late last September I planted a red Maple tree in our backyard. I was diligent about watering it (not over-watering) and gave it a blanket of mulch. It appears to have lived through the Winter, but it isn’t growing nor blossoming. I know the spot I chose for it is acceptable as it is about 8 feet from where a Silver Maple lived for over 80 years. It’s still alive; when I scratched at the bark at the base of the tree it shows bright green. Does anyone have any advice for me?
She did indeed give me that exact advice.
Because this was a container grown terr, she told me that it was likely to be ‘potbound’ and that the roots would have gotten so tangled and tightly packed that they couldn’t receive enough water nor spread out and work their way adequately into the earth. This definitely seemed to be the case, along with the fact that the root flare was buried.
I’m feeling much better about it’s chances!
What’s done is done, but even with good intent, digging now was not wise (extremely stressful to your tree). I hope your gardener friend told you to soak the tree on replanting, and water daily for the next few weeks. Do not rely on the rain, regardless how heavy, to replace frequent watering.
Thanks for all your help, Vinca. I think by posting here it’s fairly obvious that I don’t intend to kill my tree.
I went out and gently removed the soil in a ring around the outer edge of the tree pit. I then worked my way in, as careful as could be not to disturb the root ball. Eventually I gently worked it out of the soil and found that the root ball had not spread whatsoever and still retained the shape of the pot it was delivered in. On the advice of a local landscape gardener that I spoke to this AM I very gently broke up the root ball, added some compost soil and broke up the soil with a fork. I then backfilled the hole (which WAS ,in fact, too deep and narrow) and made sure the root flare extended out above the soil. After I patted down the soil I put a ring of mulch around the tree, about 5 inches from the trunk.
Fingers crossed! Thanks again to everybody for all your help and advice.
You would do well to purchase the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Tree Care Primer before digging up your tree (unless you’re aiming to kill it): http://bit.ly/ihCcmT
MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps also has this free tree care guide: http://bit.ly/kVARk8
Thanks everyone for your insight. I went to inspect it and I’ll agree that it looks as if it’s buried a little deep; about 1.5″ of the root flare is buried. Although I’m wary of digging it up I suppose I’ll do so carefully and allow the root flare more exposure. I’ll also remove another course of brick- maybe 2. Hopefully that’ll do it for the time being.
Here’s an interesting development, though: I just noticed some soft and bright red buds starting along the trunk of the tree. About every 8 inches there’s a pair. The branches and existing buds still remain dormant.
vinca’s right. I’d be concerned about the buried root flare.
If your Red Maple is an Acer Rubrum, then it is slow to leaf out in spring. You’re not doing your tree any favors by wounding it. The twig in your picture shows leaf buds at the nodes. Your photo is not clear enough, but in addition to an undersized tree pit, it looks as if you’ve buried the root flare (which will eventually cause the tree’s demise). This link from Purdue is brief and well illustrated: http://bit.ly/jFM6YM
In the upper left-hand corner of the following link, you’ll find another link to the Cornell Guide for Planting and Maintaining Trees and Shrubs: http://bit.ly/lth2Y5
fFIRST open that tree pit why are you blocking the water from the tree. you need to give it a 4×6 tree opening if possible.
TWO the green is a good sign its alive.
THREE Did you give it a good soil mix with rich compost and spragum moss? If not its not too late you can dig it in AROUND THE ROOT BALL. Dont dig directly under the tree base .
Most of all open the tree pit its like giving the tree a calorie reduced diet .
Good luck
Some trees leaf later than others.