We've had our sugar maple four years. It's shaped like a Y, which I thought, at the time we planted, was due to it being grown in a forest-y type nursery (i.e., competing for sunlight).

The problem is two-fold: no new branches have ever sprouted and the leaves are only at the base (at the bottom of the 'V') and at the very top or ends of the branches. The entire middle section is bare branch.

Anyone have any idea what's wrong and what I can do to get it growing? Any/all help appreciated.

Reply to post by Mitzi McMahon, on September 17, 2002 at 15:33:54:

Sugar maple is very prone to loss of terminal buds and subsequent forked branching. It is important not to allow your young tree to develop this forked structure into two co-dominant primary scaffolds. Removal of one, or its suppression, can solve that issue. Often young trees do not branch freely during their early years. This is possibly because their natural growth strategy is adapted to competing in a limited light environment in shade.
Also, most trees spend a year or two establishing new roots after transplant before they show vigorous top growth.

It would be best to have a knowledgeable person look at your tree, to look for other clues about its condition. There may be other issues that are not apparent based upon your description. We do not know how big were the trees you planted, how much stem girth has been added, length of new shoots, leaf size and color, evidence of root condition, etc.

One could also look at the buds and bark for additional clues, make sure the tree was planted at the correct level in the ground, and assess the irrigation situation