I planted this in my garden around 2 months ago from a pot that it was growing in for around 3 years.
A few weeks ago though, the leaves that were on it were curled up and black and had holes in them, maybe from insects I’d say.
I would really appreciate any help/advice from anyone as this sapling is important to me.
by TechaholicOnyt
1 Comment
Yikes, that looks severe. I would cut a small tip off the top of a tree branch, and see if there’s a rot or other sign of disease in the branch.
The drastic step after that is to slowly trim from the top down until you find a section that’s not diseased. You might not find one (so be prepared for that).
Stop when you’ve found a healthy section, it’s best then to seal the cut with a wound-sealant to stop anything getting back in. Things like these:
https://www.thegardenshop.ie/seal-and-heal/
https://www.fruithillfarm.com/lac-balsam-tree-care.html
Without knowing for sure whether the problem is a fungus, or a pest it’s hard to know whether to recommend a pesticide or a fungicide.
If you can work out which it is (or both) – then you’ll want to apply a systemic version of those (typically diluted in water). Watered into the soil, and then it’s sit back and hope for the best.
The wound sealant would be a good idea on other parts of the bark that have been exposed but without knowing if it’s a fungus or pest such a move could make things worse. So only stick to your pruning cuts until you know.
The good news is that there’s a chance. A tree that loses all its leaves at this time of year can usually put out a second flush – and oaks are as good at that trick as any other tree.