Maybe I'm overreacting... But if our tree is dying, I'd like to return it, since I have a year warranty.. =) Around june of 2005 (a yr ago) we planted a contorted filbert. Last year, it had leaves, flowered (if thats what you want to call them), and appeared healthy. Now, nearly a year later, it has only a few green leaves popping up, and some of the branches look to be dead. I'm afraid to prune it because its so hard to tell whats alive & whats dead on it... The tree seems to be kinda brittle naturally. I've read elsewhere on the web that around March it should begin to flower... No such luck for us. We have hard winters here in syracuse, but that doesnt seem to be an issue from what I read. I attached a detailed pic.. Any assistance is appreciated. Am I paranoid? Thanks in advance & have a great day!
Yes, it sounds like it is nearly dead. The spot you have it in may be too dry, looks like raind is blocked by an overhang. Or maybe you had a cold winter and it froze, I see it was not mulched. Or maybe...
Thanks for the reply. The spot its in is definitely not too dry. If anything, it's the opposite, because of the gutter downspout... It also does not drain well in that area, and there is somestimes standing water after a good rainfall... Eventually (after a couple hrs) it soaks though. We do have cold winters here, but this winter was actually pretty tame compared to most... And from everything else I've read, these arent generally affected. Regarding mulch. It was mulched last year, but much of it has washed away from that area.... And we havent done it yet this year.. This week we're doing mulch. Is there are "emergency" food I can give the tree or anything?
I think maybe your tree might've drowned this winter. As for the green growths on it I can't exactly pin point what that is. There is also a chance that you might have just got a bad specimen from the nursery - it unfortunately happens from time to time. There is no real "emergency food" you can give it as it looks like its had it. If you really want to save it give it a good pruning - if not take it back to the nursery you got it from ask them for suggestions for plants that will take more kindly to the conditions you have in that spot. I always like to use dormant oil on any of my deciduous shrubs and trees to prevent any fungi or insects from overwintering underneath the bark which also might be a reason why it died. Good luck! -Eric
it probably drowned/drowning..........they can just about survive being very wet, (sorry, but i think it's your fault, not a faulty plant)
