in my zone 5 ....

all the following would be normal ...

1) for a transpalnted tree to show stress ....
2) for a tree to start turning color in what is basically october ... plus the added stress of the transplant ...

personally i would not have moved the tree until it lost all the leaves ....

keep it properly watered for the rest of the year.. and all next year ...

that means insuring that you are applying enough water to the ENTIRE root zone ... and you saw how big the ball was when they put it in..

water.. and then dig small hole.. and find out if any got down there... and keep it damp in the root zone.. and it should live....

a little surface water.. will insure that the giant tree you planed will die ..

and only you can insure proper water ...

is the tree properly mulched??

good luck

ken

Tree roots need air as well as water. If you are still watering it daily, it may not be getting enough air. Check the moisture of the root ball, and water whenever the soil is dry down about 2" - second knuckle length. Soak it WELL when you do water. The timing of the watering will be dependent on local conditions - soil type, weather, etc., so you have to check and see, not just water daily, or every other day. As the roots, hopefully, start to grow out, you can check to see if the soil in the ground next to the root ball is wet/damp or dry, and use that for your gauge. Water for the next year, and whenever it is dry for longer than a week (less than an inch of rain fell) for the next year.

If you haven't mulched, do so, as widely as possible, no deeper than 4", and no mulch in the inch or so next to the trunk.

"When they came back up with the new tree and they dug up the old tree its roots hadn't grown out but instead they were growing around themselves."

Sounds like they owe you your money back. If the tree is rootbound it was not planted properly. I'd be leery of them in the future.

As for the watering situation, Ken and Dibbit are right on target.

For the first week I would fill up the bowl once a day...This second week I watered it once so far in the fear that I'm giving it too much water since the leaves started to turn color.

What is the proper way to water it? The temps in Dallas still get into the high 80's and we haven't had rain for a few weeks.

Also they replaced the first tree free of charge.

Thank you,

Dibbit's instructions are very good. I would do exactly what he recommended to determine how frequently to water unless you have enough experience to judge with checking.

When I water at home (another story at the arboretum), I run a hose out to the tree and turn the water on so that there is a stream about the size of the diameter of a pencil. I let it run until the entire area of the tree's rootball is moist. The actual amount of time would depend on factors like initial soil moisture, soil type, etc.

Were these B&B trees or large containerized specimens? The containerized plants, believe it or not, are more difficult to acclimate than properly grown and dig field-grown trees.

Also, you might consider asking for a smaller tree in the future. They establish a great deal faster with much less stress than the big guys.

I also mulched shortly after the tree was put in. 3-4" thick around the tree and a few inches away from the trunk.

I'm still not sure where and how exactly to check the moisture of the root ball. If I use a spoon and try to dig an inch or two next to the trunk I seem to be hitting the meshy part of the roots. Is this where I should be checking? Or should I check further out?

I'd check the rootball out away from the trunk a little. The reason you need to check the rootball rather the surrounding soil is that, if the rootball and surrounding soil have different soil types, it's possible for the surrounding soil to hold moisture while the rootball dries out. The rootball and the surrounding soil need to remain moist, not wet, at a depth of a few inches. The surface can dry out, but the rootball shouldn't.

Will the tree supplier come out and check on your tree, or at least come out and help you determine how best to keep your tree properly watered?

If not are there other experts who can work with you locally.

Even the best advice you have already gotten from these responses to your posting, will not be able to hit all the major consideration factors, which might or might not be affecting your tree.

agawel I to have trouble telling when watering is necessary. now the 3 foot trees I plant are much smaller and have less problems with root ball bound roots but I water them differently on purpose.

I just crank that sprinkler on and water the tree, the grass, everything every 3 or so days w/o meaningful rain.

My theory is:
The soil the tree is planted in was probably "ideal" and may have been loaded with fertilizers by your nursery. Your yard...who knows, lets say its normal which means not as good. The tree needs incentive to grow roots into your yard and not just the "perfect" dirt it's been accustomed to. This incentive will be hunting down that moisture which is next to the rootball after it uses up all the easy to get to water.

The deep watering every few days babies my trees enough but still encourages them to grow reasonable roots to both get that initial water splash and last a bit as I increase the time between waterings over a year or two.

Your tree is huge though so it might throw my whole time plan off.

No one here has mentioned planting depth. This is the single most important factor when planting a new tree. When you say that you needed to dig down a couple inches before hitting "meshy" roots, that means the tree is too deep, and therefore likely causing your problems. Check for the root flare, or the point where the first major roots extend from the trunk (not the point where the meshy roots start - these aren't supposed to be there, and only occur where trees are planted too deep). The tree should be planted so the root flare is at soil level. Many times, when a nursery tree is dug, the diggers will pile soil around the trunk, then burlap it. Then, landscapers tend to plant it deep "to make sure it's really in there good." This means the tree ends up way too deep.

Check out the link below for proper planting techniques. If the nursery or landscapers doesn't know this, get a new nursery or landscaper!

Here is a link that might be useful: Trees Are Good