Hi,

A new client has a recently planted (last year) 15 foot C. kousa with undersized, flagging leaves and not enough leaves. I don't see any spotting/discoloration on the leaves, and I don't see any leaves dropping.

I take care of the garden and the tree is in the garden, but I don't do trees. I gave the client the name of an arborist who stopped by and said the tree had anthracnose and probably was infected before it was planted and she should just replace it.

A couple weeks later I removed a Taxus shrub beside the tree, not real well established, that had brown but not dried out leaves. It was planted 8 inches too deep. Soil pretty wet.

I am told that when the tree was planted last year, which followed the many months of Northeast drought, "there was water in the hole and it seemed to be planted too deep". I can't confirm that because I haven't dug around it to see where the flare is.

QUESTION: First, could a tree planted too deep on an overly wet site produce these flagging leaf symptoms? The only symptom I know for anthracnose is the purple-edged leaf spots, and there are none of those. Since it's a vascular disease, I looked in Pirone and didn't see the flagging symptoms described.

This tree seems to be dying. If the tree is planted too deep on a site with a high water table, is there any point in trying to have it replanted in a raised bed? I realize this is not a cut and dried question and will depend on the problem with the tree, but I don't want to sit and watch if perhaps the death is preventable.

Second, so as not to help the homeowner notmake the same mistake again, what tools are available to evaluate source/amount of water on the site, and who (what professional or agency) would do this?

the homeowner is ready to rip out the tree and "take a risk" planting something else. I am privately and doggedly trying to understand what happened so the homeowner doesn't "double her money" on tree investments going down the drain.

Is this the correct place to call in a consulting arborist?

Thanks,

Chris Reid

To answer the last question first, this is a great time to call in a consulting arborist. You can find a list at www.asca-consultants.org

Any tree planted too deep will have trouble getting established. If the soil is moist, the effects are likely to appear more quickly, since the major problem with deep planting is too little oxygen to the roots and trunk. First step is to do a little digging around the base. Find the tops of the main buttress roots. That should be the top soil level. If you can lower the soil level around the tree, do that. If not, digging the tree and setting it higher may save it. If you and your clilent are lucky and the tree survives, your investment will be the time to dig and replant. If the tree dies, you are out that cost, plus the replacement. If there is a warrantee on the tree, work out those details before you dig up the tree.

--
Russ Carlson, RCA

I agree with Russ about addressing the issue of tree planting depth.

About the soil water situation, I take it the observation of "water in the hole" is annecdotal to you, and not something you find currently to be the case? The water may have been put there at planting. It may have not percolated quickly. There may be a restricting subsurface layer or compaction.
If there is high water table, you should be able to find it by digging. Also, there are often other indicators. In a natural condition, the terrain and native vegetation can indicate the likelyhood of underground water. It may be a seasonably high water table if the area drains higher saturated ground.

Also, if the soil is currently too wet, look at the irrigation system and see how water is delivered to the area. It may be too much. A break in a water line can flood an area underground too. Planting on raised mounds can help sometimes where soil stays too wet around trunks. Some tree species are better adapted than others to the lower soil oxygen that is associated with prolonged soil wetness.

Thanks, Russ and Mark, for your responses.

Mark, the water in the hole was seen by someone there when it was planted. He said that water "came into the hole" when it was dug. Why anyone would proceed to plant this tree without investigating is beyond me. Momentum, I guess. So much for saving money on having the wrong person plant the tree.

At the time, we were in the middle of the Great Drought, bu the yard in question was irrigated and yes, I would call the soil heavy. So if this yard acts like a bathtub and was overirrigated, then perhaps it holds water at the impervious layer that we suppose is down there. Irrigation is a possible source of last year's problem and heavy rains could explain this year's.

Responding to Mark, at the time the problems such as flagging leaves were observed, the irrigation was off and we were in a period of frequent rain and cool weather (welcome to New England spring 2003). Therefore, we can probably rule out a break in the line as a contributing factor. However, the irrigation is now back on-- I'll take a look at soil when I'm there today (and do as Russ suggests -- locate the flare).

The break in the water line occurred to me, especially because the inexperienced planters did NOT call before they dug; however, I asked the town about it and they said that typically you would see other signs of a leak (but they did not specify what).

It is entirely possible it was overirrigated, as the same observer has said that this owner "tends to overwater".

The native vegetation in this development is nonexistent. However, in a nearby area unrestricted by compacted or impervious surfaces -- but, in fact, much closer to a body of water -- two kousas are well established and are growing quite well.

Ok, I'm on the case. Any other thoughts are welcome -- I will check back.

Chris Reid