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River Birch Tree yellowing leaves and stunted growth

13 years ago

Last year my clump river birch leaves started yellowing. I applied a recommended iron mixture to the soil around the tree. This year two of the tree clumps have many dead branches (I can snap them). Some branches have growth at the end of the branches and the leaves are stunted. One clump seams to be doing fine. I have applied three to four applications of an iron mixture so far this year and an application of dry 30 nitrogen fertilizer.

Featured Answer

Vicki

12 years ago

River Birch likes soil on the acidic side. I have alkaline, clay soil and have to add soil sulpher 2-3 times a year to acidify the soil around the tree enough so the tree can absorb the nutrients it needs. I also spray ironite directly on the leaves. It works very well, but before I took those measures I had the same issues you did with the yellowing.

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Comments (7)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
13 years ago
Surely the N isn't helping. Pix needed for any diagnosis beyond WAGs.

Dan
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
I applied a recommended iron mixture

=====>>> who recommended it.. they guy who sold it to you ...

and who recommended all the nitro.. the guy who sold it to you???

what did your soil test indicate????

i have planted hundreds of trees on my lot.. and NEVER had to fertilize a single one.. someone is selling you a bunch of hooey ...

now tell me about that soil test .... ONLY if it was recommended by such ... would iron be requisite..

and tell us about what they are selling you for lawn care... any weed or crabgrass killers???

and how old is this tree... when was it planted... and a pic would sure help.. for us to see what is going on around it.. is it in full sunshine

ken
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marymd7
13 years ago
Whatever else happens with these trees, please, please, please, don't every dump 30 N fertilizer on a tree. Yikes. Beyond waaaay too hot for a plant that probably didn't need any N at all.
kheller_chorus_net
12 years ago
What DO you recommend giving a tree that is thinning and yellowing?
Some people do not have the soil you have. We have clay that was left after
the developers left and took ALL the wonderful top soil off. We are in Southern WIS's Glacier dump zone with tons of rocks but the soil very wet. The River Birch is 1 yr old and is now having issues. The first yr was growing nicely.
arktrees
12 years ago
Just and FYI, Ironite has been analyzed to contain very very high levels of heavy metals such as lead, chromium, and cadmium that will build up in the soil, and some of it may be absorbed through the skin. I personally would not use the stuff.

Arktrees
Brian Dunning
4 years ago
The answers here are sad.

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