Live Oak Losing Leaves

12 years ago

Hello,

I live in Houston and we have been in a severe drought. I have been watering my lawn and trees on a routine basis, however, I have noticed that two of my live oaks are losing leaves at the top of each tree. The trees are very young, as the house was built about 3 years ago. The trees had been doing fine but now the trees look bald on top while all leaves are still green and look healthy on the bottom. I did not fertilize the trees this year. Should I have? Am I over watering? Underwatering? Because we haven't had any rain, the ground is very hard and I am afraid that maybe the water is not penetrating the earth and going to where it needs to go. Please help!

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Comments (4)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
12 years ago
No need to fert. Impossible to tell with info provided whether adequate water. But Dan's Default #1: improperly planted.

Dan
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
how are you watering them ....

infrequent very deep soakings are better than 15 min sprinkler settings..

are you really watering into the whole root zone of the recent transplant???

if you were.. then the soil probably wouldnt be so hard around the tree ... is it properly mulched ...

NEVER fert a tree .... and if you fert your lawn.. it will take whatever it needs ... which is.. to come full circle.. little or nothing ...

ken
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ltruett
12 years ago
It has been exceptionally dry in Houston this year, probably the driest I have seen it. Now that it has been in the upper 90s and even 100s the lack of rain is really starting to hurt. I would guess that you haven't been watering enough. I would get a soaker hose and use that to water. If you see run off, turn it off for a while and then water again. Your soil is probably fairly crappy being a new house/yard (I have the same)and it probably doesn't absorb water well so you have to do it slowly.

FWIW I like the nylon soaker hose, the rubber tends to fall apart for me.

Here is a link that might be useful: soaker hose
lou_spicewood_tx
12 years ago
Go with what ltruett says. It is very dry in Houston and I believe it.