There is an ash tree planted 3 years ago in my front yard. I think I
might have over fertilized it last year with some tree fertilizer
spikes purchased at the Home Demo (instruction says 3 spikes, I used
5). Last year the leaves of my tree were twice as big as those of my
neighor's tree (because of the ferlilizer I guess). However, this year
some leaves on the top of the tree are much smaller than others. They
don't look healthy at all. What should I do?

Regards,
Sherry

Sherry wrote:

There is an ash tree planted 3 years ago in my front yard. I think I
might have over fertilized it last year with some tree fertilizer
spikes purchased at the Home Demo (instruction says 3 spikes, I used
5). Last year the leaves of my tree were twice as big as those of my
neighor's tree (because of the ferlilizer I guess). However, this year
some leaves on the top of the tree are much smaller than others. They
don't look healthy at all. What should I do?

Regards,
Sherry

This may not be a problem. (Depends on how "unhealthy" they look.) The
leaves on the outside (sunny) side of a tree (or most any plant) are
smaller. This reduces water loss by transpiration. Tobacco farmers are
well aware of this. They shade the plants resulting in thin, broad
leaves used for wrappers in cigars.

Bill
--
Bill and Nancy Weiler
Tony, Wisconsin
http://home.centurytel.net/spinandfish/spinandfish

Sherry what part of the country you in? Here abouts we are having a
major problem with Emerald Ash Borer's for instance. You may have an
insect problem instead of an over fertilization problem...

Just a thought.

Dave

On 8 Jun 2003 04:42:04 -0700, (Sherry) wrote:

There is an ash tree planted 3 years ago in my front yard. I think I
might have over fertilized it last year with some tree fertilizer
spikes purchased at the Home Demo (instruction says 3 spikes, I used
5). Last year the leaves of my tree were twice as big as those of my
neighor's tree (because of the ferlilizer I guess). However, this year
some leaves on the top of the tree are much smaller than others. They
don't look healthy at all. What should I do?

Regards,
Sherry

Dave Fouchey, WA4EMR
http://photos.yahoo.com/davefouchey
Southeastern Lower Michigan
42° 35' 20'' N,
82° 58' 37'' W
GMT Offset: -5
Time Zone: Eastern

On 8 Jun 2003 04:42:04 -0700, (Sherry) wrote:

There is an ash tree planted 3 years ago in my front yard. I think I
might have over fertilized it last year with some tree fertilizer
spikes purchased at the Home Demo (instruction says 3 spikes, I used
5). Last year the leaves of my tree were twice as big as those of my
neighor's tree (because of the ferlilizer I guess). However, this year
some leaves on the top of the tree are much smaller than others. They
don't look healthy at all. What should I do?

Regards,
Sherry
Overfertilizing is a possibility, but I doubt two extra spikes are
doing all that much damage (has the same site been fertilized
regularly in the past?).

Often, small or sparse leaves near the top of a tree indicate a root
problem. The tree may be planted too deep, or a root may be girdled
by the wire basket the tree came in (or another root), or the soil may
be too wet or too dry. Can you pinpoint any more symptoms? do teh
leaves look the same other than their sizes?

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist

For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html