Knowledgebase
Maple Trees in distress #767851
Asked August 17, 2021, 5:34 PM EDT
Charlotte County Florida
Expert Response
Hi Tom!
Thanks for your question -- I'd like to help you ensure your maple trees are healthy!
Could you take some close-up photos of the leaves and the nodules you've noticed on them? There's a black spot disease that typically occurs during wet weather that is unsightly, but doesn't usually harm maple trees in the long run -- I don't see signs of this from the photos you've shared....but then again, I can't see the leaves up close. All that I can see from the photos you've so kindly shared is that the leaves are discolored....as they would be from lack of water -- or as they naturally would look a month from now....
When were your maple trees planted? Were they well-watered the first year or two....and also during the very dry & hot spell we had at the start of this summer?
Finally: I don't see a flare at the base of the trunk on any of the trees in these photos (but I don't have a close-up photo of the trunks). I hope the trees weren't planted too deeply. I trust you planted (or had someone plant) the trees at the right level. It doesn't look like they were mulched too high (good job! I cringe when I see "mountains" of mulch around trees...).
Our plant pathology diagnosis lab is still shut due to the pandemic; so I apologize that we need to do our best via photographs and your observations.
-- Robilee Smith (nearby in Shelburne... :-)
Sent from my iPad
On Aug 17, 2021, at 7:33 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 17, 2021, at 8:01 PM, Thomas Esnes <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Thanks so much for the ultra fast response! The trees were planted about 5 or 6 years ago and yes, I may have planted them a little too deeply. I also left the plastic sleeves on them for about two years thinking I was protecting them from rodents, but I noticed the bark was not hardening so I removed them (probably much too late, they were fairly snug when I did finally remove them).I watered them fairly regularly the first year I planted them, but I did not during the subsequent years thinking they were able to fend for themselves at that point, obviously a bad theory based on your question. I should have known better as we had a very dry summer last year as well as this year’s spring.I will take some closeup photos of the leaves tomorrow and send them along.Thank you again!Sent from my iPadOn Aug 17, 2021, at 7:33 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
I agree with Robilee, the planting depth looks problematic. This is a number one killer of trees because they start to form girdling roots that can "choke" the tree. If caught early enough, arborists can remove the offending roots. You may want to pull back the mulch also, to get a better look.
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/trees-planted-too-deeply#:~:text=A%20properly%20planted%20and%20established,bottom%20of%20the%20planting%20hole.
Ann Hazelrigg
Plant Pathologist
Sent from my iPad
On Aug 18, 2021, at 3:34 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Tom,
Those are excellent photos! THANK YOU!!!
It looks, to me, like Professor Ann Hazelrigg's comments reached you directly. If you do not see her advice: let me know and I'll cut and paste them to you. (Dr. Hazelrigg is our UVM Extension Plant Pathology professor and the faculty lead for our Master Gardener program -- she's the expert here! :-)
I learned, during my UVM Master Gardener training that I wasn't planting trees correctly. (Yikes!) This University of Minnesota fact sheet (I like this source -- great program and similar climate growing zones...) may help you ponder if you were able to plant these lovely trees correctly:
I am just north of you (I believe) in Shelburne and I made the mistake of assuming a conifer shrub that has done well on it's own for the last 20+ years would be able to survive the dry spell we suffered here at the start of the summer. I was watering so much at the time....and now regret that I didn't spend a few extra minutes watering this well-established small tree. It's always so hard to judge: rains may come ... but when they don't: even well-established trees and shrubs suffer. If you have trees that are still establishing their roots (several years...) or show any other signs of distress: be sure to give them a good drink during dry spells. It's just one of the actions we can take to help our trees (of any age) that may need extra care to battle pests & diseases.
Hoping you received Ann's information and links....and that your lovely maple trees will survive & thrive,
-- Robilee
Thanks for writing back and sharing -- if it's any comfort: you are not alone here. I now find it hard to avoid staring at the trunks of trees I pass to see if that healthy flare shows (and I'm afraid I see far too many that appear to have been planted too deeply).
I'm glad you're going to try to see if the roots are girdling; as Ann noted: you might still be able to get an arborist to address the problem.
We're not allowed to endorse specific services, but on our UVM Master Gardener's "Resources" page, there's a link to "Find an Arborist": https://www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener/gardening-resources
(Open the "Trees & Shrubs" pulldown ... third from the bottom link is "Find an Arborist.")
This is a tool to find certified ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) arborists within your area. Use the "Search by Location" option on the right-hand of the page -- select "United States" from the "Country" pull-down and then plug in your zip code.
I'll close your question out now, Tom (you can always open a new query if need be) with the hope that all this rain will help your trees. Such a beautiful set of maples! I'm sending best wishes southward to you & your trees,
- Robilee
