How can we tell if our newly planted tree is just in shock or has had cardiac arrest?

Question

We just recently had two river birch planted in our front yard. We live in middle Georgia and the trees are facing south west. They get alot of water and we were warned they may go into shock, which one has with slightly yellowing leaves but seems to be holding up. The other one is not doing so well, the entire top leaves of the other tree turned brown over night and well, we are not sure if that is shock or if the poor thing had a heart attack. It's been 4 days and we deep water the root ball area daily and we have had a few thunderstorms in between, but unsure if the poor "brown leaf" tree will make a comeback or not. Help?

Answer 1

Sounds like either transplant shock (but more common when roots are affected-cut, torn, etc.).   It could also be too much water which can suffocate a tree (depriving the roots of much-needed gas/air exchange).  

Basically, you don't want the rootball to dry-out.  That doesn't mean watering everyday.  If you deep watered one day (or recieved ample water through a thunderstorm), it is safe to say that you should be okay for 2-5 days until you water again.

You can also kill a tree by planting it TOO DEEP.  The top of the rootball (or nursery container) should be positioned well-above the surface of the ground (2-6" above) to  make sure theses surface roots can exchange gases.  Sure, you should still try to cover these small roots with a bit of soil, however, make sure the tree looks like someone had dug the hole a little shallow!!!!

One way to tell if your tree is dead or may "come back to life" is to check the branches by using your fingernail to skin the epidermis (bark).  If the underlying tissue is woody, you've most likely lost the tree and should replace immediately.  If, on the otherhand, the tissue is still green, you may be able to save it- with corrective measures.  (Like cutting back on your watering).

Use a shovel and dig down adjacent to your tree's rootball and see for yourself how adequate/inadequate the soil mositure may be for that tree.  If you have clay soils, you don't need to water as often as you do if it's sandy.  

Hope that helps- sorry to hear about your tree

Answer 2

replant and tamp down the backfill firmly