Sugar Maple Trees?

Question

I planted two 7 ft. sugar maple trees last March in my yard. One of the trees greened up beautiful in the Spring--the other planted only 12 ft away in the same soil was slow to leaf out in the Spring--- later in the early summer it started turning a pale yellow--brownish color leaves while the other one did beautiful. I hand watered both and used osmocote fertilizer in the Spring on both --same amt.--- They are planted in the same kind of soil--about 12 ft apart--still one did well and the other acts as tho it wants to die. These trees were expensive and I hate to lose one-- The only thing I know that could possibly be the problem is they are 3 ft away from the drive way. could this affect one and not the other? I sprayed with malathion spray, thinking it could be a bug problem--no results--- then I sprayed with a fungicide thinking it could be fungus. Please tell me what is wrong with this one tree and what will make it come out green next Spring?

The house where these trees are planted is a new house-- it doesn't have any oil or chemicals on the drive way --I live in zone 7

Answer 1

Sugar Maples are a canopy species so they naturally want lots of sunlight. If it is near your road or driveway, it could have salt damage done to it. People think that the active root zone of a tree is the drip line but this is not true. To get the active root zone: take the diameter at breast height multiply it by 2. If your tree has a DBH of 5" then the active root zone ends at 10'. You want to fertilize at that area and a couple feet in. Do not fertilize directly around the base of the tree because you will just be wasting time and money so the roots there are now woody and take up no water or nutrients. Make sure that active root zone is not going underneath your driveway as well because it can not take up water through those roots that are under there. Also, when you planted it did it have any girdling roots? - Meaning did the roots grow around in the container or root ball they were in- like being pot bound? Go outside and look at the base of the tree. If part of it does not have a natural "trunk flare" to it and goes straight into the ground- there is a girdled root underneath you. You may need to call an arborist to aerate the soil around it or transplant it to a better location.

Answer 2

It could be any number of reasons. If I had to guess, I'd say the soil conditions are likely to blame. Even though you say they have the same kind of soil. it is likely that there is a difference down where the roots are growing. You didn't mention your location, but often, depending on the area, there is an inhospitable soil layer in one spot, that isn't in another close by. Where I live, there are frequent pockets of heavy clay that prevent good drainage. One tree may grow great (no clay layer) while another (with a clay layer below it), only a few feet away will drown in a bathtub of water on top of the clay pocket. Yellowing is often a sign of over-watering, so it could be poor drainage under the one, or something similar happening to yours too.

It may be fine next year, or it may die. Depends on what the problem is. If your area is prone to clay or cliche layers, you may want to get a post hole digger and punch a hole down through that layer right near the tree so that the water can drain down and escape from the bathtub so it doesn't drown.

It could also be that the one trees roots were somehow damaged during or prior to planting causing it to have a difficult time getting established.

If they are both the same distance from the driveway, that is likely not the problem. Unless something has drained off of the driveway onto one and not the other. An oil or gas spill may have damaged one is another possible culprit.

Since you have added that it is a new home, there could also be construction debris or some kind of contaminent that was left over after construction that might be interferring with the tree establishing roots properly.

Which area of the country? A Zone 7 in Arizona will have very different soil conditions than say, a Zone 7 in Georgia for example.

Answer 3

it would desire to be any style of motives. If I had to guess, i could say the soil situations are probably accountable. even although you're saying they have an identical style of soil. it truly is perhaps that there is a distinction down the place the roots are growing to be. You did no longer point out your region, yet many times, observing the section, there is an inhospitable soil layer in one spot, that may no longer in yet another interior reach. the place I stay, there are favourite wallet of heavy clay that ward off solid drainage. One tree might strengthen great (no clay layer) whilst yet another (with a clay layer decrease than it), in basic terms some ft away will drown in a tub of water on magnificent of the clay pocket. Yellowing is many times an illustration of over-watering, so it would desire to be unfavorable drainage below the single, or something comparable happening to yours too. it would desire to be effective next 3 hundred and sixty 5 days, or it would desire to die. relies upon on what the project is. in case your section is companies to clay or cliche layers, it truly is beneficial to get a placed up hollow digger and punch a hollow down by way of that layer appropriate close to the tree so as that the water can drain down and get away from the bath so it would not drown. it may additionally be that the single timber roots have been someway broken for the time of or earlier than planting inflicting it to have a confusing time getting common. in the event that they're the two an identical distance from the driveway, that isn't be the project. except something has drained off of the driveway onto one and not the different. An oil or gas spill might have broken one is yet another conceivable perpetrator. in view which you have extra that it truly is a sparkling residing house, there is often shape debris or some style of contaminent that grew to become into left over after shape that would desire to be interferring with the tree installation roots correct. Which component of the country? A Zone 7 in Arizona might have very diverse soil situations than say, a Zone 7 in Georgia as an occasion.

Answer 4

Wait till spring and see how it does, Just because they are planted under the same circumstances does not mean the soil is the same. With one being that close to the drive the soil could be contaminated with oils or any number of chemicals.

Answer 5

Could be you just got a bad tree. Or, the bad one might have been planted in soil that was contaminated (like years ago someone's dog died and they buried it there). Maybe there's a leaking sewer line under or next to where it's planted.

Seems to me that you're going to have to replace it. Wait until spring and see what happens with it.