London plane tree issues - Ask Extension
Have 2 London plane trees that are 4 years old. Heres a few sampling of leaves. Tree #1 is green with a few interesting leaves with lighter veins most...
Knowledgebase
London plane tree issues #661261
Asked July 07, 2020, 11:17 PM EDT
Have 2 London plane trees that are 4 years old. Heres a few sampling of leaves. Tree #1 is green with a few interesting leaves with lighter veins mostly on the new growth. the other tree #2 is more pale and off colored and has smaller more dry feeling leaves. Last year they were the opposite with tree #1 being more pale. I use a long screwdriver to test when they need water which right now is about every 10 to 14 days here in fruita ,co
I try to water to a good depth so the screwdriver is easy to insert up to 12 inches. They are not in a lawn but I have mulch around them almost out to their drip line to try and help with moisture. I'm worried I lost one tree last winter and worried this is because I didnt water enough but also worried about nutrients. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I also have a soil sample from our fields which are nearby if that provides insight
I try to water to a good depth so the screwdriver is easy to insert up to 12 inches. They are not in a lawn but I have mulch around them almost out to their drip line to try and help with moisture. I'm worried I lost one tree last winter and worried this is because I didnt water enough but also worried about nutrients. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I also have a soil sample from our fields which are nearby if that provides insight
Mesa County Colorado
Expert Response
Ideally you want to fertilize in mid May till end of June since we are in the hot period of the year, we don't want to force growth. I would do a really light application of a low nitrogen fertilizer. Many of the organic ones tend to be lower, such as fish fertilizer etc... You could do a heavier treatment of fertilizer in late fall.
I cannot see half of the results. Could you send the results of the iron, manganese and boron?
And I have not heard of this lab. Labs outside of our region might not understand our soils. I highly question the low potassium and very low phosphorus, I have not seen that here, are soils are typically high. We typically recommend Ward Labs, American Agricultural Labs. Inc. or our lab on campus.
I cannot see half of the results. Could you send the results of the iron, manganese and boron?
And I have not heard of this lab. Labs outside of our region might not understand our soils. I highly question the low potassium and very low phosphorus, I have not seen that here, are soils are typically high. We typically recommend Ward Labs, American Agricultural Labs. Inc. or our lab on campus.
Thank you for your time. I'll have to dig for the report didnt realize the image I saved is only part oops! Its was tested by the fruita coop fertilizer place I'm not sure what lab they use.
I have a guy soiltek that has been doing some organics soil treatment/fertilizer liquid injections this spring.
Would fertilizer make a difference in the leaves feeling more dry also? I understand the fertilizer would help color and maybe the small leaf size. But wonder what's causing the smaller growth. Tree 2 is growing slightly but not like the greener tree 1.
There are more cracks along the lower trunk of tree number 2 could it be damaged from lack of water last winter? I did loose 1 other tree and fear I didnt water as good as usual last winter.
I have a guy soiltek that has been doing some organics soil treatment/fertilizer liquid injections this spring.
Would fertilizer make a difference in the leaves feeling more dry also? I understand the fertilizer would help color and maybe the small leaf size. But wonder what's causing the smaller growth. Tree 2 is growing slightly but not like the greener tree 1.
There are more cracks along the lower trunk of tree number 2 could it be damaged from lack of water last winter? I did loose 1 other tree and fear I didnt water as good as usual last winter.
Winter watering is essential, especially the first few winters- about once per month. If the crack is on the southwest side of the trunk, it could be sunscald. That side of the tree heats up more in the winter sun and then of course cools down, the extreme change of temperature causes cells to burst thus creating a crack.
Nitrogen is involved with leaf size, and is a key component of chlorophyll which makes the leaves green and helps with photosynthesis. It also helps to build proteins in the tree which creates the structural makeup of the cells. And is a big part of the trees metabolism. It is also highly mobile in the soil so the nutrient most needed by our plants.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/trees-shrubs-vines/1708-fertilizing-trees-shrubs/ more links within.
Nitrogen is involved with leaf size, and is a key component of chlorophyll which makes the leaves green and helps with photosynthesis. It also helps to build proteins in the tree which creates the structural makeup of the cells. And is a big part of the trees metabolism. It is also highly mobile in the soil so the nutrient most needed by our plants.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/trees-shrubs-vines/1708-fertilizing-trees-shrubs/ more links within.
Thanks again. So the cracks are all around the trunk and about maybe up to 8 ft high just small fissures instead of it being the smooth peeling bark I'm used to. The tree is 4 years old and I always watered well in the winters but last I thought we got more moisture but think I was deceived and also just busy and messed up
This past winter was very dry and the trees went into late fall pretty dry.
Cracks could be from winter.
Take care
Cracks could be from winter.
Take care
So could this be potentially fatal? None are super deep and theres no dying branches just the smaller pale leaves.
Anything I can do to help or just try the light fertilizer for now and hope? Also as far as watering should I make sure it dries out well (like I cant get the screwdriver in 10 inches before I water) or should I keep well watered since its stressed?
Thank you!
Anything I can do to help or just try the light fertilizer for now and hope? Also as far as watering should I make sure it dries out well (like I cant get the screwdriver in 10 inches before I water) or should I keep well watered since its stressed?
Thank you!
Depends on how much of the tree is affected and how many reserves it has (vigor) and if it can heal. Since I only see leaf images, I can't really give you an idea. Could you send me a picture of the hole tree and a close up of the trunk.
The cracks go up maybe 9ft of the trunk before it looks more like the peeling green bark. The branches dont seem to have it.
Thank you again
Thank you again
I think this just the tree aging and developing its bark.
This 1st is photo of the healthy tree. You can see a few cracks but much more of the green bark and thin peeling bark. The 2nd 2 photos The unhealthy one has many more cracks and the trunk underneath them is brown and it kinda peels in thick pieces. Just seeing if theres anything else to do to try to help it or just try fertilizer like you said?
Thanks
Thanks
The bark does peel to evidentual give you a camo type pattern.
See photo within.
https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/exclamation%E2%84%A2-london-planetree
Otherwise, just proper watering. They are not quite mature trees, so once a week instead of every 10 days for watering. https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/657.pdf
See photo within.
https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/exclamation%E2%84%A2-london-planetree
Otherwise, just proper watering. They are not quite mature trees, so once a week instead of every 10 days for watering. https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/657.pdf
