Obviously, this was a prime example of...wait for it...red herrings. You have a birch. Which is highly subject to water stress. To much, too little, it's a day that ends in y. Oh yeah, and you are in Oklahoma? End result, leaves on the ground. Consistent moisture. That's worth repeating. If the rootball was dry enough that you had to wet it down to scrape a little soil, you were far to dry for what a birch likes. In this age of the internet, I absolutely refuse to post a picture of any tree that I plant. Someone will find something wrong with it. Mulch circle too big, mulch circle to small, OMG, you even used a mulch circle? I think they are ugly blights upon the landscape. You staked that tree? You didn't stake that tree? that tree was staked wrong because...well, you supply the reason. You planted a tree that was HOW big? You planted a tree that was HOW small? Fertilizer? Another hot button topic, and spikes are a hot button subject within the topic of fertilizer. You were stepping on landmines and had no idea. And everyone has some kind of rationale to support their notions, yet when all the bs is cleared away, most of it is personal preference. Consistent moisture. fertilizer will push new growth, and everyone and their mother will have an opinion on whether or not you should. my .02...follow the recommendations of the person who is covering the warranty. Because let's face it...they didn't do too bad, and the advice is pretty mundane.

What gets me about river birch-and keep in mind I really do like this tree-is that DOT landscapers must have been reading a list of "native plants" for Wisconsin and then, armed with all that knowledge, proceeded to install them willy-nilly here in the limey, eastern part of that state. In short, they have absolutely no chance of amounting to anything. Throw in all the salt that gets used up here-we must be the leaders in that category-and what you end up with is a mass of witches brooms on the trunk of a tree with almost no leaves whatsoever. And they keep on planting these dogs! Meanwhile, the birch species that actually is native to this part of the state-B. papyrifera-gets avoided like the plague because back in the 70's some landscapers who didn't understand that tree's cultural needs had trouble with some. Not saying they would do well along the highway either, but at least the designer wouldn't immediately get a failing mark for doing something totally stupid. Mind you, in modern-day Wisconsin, those are probably not state employees, but some private landscaper with a close relationship with the governor or one of his friends. Crony capitalism is alive and well! +oM

accept the tree for what it is.. or get rid of it ... thats about all your options ... well .. i suppose you could also do some root pruning ... cutting out A FEW offending roots ... key word: few .... in tree time.. the tree will react with a fury.. and perhaps make more roots that irritate you even more ... a tree is said to be twice as large underground.. as above.. and i dont see how removing a FEW roots is going to do major harm.. its not like peeps who dig a trench near a tree and cut off half its root mass .... if you get carried away ... the tree might die in a decade or two .... problem solved.. lol ... but im wondering how big this tree is.. and how close to the house it is ... since its inside the edging ... perhaps it should go ... before it swallows the house??? ... its a very common landscaping mistake.. to plant trees with great potential.. too close to the house ... get us a pic.. if you want opinion on that ... trees are entirely replaceable .. mother earth net zero .. perhaps if it is too close.. its time to plant a replacement clump.. out in the lawn ... so when its time for these to go.. you will already have a new plan ... ken

75 feet sounds rather aggressively huge for a birch ..... it is about 3 times the height of your house??? .. can we see a pic or two?? .. lean a 6 foot shovel against the trunk.. and go as far back from it as you can.. to get a picture of the whole tree and shovel... and then you can count how may 6 foot shovels it would take to the top of the tree... that would be a scale for reference... or if you get the whole house.. and can tell us how tall the house is.... if the tree is 75 feet tall.. is it planted about 50 feet from the house.. or 5 feet off the corner of the house.. like too many were planted in the 80s ...??? my bottom line.. is probably removal.. being presumably too close to the house.. and the fact that it is genetically programed to have surface or very shallow roots.. and you really cant go shaving them off.. and even if you did rebury them.. you might kill the tree anyway..... the roots are there.. because thats where the tree wants or needs them.. its not really your decision where they should be.. when we fight ma nature.. let me suggest.. we always lose .... time for removal.. and planting the next mistake.. been there.. done that.. lol.. finally able to admit it.. lol a picture or telling me its 50 feet from the house.. might change my mind... ken ps: in a reply .... use the camera/ photo icon below the box you type in.. to post a pic.. wait until it clears or focuses.. before you hit send...