Is my dogwood going to perk up? - Ask Extension
We planted a dogwood last year that seemed to be doing fine but has yet to bud up and sprout leaves for the year. It seems to me that sometimes newly ...
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Is my dogwood going to perk up? #866155
Asked April 28, 2024, 10:58 AM EDT
We planted a dogwood last year that seemed to be doing fine but has yet to bud up and sprout leaves for the year. It seems to me that sometimes newly planted dogwoods take a bit longer to get going, but I'm certainly not an expert! One area of concern potentially is some bark damage near the base, not sure if it is deer or insect related. Any thoughts welcome, thanks!
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
You could wait a little longer but unfortunately we guess that your new tree is not going to recover as dogwoods locally have leafed out and bloomed already.
Test some outer branches by bending them. If they snap they are dry and dead. If they are pliable they may have some life left in them. You could try scraping the bark on a branch with your fingernail to look for green beneath or
There could be multiple reasons for this. While the scrape from deer antler rubbing removed bark on that side, if it didn't go all the way around it wouldn't likely have been fatal.
The most likely and common reason though may be due to the prolonged period of drought and lack of rain that we had last growing season. It stressed even large trees with mature root systems. Monitoring for water needs is vitally important for the whole 18-24 months of establishment of a new tree or shrub.
If you decide to replace, here is our watering information:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs/
Christine
Test some outer branches by bending them. If they snap they are dry and dead. If they are pliable they may have some life left in them. You could try scraping the bark on a branch with your fingernail to look for green beneath or
There could be multiple reasons for this. While the scrape from deer antler rubbing removed bark on that side, if it didn't go all the way around it wouldn't likely have been fatal.
The most likely and common reason though may be due to the prolonged period of drought and lack of rain that we had last growing season. It stressed even large trees with mature root systems. Monitoring for water needs is vitally important for the whole 18-24 months of establishment of a new tree or shrub.
If you decide to replace, here is our watering information:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs/
Christine
Thank you so much for your response! I kept a full water bag on the poor little guy from planting through the end of the summer, but I really appreciate the tips you sent!
Aw. You did your best.
Even plant nurseries had difficulty keeping their stock hydrated last summer.
If you plan to replace, be aware that Maryland has a $25-off coupon program to encourage people to plant native trees, supplied by participating nurseries.
More about that here:
https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/Pages/MarylandersPlantTrees/Recommended-Tree-List.aspx
with the coupon and other information in the column to the left.
Looking closer, be sure that mulch isn't deeper than 2-3 inches and keep it pulled back from contact with the trunk.
If mulch is too deep it can make it difficult to wet the root ball as well as keeps the roots from getting needed oxygen.
Here is our page on mulch:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/mulching-trees-and-shrubs/
Christine
Even plant nurseries had difficulty keeping their stock hydrated last summer.
If you plan to replace, be aware that Maryland has a $25-off coupon program to encourage people to plant native trees, supplied by participating nurseries.
More about that here:
https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/Pages/MarylandersPlantTrees/Recommended-Tree-List.aspx
with the coupon and other information in the column to the left.
Looking closer, be sure that mulch isn't deeper than 2-3 inches and keep it pulled back from contact with the trunk.
If mulch is too deep it can make it difficult to wet the root ball as well as keeps the roots from getting needed oxygen.
Here is our page on mulch:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/mulching-trees-and-shrubs/
Christine
