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| I'll apologize in advance for the length of this. I have several new 2" trees planted last winter. Both my shumard oak and my autumn blaze maple had severe leaf scald after leaf on this spring but much worse on the bottom 1/3 of the tree. In fact they lost these leaves altogether late in the spring. I didn't think much of it, I thought it was transplant shock or too much fertilizer in the soil as this was a turf area they were planted into. To complicate matters this summer was horrific, we had 100's in April and 60 days overall over 100 degrees. Now that it has cooled off, some of these lower branches have put out small leaves. Tonight in looking at the shumard I had a eureka moment. The trunk is now almost white from the sprinkler water and the dead lower branches are also white. My well water is super hard with very large amounts of calcium in it. I first thought it was salt as it will turn things white if the wind dries the water on it. It almost has a crystal appearance too. It does not Taste like salt and neighbors who have had water test say there is no salt in the results. Is there anything else in the water that could have caused the leaf issues or is it just a coincidence and caused by one of the other factors? Does hard water hurt foliage? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Oct 5, 11 at 7:46
| have a water test done.. specifically relating to the plants ... quit guessing ... otherwise .. if you got a 2 inch caliper transplant to live thru the heat and drought ... i dont really know what you are complaining about ... they seem happy enough to be adding some late leaves .. good for them ... storing some energy ... NEVER fertilize them .... unless a soil test indicates the soil needs some help ... they will eventually get what they need from the lawn if you mulch and fert that ... hey its you.. what ever happened on the picea pungens ... here is a water test.. what if ANY OTHER PLANT is having trouble??? which you think is related to the water ... maples are weed trees.. i doubt its a water issue .. the sprinkler should not even be on the tree ... you water PROPERLY.. by inserting your finger.. and watering when the tree needs water.. then you insure the water is provided thru the entire root mass .. deeply .. and then you dont water again until it is nearly dry.. and you provide a heat buffer of mulch ... adjust a sprinkler head to stop inundating the trunk.. which is not supposed to be wet ... are you on a well??? .. do any of the neighbors have the same problems??? your well peeps .. or your extension office may have general knowledge about water issues in your area ... you were probably right with your first thoughts.. about transplant shock.. and its relation to weather ... a tree that big.. will take upwards of 3 years to get 'est'd' ... and until that time.. most everything is a function of transplant shock .. bottom line.. its alive.. what more do you want??? ... do you have nothing better to worry about other than a weed maple.. lol ... ken |
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| A simple swimming pool pH test kit will tell you if it's calcium as calcium will have a high pH (basic). The calcium causes hard water. Red water will be iron which has a low pH (acidic) and is usually softer. I agree with Ken though. I don't think you have anything to worry about if the trees have made this far. |
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