Thanks for the question.  Just need one more piece of information from you.  What specific types of fertilizer, if any, did you apply in 2021 (after planting, in the fall?)  Secondly what types pf fertilizer, if any, have you applied in 2022 and when.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks for your question and subsequent response.

Here’s my take on your birch trees:

1). You asked a question similar to this on 7/15/21. I suggest that you go back and read the response given to you then by the Master Gardener. She was spot on. She indicated that due to its recent planting in June 2021 your birches were experiencing transplant shock. This is very common for trees immediately planting. Such trees are far more interested in developing their root systems than making leaves. This is precisely why it soon dropped its leaves. Bottom line was that your birches could not produce much energy for use in 2022.

2). I asked you when you fertilized this tree and I was a bit unclear by your response. Fertilizing a newly transplanted tree should not be done. The fertilizer will promote leaf growth at the expense of root development. This is not good for the transplanted tree. Also one should avoid fertilizing trees after the end of September. At that time trees are entering a stage of winter dormancy and should not be producing foliage that the fertilization would cause.

3). You mentioned that Japanese Beetles attacked your birches in 2021. In and by itself, most plants and trees are unaffected by the loss of foliage caused by these beetles. Unfortunately your tree was already stressed by transplant shock. The Japanese Beetles did not help matters. Bottom line: your birches were not able to make and store much energy for 2022.

4). Nevertheless in spite of these stressors in 2021, your birches made it into 2022 and were able to produce leaves. That those leaves dropped in July doesn’t surprise me. The hot weather at that time coupled with the poor energy carry over from 2021 led to this early drop.

My suggestions:

1). Remove the mulch from around the trunk so that an open space of a foot or so all around the tree is produced. This is important since mulch touching the bark exposes your tree to fungal and insect infection. This also will increase the amount of water that can directly enter the trees’ root systems.

2). Do not fertilize the birches this fall. The fertilizer you applied in spring 2022 should be sufficient to carry them through the winter. These young birches will be in a state of dormancy and won’t really need fertilizer.

3). Maintain your watering routine around the trees, going out to a couple of feet from the trunk. Birch roots grow laterally and not directly down. Do this watering until the first hard frost.

3). In spring 2023 remove any dead branches by employing the “fingernail test”. Simply with your fingernail or a dull knife, remove a very small piece of outer bark from various branches. If the exposed, underlying tissue is greenish-yellow, the branch is alive and leave it be. It’s good to go. If the exposed, underlying tissue is a dull brown, the branch is dead and should be removed

4. Apply fertilizer in the spring before any leaves develop but after you see small leaf buds on the branches.

5). Your birches were planted correctly. The ensuing events were to be expected. I suspect that in 2023 you will see a significant improvement in their conditions.

Good Luck and please feel free to get to us with any further questions.