I could really use some help here. Last summer we bought a house in the country on an acre of land. The back of the house is full of maples - unfortunately, the tallest are Manitoba Maples. We are felling them one by one in order for the beautiful maples to grow and flourish. So, last fall, we dug up a couple of young maples from the back of the property and moved them to the front of the property. Admittedly, we lost a lot of root while digging them out. We transplanted immediately and gave them lots of water every day. They looked fine and still do, for that matter, except they are not leafing out. The buds don't seem to be swollen and all the other young maples are in leaf now. Although the leaves are not out, the trees still look healthy. The branches are not brittle and, in fact, quite pliable. When I scratch the surface, I see a layer of green. I keep watering them but I wonder if I'm fighting a losing battle. Are they dead? If not already, are they dying? What should I do?
You might have been watering too much. During dormancy deciduous plants need much less water than when they are leafed out. Only thing you can do is dig one back up and inspect the root system. If over watered, the roots will all be brown, peeling and almost mushy. A healthy tree would have quite a few little white root hairs showing in the spring.
OK, I'll try as you suggested. I tell you, a person can get really confused. One tells me to water them heavily up to when the ground freezes. You tell me not to overwater. Obviously, I didn't water during winter but as soon as spring came I went back to watering. We live in a pretty rocky area. The soil is excellent but quite rocky but the drainage is good. BTW, the trees can't still be dormant, can they? I mean, this is the 3rd of May, after all and this is Southern Ontario in Zone 5.
I'm in quite a different climate than you are, with a much heavier and poorly drained soil. Therefore, I am less qualified to give you specific advice in your area than others might be. However, I can't see recommending for someone to water a dormant maple or deciduous tree every day in any location. In our area we only recommend daily watering for late spring to summer plantings in sunny areas. A weekly watering is generally recommended through the dormant season.
