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Sparse looking red robin

janinerjaniner Posts: 66
in Problem solving
Hi everyone. I have a red robin tree in my garden and its looking so sparse. I loathe to cut it back as its one of the only trees around our property, but I need to do something. I've put plant food all around the base of the trunk and dug them in. 

Any suggestions on how much (and when) to cut it back? 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    How often do you water it and how much at a time? It looks as if it’s dying of thirst. 

    That tree needs at least  two buckets full of water, every other day, whether it rains or not,  poured gently over the soil surface so that it doesn’t run off the surface. 

    There’s hardly any bare soil to soak up any rain, it’s in a rain shadow formed by that fence and it’s up against a patio on one side and an evergreen shrub the other … they’re all keeping the rain away from the roots, and the shrub is also competing with the tree for any moisture there is.

    Don’t dig around the trunk … you’ll damage the roots. 

    To feed a tree, sprinkle Fish, Blood & Bone organic fertiliser around the root area in the amount stated on the pack. Then water it in well and apply a thick organic mulch (compost or similar). 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • janinerjaniner Posts: 66
    Thanks Dovefromabove. 

    I've never given it water! Oh I feel so bad now. We have been in the house for 8 years now. But the patio next to it is relatively new, so that would have had an impact on the water source. 

    I'll be sure to water it every other day as you suggest, and I'll get some of the compost you suggest.

    Do you think I should cut it back still? To promote new growth?
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    If it's been in that spot for 8 years plus and only recently started losing its leaves, it may be weather changes that have caused leaf drop. In time, your shrub will leaf up again. But if it has been weak and spindly for a while, it would be as suggested, lacking in water and possible root damage from making the patio. You would need to water it to help it along.

    You could prune back a small section to test out how it responds, but you need to know for sure the reasons for the sparse look in the first place.
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