What’s going on with my young silver birch tree?

joe.shimmin · July 2023

It’s looking a bit sad, with lots of yellow leaves. I’ve watered it when we’ve had periods of dry weather.

Hostafan1 · July 2023

it's lacking water. The grass needs to be cleared around the base

Busy-Lizzie · July 2023

Do you give it a big can full each time?

plant pauper · July 2023

Agree with @Hostafan1. Clear a circle round the base. I did it on Golden Weeping Willows and the improvement in the first year was spectacular! I was amazed. They had struggled since they were put in fifteen years ago plus the six years I lived here till I cleared them and they are in boggy ground.

StephenSouthwest · July 2023

I'd mulch around the base, maybe put in a short fat pipe to water into, and give it 4 cans of water...

Dovefromabove · July 2023

I agree with all the above … clear a good circle about a metre jn diameter around the base and keep it clear … plus give it 4 cans/buckets full of water today … then 2 more every other day for a week … then 2 cans twice a week until the end of September.

Then next year starting in March give it 2 cans twice a week … more in hot dry spells, right through until September.

And a mulch of well rotted garden compost, soil improver or similar will really help too.

bédé · July 2023

I don't like the look of the dull, brown stem.

Birch are cheap as chips, they are not worth coddling. Make them fight for their right to the light!

Dovefromabove · July 2023

The bark on young birch growth is brown … it turns silvery as it matures. The photo is of a young tree.

“… Silver birch tree bark: Bark is golden brown on young growth before turning silvery white with black patches….”

https://leafyplace.com/birch-trees/

Fairygirl · July 2023

As the others have said - it's absolutely in need of serious watering. You can tell how dry it is by the ground nearby.
Definitely clear an area and mulch to preserve moisture, but only when the ground is thoroughly soaked. It should come away again.
The supports aren't great. If you're going to stake that way rather than angled ones, they need to be much higher - about two thirds or three quarters of the way up the stakes. It's completely different from the angled stakes which would be put low down as in your pic

joe.shimmin · July 2023

Thanks guys. I’ll get watering and remove a circle of grass and mulch. Thanks also for the tip about the stakes.
Hopefully there’ll be an improvement.

What’s going on with my young silver birch tree?

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