the answer is the same ..no matter the plant .. you wait until they leaf out.. to determine what is dead... which means give them a month or two ... maine is correct.. for one with vast experience ... i use the default .. black mulch is a nightmare .. if there is no snow cover ... as it heats the soil.. in mid winter .. causing plants to go in and out of dormancy .... which is not good.. and that doesnt even contemplate august .. and what black mulch can do on 100 degrees days .. other than cook an egg on it ... if and when it comes time to mulch.. think long and hard about going without a color.. just go with the natural gray of dry old wood chips ... so.. in that equation.. if hot and dry last summer.. due to mulch.. then it went into a horrible winter ... in less than prime conditions .. so who is to tell what caused the problem??? .. if not all the variables ... all that said.. being next to the A/C makes it even worse ... with all that hot wind in the heat of summer.. they are also planted about 3 to 5 feet too close to the house... never forget.. plants are planted to HIDE the foundation.. not ON THE FOUNDATION ... these plants were planted.. as to siting.. as to the size they were in the pot.. like they would never grow again for the rest of their lives .... and they are close to a reflective wall.. when the heat is the highest in later afternoon and early evening.. on a west wall ... apparently they have been coping well for 8 years ... and something last summer ... fall. or winter did it.. my point being.. it might nall be winter damage .. though that is when the damage showed ... all that said ... i know you have the same fever i have.. but its just too early.. to make snap decisions ... just put down the pruning shears.. and step away .. lol .. ken ps: there isnt landscape fabric under the black mulch.. is there??? if so.. you might have water issues ...

If you're in Seattle, then it's brown rot. Pretty much a fact of life with cherry trees in this neck of the woods. Some years much worse than others - last year was a doozy!! Hard to find a cherry, fruiting or otherwise, that was not afflicted. I'd also comment that a PNW'er response to tree size and placement is rather different from many living elsewhere. This is the land of the big trees - native trees here can exceed 60' and it is not at all uncommon to find one or more in an average 5000-6000 sf urban/suburban lot, specially in older, established neighborhoods. Even most ornamental trees grows fast and large here. And as the OP notes, many neighborhoods will have very specific regulations about tree removal. But judicious pruning to maintain safety as well as the health of the tree is always advised.

Estreya, yup I'm still here! Here's a (very long) rundown of what I did. I did this process after talking to several nurseries, talking to my mom who is an avid gardener, and reading a bunch of books. It may not be what everyone advises (I'm sure someone out there has other methods!), but it worked brilliantly for us. First, I soaked the tree in it nursery pot in a big bin of water for an hour or two to make sure it was really REALLY hydrated. Meanwhile, my poor husband dug a super big hole, putting the dirt he dug out into a wheelbarrow. Into this wheelbarrow I added some "good" soil. Our "good soil" was Miracle Grow Tree and Shrub Soil since we were in a hurry and didn't have time to make a custom blend, but I'm sure you could be more foofy with your blend if you want! I would say the ratio was about 2/3 regular garden soil to 1/3 Miracle Grow soil. I mixed everything super well, making sure to water the Miracle Grow soil properly since it was bone dry. Now, back to the hole for the tree. In the very bottom of the hole, I made a mound for the tree to rest on. You can see how to do this in any good tree book. This helps the tree get good drainage. Then I put the tree in, checking one last time to make sure the tree was at the correct height, and then started backfilling with the soil mixture. I did not tamp the soil down with a shovel. Instead, I used water from a hose, which washes the soil down evenly, preventing air pockets. Then I would add more soil, water it in, add more soil, and etc. It took a ton of soil and a ton of water, too! But it really worked. Those trees did not settle at all. They stayed exactly as planted. So be slow and careful with this stage. It's worth it! Finally, we made a watering ring about four feet in diameter using the last of the soil, and gave the tree one last drink. And then I gave it a good serving of Miracle Gro Quick Start Transplant Solution. I use this on everything I plant, and it really seems to help when planting in the heat of summer. Things may wilt for an hour or two after planting, and then they are fine! I used to use organic everything, but the Miracle Grow stuff just is amazing. I love it. As for watering, I give each tree half an hour with the hose (just lay the hose down and walk away) two times a week minimum. You can buy plastic watering rings, but I was pretty sure these would be stolen since I live in PDX. I know this is a lot more info than you asked for, but I was hoping to prevent you some of the suffering and indecision we went through planting our trees last year. We were so scared! But it all worked out great. Here is a link that might be useful: Miracle Gro Quick Start Transplant Solution

I'd like to see a little additional gentle movement in the small branch you wired. The reason is, movement usually gets more pronounced toward the tree's apex. Since the first notable movement is only a couple of inches above the soil, you should have movement, even if not pronounced, in the smaller branch within that approximate distance. Lacking movement, that small branch will draw your eye because of its straightness, unless the tree is grown from this point in time forward as a formal upright or a slant style with a straight trunk. Looking ahead, one could envision the entire trunk above that wired branch moving left as sacrificial. The first small branch off the left-moving wired branch could act as the temporary leader and the branch growing opposite of it could be the first branch on your tree. If you decide to do that, you would prune that branch back to 2 leaves. That done, all of the left-moving wired branch beyond that little opposite pair of branches we're discussing as the temporary leader and first branch would also be sacrificial. Green = wire some movement into this branch Yellow = sacrificial Red = your new temporary leader - wire it more upright - it will grow faster Blue = the first branch on your tree. This is the one to cut back to 2 leaves to slow it down - so the new temporary leader (opposite it) becomes dominant. Al