Laurel Oak problems - Ask Extension
New home in Katy area with builder supplied trees. In for 1 year. Laurel oak leaves are getting brown ends on 5-10% of leaves. Last yr pretty much all...
Knowledgebase
Laurel Oak problems #237572
Asked April 16, 2015, 10:56 PM EDT
New home in Katy area with builder supplied trees. In for 1 year. Laurel oak leaves are getting brown ends on 5-10% of leaves. Last yr pretty much all the leaves did the same thing. Also noticed lots of tiny holes in maybe 20% of the leaves? Thoughts?
Fort Bend County Texas
Expert Response
Howdy!
Ok, a couple things here.
1. This looks like a large transplant, probably 45 gallon or bigger. These big guys have a real hard time getting established. You will see "shock" symptoms for a couple more years, if it does establish. For this reason, I tend to recommend small healthy trees.
2. Oaks in our area are seeing damage from Obscure Scale Insect on branches. "google" the terms for images. Inspect the branches to make sure they are not there. If so, spray with ultra-fine or summer oil.
3. Salt. Our waters have high total dissolved salt levels and will burn foliage of plants. This is the dead outside of the leaves in the images.
4. Water, or too much of it. Our soils tend to be heavy clay. The builder will dig a large hole in this clay and place the tree into it and backfill with sandy loam topsoil fill. So, if you irrigate too much, the excess water fills the clay hole and basically rots the tree from the roots up. Key, monitor any applied irrigation closely.
5. Plants around trees. Not recommended. I simply recommend a layer of 3-4 inches of hardwood mulch out to the dripline of the tree.
I hope these clues help you. If you need further help, please contact our office. Contact information listed below.
Good day,
Boone
Ok, a couple things here.
1. This looks like a large transplant, probably 45 gallon or bigger. These big guys have a real hard time getting established. You will see "shock" symptoms for a couple more years, if it does establish. For this reason, I tend to recommend small healthy trees.
2. Oaks in our area are seeing damage from Obscure Scale Insect on branches. "google" the terms for images. Inspect the branches to make sure they are not there. If so, spray with ultra-fine or summer oil.
3. Salt. Our waters have high total dissolved salt levels and will burn foliage of plants. This is the dead outside of the leaves in the images.
4. Water, or too much of it. Our soils tend to be heavy clay. The builder will dig a large hole in this clay and place the tree into it and backfill with sandy loam topsoil fill. So, if you irrigate too much, the excess water fills the clay hole and basically rots the tree from the roots up. Key, monitor any applied irrigation closely.
5. Plants around trees. Not recommended. I simply recommend a layer of 3-4 inches of hardwood mulch out to the dripline of the tree.
I hope these clues help you. If you need further help, please contact our office. Contact information listed below.
Good day,
Boone
Thanks Boone, Bought some spay, will apply. Also noticed tiny red little bugs, thought they might be mites. Spray should take care of them too. Will give it a try and will watch the water. I may have been over watering thinking it was not getting enough!
Thank you!
DKB - Katy, TX
