They're probably anchoring their root-system. I planted a lot of seedlings and they just started breaking bud (2/3's have).

If you can't snap the wood (it's still flexible) they're ok. It's gotta be a juicy green and not a dried up green under the bark.

Dax

Thank you. I thought most of them were dead because I couldn't see green under the bark... but then one of htem started budding out and produced leaves.. so then I was at a loss.

The larger bur oak has green under the bark and it's flexible... and I was just reading that bur oaks tend to be obsessed with their roots.. and since we have very sandy soil, I'm guessing its having a merry time pushing a tap root deep into the ground... I'll just be patient and keep watering it during dry periods.

I'm also sure the maple will leaf out again.. but I'm pretty new to this.. I get nervous, especially when you put that much money into a tree.

I would have thought the bur oaks would have leafed out by now and then sat there for a time while their roots grew. But you are in a colder clime, some of mine were almost May before they leafed out. They are known for exhibiting little above ground growth while the roots expand religiously.

Well, the Autumn Blaze maple died... there was some kind of disease or something else weather related that killed it at about 2 feet above the ground on the main stem. A new sprout has sprouted out at the root collar, so I'll train this one to be the new tree... but it sucks to be this far behind now.

Well even if you lost the top, new growth is on a bigger root system than it would have if sprouts had grown on it's own. Should take off faster as it goes along in year or two.

My new cottonwoods died back and have sent out new spouts from about 3ft above the root. Lost about 6ft above the sprouts. They were fall planted, but the winter cold wasn't very nice to them. It appears the roots did a good job growing before they froze though, had energy to start new sprouts.

My Burr Oak sprouts appear happy, but are only little saplings, no transplant shock like yours had. Thanks for reminding me about their sneaky roots! They need larger pots or to be field planted to continue growing. These are acorn grown, too cheap to buy larger ones.

Thanks.. yeah, the new sprout has grown about 6" in the last week and is growing more and more by the day.. but it is kind of laying out right now because it's so weak it won't even stand up straight.. so I'm going to have to stake it.. but I don't want to break it and set the tree back even further.

Many of my bur oak saplings (I think they're 3 years old before transplanting) are just sprouting now... so I'm thinking the big one really just got shocked.

The reason I haven't worried is that it hasn't sent up any sprouts or anything from the base and it's still juicy green under the bark... so I'm at a real loss.

I've been out doing lots of watering and fertilizing (our soil is classified as a Psamment Entisol, which basically means Sahara Desert sand.. though with a little black soil in the top foot).. it is very deficient of all nutrients.. and I had never fertilized until this year.

The white pine given to us as a housewarming present in 1999 was growing about 4-6" per year... two years ago I mulched around the base and last year and again this spring I fertilized it and it put on about 2 feet of healthy growth to the top.. so I think I'll continue to work bone meal into the soil in the falls and regular slow release stuff in the springs.

The same goes for the apple tree given to us.. half of it died and for a few years it only grew about 1/10th of an inch... but I fertilized it last summer and again this spring.. it's put on over a foot of new growth and it looks healthier than ever.

I've learned in this soil, you can't over fertilize (in the burning sense... but not in the 'running down to the water table' sense) and you can NEVER over water.

I accidentally let the sprinkler run all night once... there wasn't one puddle.. the only response was a nice flush of lush green growth on the grass there.

I have to water the vegetable garden every day it doesn't rain... it's a challenge... but anything will grow in it since the roots can grow unfettered.

Snowguy, if you are going to put in a stake to support the "new" maple, I would do it now while the stem is still quite flexible. Later on in the summer, it may be stiffer, and harder to tie up, and you may indeed break it.

Regarding mulch, I am sure you have read enough to know the principles, but I will reiterate, anyway - as widely as possible (at least out to the drip-line); no deeper than 4"; NO mulch in the couple of inches next to the trunk, and it sounds like you really need to replenish annually with an inch or two as the old mulch breaks down. Just keep the total depth at 4" or so.

Good luck.