We planted a 7 foot Bloodgood last November and all seemed to be going great with it until around 4 days ago. All of a sudden the leaves started wilting and drying out until almost all of the leaves are now dry an shrivelled. We recently tilled and re-sod (3 weeks ago)the yard adding a planters mix to the soil. We did put the sod right up to the tree, this we have now removed to around 2 feet away, could this have caused the problem. The tree has had plenty of water and gets the late morning and afternoon sun.
I was just cruising the postings and I saw your plea for help, What you are describing is likely a fungal attack and a treatment with a fungicide like Phyton 27, may be in order, follow the directions http://www.phyton27.com/index.html. This problem may be what is commonly called Verticillium wilt caused by that or one of the other various strains. Verticillium wilt begins as a die back form the leaf edges and progressing back threw the shoots, branches and limbs. Once a branch is infected it will show a greenish to brown streaking in the sap wood. I have seen it also as a brown ring going around the center of the branch if you cut one off at 90 degrees check to see if the sap wood has a green to brown streaking, and then find a good fungicide, and drench the roots system if so indicated in the directions. These fungi will enters the tree threw root damage and poor hygiene during punning and grafting.
Never seen wilt attack and kill a whole tree in 4 days. Maybe it happens but, sounds more like you might have packed dirt up the trunk too far when you put turf right up to the tree? Is it getting better now that you removed the sod? Because that will definately kill a tree of just about any size if put dirt too far up the trunk, and quickly a small tree.
Well Jim that sounds good to me, I have talked to a lot of people with sudden death of there trees and granted verticillium wilt can hardly kill a tree in four days, but taking into account that we do not fully understand all of the ways these fungi can damage a tree I was really only responding to one thing that Dave said, we removed the sod back two feet/ is there anything we can do at this point. I always say Well, so well hay spray the dam tree and hope for the best. None the less for all that, would planting a tree too deep not allow for first, a fungal attack then the rotting of the the bark and cambium. If the bark is not rotted and the cambium is still alive could it not be a fungus, First spray them all, and then let God sort them all out? We have a defence from wilt it is called, (mycorrhizal fungi) if the soil is well populated with this fungi it should suppress the Verticillium family and other soil-borne fungi that attacks the roots systems it will at least support the tree in allowing it to stay hydrated. For all we know he could have fertilized the thing to death.