Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Wilting birch tree

Ash BennetteAsh Bennette Posts: 13
edited June 2023 in Problem solving
Hello all. We have a 4 year old Silver Birch that has started wilting. The top 3ft has started bending and the branches are all looking limp.

I am wondering if this is caused by the heat, it didn't happen last year. I have put a few buckets of water under it over the past few days in case it needs water, now wonder if I'm over watering it instead?

No obvious signs of any disease, the bark and trunk look fine, loads of new growth on each branch, no brown or dropped leaves or pests that I can see. Its just limp!

Any advice appreciated
«1

Posts

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Silver birch has naturally drooping branches which develop with age, hence the name pendula. Yours looks fine to me, a lovely tree!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    It looks fine to me . I can see no problem at all .Keep watering 2-3 buckets every second day . You can’t over water a tree they are like us ,composed of water along with other stuff of course but they contain huge amounts of water and it needs to be topped up . I would also clear round its base so it doesn’t have to share its water with other stuff .
  • Ash BennetteAsh Bennette Posts: 13
    Thank you, we do love it. It is very fast growing, 4 years ago it was 3ft tall! I was concerned because we have had so little rainfall, it might be struggling. I am tempted to give it 2 or 3 buckets of water?
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Yes do that …….it’ll do no harm 
  • Ash BennetteAsh Bennette Posts: 13
    bcpathome said:
    Yes do that …….it’ll do no harm 
    Cool ok, I will treat it to a couple of buckets full in a minute, then do the same again in a few days.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Yes, water will certainly help in the current weather conditions, provided your soil is free draining.  I’ve been regularly watering one of my trees which suffered badly in last year’s drought.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Ash BennetteAsh Bennette Posts: 13
    Plantminded said:
    Yes, water will certainly help in the current weather conditions, provided your soil is free draining.  I’ve been regularly watering one of my trees which suffered badly in last year’s drought.
    No clue how free draining it is at the trees root level, we never get any standing water when it rains heavily or when we water, so I'll assume its ok.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    That sounds fine, you would be aware of waterlogging if you had heavy clay or compacted soil.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Ash BennetteAsh Bennette Posts: 13
    Morning. Ive given it 3 buckets of water and no change this morning. Here is a better one. I will give it a day or so then give it some more perhaps
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's just grown rapidly, and the roots haven't yet caught up with the top. It'll be fine.  :)
    If it's been in the ground for four years, it'll be well established so it won't need any help. They can grow very quickly....
    It's our most common tree up here, so if they couldn't cope with wet, they wouldn't be everywhere - and I do mean - everywhere.   :)
    I wouldn't keep watering it unless the ground was drying out rapidly, and a better way of dealing with that is to make sure the ground is in good condition - lots of regular mulching   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.