Hi Everyone, First thank you for your comments and helpfulness. I have numerous pictures but at the present moment, I am uncertain as to how to post them...smiles. I have clipped a few edges to see if there were any green left to them and from the tips I would say no. As mentioned, right now, these two large branches do not have any flowers on them and look dead in appearance. If fact, I just spoke to a gentleman who sold me the tree a few years back and he was saying that the winters here in Illinois have been very bad on the Redbuds in fact to the point of him no longer carrying them due to all the one year guarantees he had lost. Smiles. This tree only has about 6 main branches and if I cut out the two, I have a feeling, it may then be best to cut the whole tree out given that it is not that big and all the diseases this tree is suseptible to. Right now, I am thinking of possibly a Kousa Dogwood given that I do not want something too large given that it will be situated next to a sidewalk. I would like something with decorative flowering and the possibly a maroon leaf during the year. Again, I am in Illinois. Thanks, MEtten

I agree with Esh ga - try it and see. With careful attention to watering, which you will have to do with the flower bed anyway, it should be fine. Doing it in the evening, or just before a forecast for rain or overcast would help, giving it some time to settle without blazing sun beating down on it... As well, I notice that the one doing poorly has a ring of cast stone or cement around the bed, while it looks as though the other one doesn't. That may also make a difference. Having the surface of the root ball level with the ground/surface of the flower bed is usually better than having it buried. Mulch, or the extra dirt from the flowerbed is fine a few inches away from the trunk, as long as it is no deeper than 4", and the root flare next to the trunk is clear of covering (a very light scattering, to blend in with the surroundings is OK, but not inches or even half-inches!). If you wanted, and if the root ball looks soggy/too wet when you dig it up, you can replant it a little high (up to 2-3" high), making up the difference with dirt to make it level with the top of the root ball. This doesn't hurt the tree, and is a very good idea if you think the fill dirt under the tree is likely to settle over the next few years. Even though, to you, the soil is identical at 15' apart, there's no telling what the builder did, or left, in each area, so there may, in fact, be a major difference in the 2 areas that the trees "notice". However, I am more inclined, from this distance, to think that the new flower beds are holding too much moisture, esp. for the "poorly" one. Digging and replanting both of them might not be a bad idea, although, as you say, the one seems to be coping for now. Too much water can be as bad, or worse, than too little....

Jim, just leave it alone for a bit. It may or may not depending on how stressful shipping was on it. I have some growing in the tree line that survived who knows how many weedeater attacks. the two trees labeled in this picture cost me maybe $20 from Arbor Day (ten a piece) a decade back. I have an ungly but good producing apple tree from them also that I have another ten bucks in.

its fall .... its supposed to lose its leaves ... you just sped up the process .. you do NOT want it to reflush now ... if properly watered.. it will be growing roots ... that is a trees fall job ... no fert ... ever ... its stressed.. not hungry .... see link on planting and watering.. and mulching ... https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub your timing could have been better... you should have done it at leaf color change.. or once they fell off.. who cares ... tom calls trees a vast energy storage system ... it should have plenty of stored energy ... for the month or so lost to the procedure ... be nice to know how you define small ... if you have legit access to the site... you might do another one ... at the proper planting time for your area.. ken