Unhappy Oak

[Matthew Arnold]

We planted this young English Oak for the queens diamond jubilee. It hasnt had the easiest start in life. Two weeks after it was planted it was flooded by the river and about 3 weeks ago it was pretty much drowned by the river. This past week it has started to go yellow and the tips of the leaves are brown. We have put mulch around the base of it and havent watered it because the water table is still very very high. I'm thinking waterlogged roots may be the cause of it looking unhappy with life.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

it looks o.k, it will come back.

[easy-lift guy]

Looks like wet feet. This to shall pass.

easy-lift guy

[MikeTM150]

Looks like wet feet. This to shall pass.

easy-lift guy

 

I think you've just jinxed our weather into another 6wks of heavy rain with that!!

 

I hope the wet feet thing passes, cuz i'm bored of my combines getting wet feet to the point that the wet feet turn to wet muddy bellys!

[Jesse]

it looks o.k, it will come back.

 

I agree with Tony, just give it more time, its still retaining its leaves, look at it next year and hopefully it will be ok, i'v planted some this year and there leaves have not even fully developed but they are still green and alive with plenty of stored energy in the roots. its been a really testing year for all our trees.

[treeseer]

It's on a slope so digging a trech or swale to speed drainage may help. And a structure or berm upslope to deflect runoff if any.

 

Too much mulch will trap moisture, easy does it. I'd rip out the surrounding sod too.

 

First pic shows it looking pretty deep. How far below grade is the first primary root? If too deep then replanting may be an option.

[Matthew Arnold]

It's on a slope so digging a trech or swale to speed drainage may help. And a structure or berm upslope to deflect runoff if any.

 

Too much mulch will trap moisture, easy does it. I'd rip out the surrounding sod too.

 

First pic shows it looking pretty deep. How far below grade is the first primary root? If too deep then replanting may be an option.

 

Its on a floodplain but on the higher point so the water doesn't hand around for long. We only put a scattering of mulch around the base not a bag full like we did on the original planting. The soil line is the same height as the pot mark. We shall be spraying a weak round up mix around the base to kill off the grass around it.

[treeseer]

The soil line is the same height as the pot mark. it.

 

Pot mark? That's a good guideline, IF the nursery had the first root at the pot mark. Typically it's way deep. Finding that first root is very important. The nearer to grade the better.