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When do you give up on a tree in spring?

11 years ago

I planted a couple of small brandywine maples in my south-facing front yard not quite two years ago. They grew an acceptable amount of "creep" last summer, displayed beautifully in the fall and are now between 6 and seven feet tall with a 2-2.5" diameter trunk.

Unfortunately, we had a very odd winter here in Manitoba with very little snow until March and mild (for us) temperatures. My concern now is that these two trees are very, very slow to begin to bud at all, even in comparison to my young oak tree in the back. The amur maples, embers maple and birch trees, also in the backyard, are all on schedule.

A few leaves have only just started to emerge on the bottom branches, none at all on the crown and the topmost section seems to have a lot of brittle, dead branchlets. There are a few buds starting to emerge in the "vees" near the main trunk but...

So I guess my question is, is this going to be a lost cause in the long run? Should I watch and wait (and for how long) or do I just go ahead and replace now? I don't want to give up prematurely but I also hate wasting my time :)

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Comments (2)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
june or july ...

didnt winter just end.. last week.. up in z3/4???

plan for the next proper planting season.. which is when the leaves turn or fall off in what.. late august for you.. lol .. October or so ...

by then. you will surely know what to do with these two ...

i have had repeated frosts and freezes.. EVERYTHING is damaged and late to leaf...

ken
adriennemb2
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks Ken.

Yeah, usually I wouldn't mull too much over late blooming - we often get a big snow storm around Victoria Day (third weekend in May) - but this year, all the other trees are so much further along.

I knew when I planted the tree, that Brandywine is a little marginal for my zone anyways. Just pushing my luck, I guess. I learned that from my years living in zone 1. Now I just need to learn patience as well...
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