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| Hi. I have recently purchased a purple beech tree. I am about to plant it in our back yard which gets a lot of sun. The leaves are brown On the edges. Is the normal? Also, is it ok to prune the bottom low branches now soviet can give the other branches towards the toP some energy to grow. I would ideally like this tree to be a tree we can sit under with a bench. That is why I want to prune the lower branches. Any insight on this tree would be extremely helpful. I saved this tree from a local store trying to get rid of it. Thanks in advance.
Also, I bought some compost and topsoil to mix in before planting. Should i use some root stimulator too? Attached are some pics. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Wed, Jul 18, 12 at 17:42
| No pics attached :-) It is recommended that with young trees, lower limbs be left in place for the first 3-5 growing seasons. This actually helps in establishment and trunk developement. Since no pics attached, hard to know size/age of your tree, but you can remove the lower branches once they hit about 1-1.5" diameter. Brown leaf edges typically suggest some sort of water issue, often inconsistancy (allowing to become too dry between waterings). Can also indicate a chemical issue but if just brown edging and the leaves holding well otherwise, more of a cosmetic concern than anything else. Planting hole should be only indigenous soil - what comes out, goes back in. Any amendments you feel you must use can be used as a mulch or topdressing. Should you use a root stimulator? Depends. Many are unnecessary or ineffective in actually encouraging root development and some can actually be counterproductive. Watering well at planting and maintaining proper soil moisture levels at this time of year is really the only important thing you should be doing. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Jul 18, 12 at 18:17
| What gal said^. Most likely, given the time of year, the tree you bought has seen its share of abuse at the garden center by now. A few missed timely waterings, etc. That plus the generally poor conditions for plants this year-in much of the country-could account for the browning. The idea in "raising up" a shade tree is to do it gradually. A couple or three branches one year, a few more the next, until you've got the tree's crown starting at the height you want. But again, don't even worry about that yet. Let it get established by "leaving" all the foliage on it that you can. +oM |
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| Some of this may just be a rehash of what was already said, but... Why did you choose this time of year to buy and plant your tree? Planting this time of year can be very stressful for a tree if significant root manipulation is required and/or if proper aftercare isn't performed meticulously. You didn't say whether your tree was pot-grown or what, and you didn't give a size, so it's harder to speculate on what your likely to run into (so far as pot-bound roots, root system damage, etc). Do not prune the lower limbs off until the tree is well-established. Then remove limbs on only the lower third of the trunk (except for dead, damaged, diseased, or rubbing branches). Your tree needs all it's foliage/limbs to create food/energy to grow. Instead of giving the tree more energy, removing limbs would rob energy. Your tree would be much better off if you did NOT amend the soil. But, if you choose to do so anyway, amend lightly and over a large area. I would use a maximum of 5% amendment (which, at that rate, is not likely to significantly impede drainage, cause excessive soil structure interface issues, etc). Hopefully, you haven't bought the root stimulator yet. If not, save your money! The link below may provide further info. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Planting a Tree or Shrub
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| Thank you all for your extremely helpful advice. For some reason the site won't let me upload photos. It is pot grown and about 5 feet tall We have very clay like soil so that is why I bought compost but if u don't think I need it I won't use it. Plus the root stimulator. My husband already cut off about 4 bottom branches. I am hoping it will still survive. ???? I feel bad i didny get to thos site in time tThere is new growth on top. I will not be removing any more branches some were a couple inches long one or two were a foot. Thank u for the link. So glad there are people out there like you to help newbies like me. |
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| One more question. I dont need to acidify the soil right? I read it is an acid loving plant |
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| Beech must have good drainage, if the site floods or puddles during wet periods it may not be completely suitable. Beech grows over 60' tall. I hope the planting site is big enough. Beech kills most everything beneath it as it grows larger. Expect to be dealing with a bare area around it in time, if you are still living there. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Jul 18, 12 at 23:33
| T, please understand that compost and other amendments are good things, but only if applied over a wide area. Amending the tiny little area around a new transplant can cause drainage anomalies but even if this doesn't happen, that small backfill area will be and must be insignificant over time if the tree is to successfully colonize a large enough area, with its roots, to survive and thrive. Dig? As to pH adjustment, it can be done in either direction, but soils so adjusted have a way of reverting back over time. Best course is usually to select plants that will be satisfied with existing soil conditions. As far as beech, I've seen them thriving in rich, well-drained slightly acid conditions as well as on top of dolomite (Limestone) ledges. I think they handle a pretty wide range. +oM |
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| Beech tolerates a wide range of soils. Beech woods here are a typical feature of chalk downland so I wouldn't worry about acidification of your soil. I'd reiterate what others have said about the ultimate size of the tree. I hope it has enough space. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Copper beech
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| They are just wonderful trees, however they are very slow growing. I call a tree like that an 'investment' tree when I plant them, knowing I may have to defer pleasure for a few years. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Jul 19, 12 at 9:52
| i am in z5 ... MI.. its been near 100 degrees for two weeks.. and drought for 3 months .... your tree is already severely stressed... the brown edges ... i will yell... I WOULD NOT PLANT A TREE IN THIS HEAT AND DROUGHT ... can it be done.. sure.. go for it ... secure the receipt for warranty replacement ... SHOULD it be done.. not in my estimate ... depending where you are.. and you havent told us ... i would put the pot in full shade.. and PROPERLY WATER it.. until at least mid september ... and when it overcomes the poor handling from the nursery ... then plant it .. or do what they say ... they are all pro nurserymen/gals ... with decades of experience ... and if they say go for it.. so be it ... really now.. two of them are from the pacific northwest.. and i hear they are still wearing windbreakers because it has been so cold and wet this summer ... that aint MI .... nor most of the midwest ... you said: One more question. I dont need to acidify the soil right? I read it is an acid loving plant ==>> until you have a soil test done.. you do NOT AMEND THE pH .. BECAUSE YOU READ SOMETHING ... I HAVE A DOZEN BEECHES.. AND HAVE NEVER ADDED ANYTHING TO MY SAND ...oops ... no guessing!!! read.. study.. and memorize every single word in brandons planting guide ... it really hits all the important parts of planting a tree .... good luck ken |
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| Amended soils (traditionally chemical alterations like pH adjustment are not referred to as "amending") will also return to something like their earlier condition. Unless you use non-decomposing materials like sand, there really is no point in amending soils destined for supporting long-term plantings like trees and shrubs. In one instance peat dug into an Oklahoma soil was found to have vanished only a year later. With sand, specifically you may have to pour on and dig in a ton of it before a dense soil opens up - and then you have to watch that you don't make it too coarse and prone to droughtiness and leaching. Best to choose plants that will grow in the type of soil already there, after it is opened up with mechanical cultivation (tilling or forking), kept from being compacted during planting (walk on sheets of plywood or install large flat rocks to use for accessing the bed), and further maintained with mulching (arborist wood chips are best, as long as they are free of weeds and garbage). |
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