Rowan Tree problem

amy_e_anderson · August 2016

Hi,

My MIL bought us two new rowan trees for our garden earlier this year. Ive been watering them regularly and still they don't seem to be surviving. One of the trees has some green growth left but the other doesnt. The one that doesnt has odd markings on the trunk and branches. Im a total gardening newbie so Im just finding my feet but the MIL told me to water it regularly so i did as she told me. The only other thing is, its reasonably damp at that end of the garden (bottom of the gentle slope) so wondering if they don't like it where they are?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

nutcutlet · August 2016

Oh dear, they do look sad. I'm afraid they're dead. They look quite large.

Keeping newly planted, large trees alive through the summer is tricky, a balance between enough water and too much. They like it quite moist, but not to excess, just enough that the soil doesn't dry out.

A couple of small specimens, planted bare root in winter, would stand much more chance of survival.

Fairygirl · August 2016

Couple of questions Amy - those are quite mature trees and therefore can be difficult to get established. I think they're suffering a bit from transplant shock

How are they planted? It's hard to see from your photos, but they seem to be in your lawn. Have you dug out a decent area of grass to plant them in? That's vital to give them a good chance. The grass will compete for water and nutrients. They would have needed some compost/well rotted manure etc dug in to the soil too.

Have you staked them properly? That's important too or they'll be damaged as soon as autumn/winter comes.

Trees that size will need a large amount of water regularly as there's a lot of top growth to support. Watering lightly every day is no good as it encourages the roots to go up, instead of down, in search of moisture. A few gallons every few days, (depending on your soil conditions) is the way to go. It's often a good idea to sink a bit of pipe down the side of the planting hole with the top exposed, so that you can water into that and sent it down to the roots. A layer of mulch on top of the soil round the trunk will help preserve that moisture too.

Pete.8 · August 2016

A few months back the council planted some Rowan and cherry trees (about 8 ft) where I walk with my dog.

I noticed the other day, the Rowans sadly look like yours. The Cherry trees seem ok.

We've had such little rain where I am in Essex, last worthwhile rain we had was 23rd June.
I've lost a lot in the garden this year, all down to drought.

nutcutlet · August 2016

Don't know how it was with you Pete but earlier in the season it was very wet indeed here. Plants made masses of soft growth and can't support it with the current hot and dry weather

Pete.8 · August 2016

Yes, much the same nut. First of all everything got massacred by slugs and snails as it was so wet and mild. Now the drought - the lawn looks awful, I've lost a lot of annuals and a few shrubs I've had for 20+yrs are not looking too good. I water as much as poss, but all the butts ran dry weeks ago and I try to be as eco as poss up to a point

nutcutlet · August 2016

I've only watered a few newly planted things. Beth Chatto, in her dry garden, doesn't water if things collapse, she cuts off the top growth, I do a lot of that but not for trees and shrubs. The older stuff should survive, we've had drought before, it's the newly planted that really struggle

Pete.8 · August 2016

I've been to Beth's garden twice, but not recently.
It's very impressive and clever for what it is, but it's not my sort of garden if you know what I mean.
Useful to get ideas for dry areas of course.

With the weather as it is recently I don't know whether to plant rice or cacti

Rowan Tree problem

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