30 year old stressed poplar tree, unknown type - Ask Extension
would like branch tested for nutrient need or disease. also too large for me to spray foliage with epsom salts. what type of ground magnesium to apply...
Knowledgebase
30 year old stressed poplar tree, unknown type #880756
Asked August 08, 2024, 4:53 PM EDT
would like branch tested for nutrient need or disease. also too large for me to spray foliage with epsom salts. what type of ground magnesium to apply then water in. live on ocean side of coos poor sandy soil. tree was lush til this year. little branches on ground, some new growth canopy thin, some buds never opened, ect.
Coos County Oregon
Expert Response
This sounds like it could be due to drought stress. Poor, sandy soil probably would not hold water for long. Your tree may require more frequent irrigation during these hot dry periods.
Here are some tips on watering trees from the Oregon Department of Forestry - https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Documents/forestbenefits/watering-fact-sheet.pdf
Here also is an article from Oregon State Extension about trees and drought stress - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/health-management/keeping-your-trees-alive-harder-it-sounds
If you need someone to look at your tree on site, you probably will need to hire an arborist.
It is not recommended that you apply epsom salts unless you know there is a magnesium deficiency in the soil. To do this you would need to submit a soil sample to a lab for analysis. Here is an Oregon State Extension publication that describes this process - "Get Actionable Results from a Soil, Plant, or Environmental Testing Lab" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-8677-get-actionable-results-soil-plant-or-environmental-testing-lab
Here are some tips on watering trees from the Oregon Department of Forestry - https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Documents/forestbenefits/watering-fact-sheet.pdf
Here also is an article from Oregon State Extension about trees and drought stress - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/health-management/keeping-your-trees-alive-harder-it-sounds
If you need someone to look at your tree on site, you probably will need to hire an arborist.
It is not recommended that you apply epsom salts unless you know there is a magnesium deficiency in the soil. To do this you would need to submit a soil sample to a lab for analysis. Here is an Oregon State Extension publication that describes this process - "Get Actionable Results from a Soil, Plant, or Environmental Testing Lab" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-8677-get-actionable-results-soil-plant-or-environmental-testing-lab
