Oak Trees Dying Off
 

Looks like I've lost another three oak trees this year.

Three of them (about 12-14" diameter) died last year, along with a dogwood.
Common wisdom at the time seemed to be the draught had taken it's toll. I
cut them down and mulched the area last fall. As a matter of fact, there was
one that died the year before that.

Now, I see that two more oaks with trunks 2'-3' wide have been leafless for
most (if not all) of the summer. A third one about (18" diameter trunk) has
some leaves, but the highest branches are barren with no growth.

I have no idea what is going on. The pines in the same area show no
indication of distress. Other than mulching, I don't do any special care
like watering, spraying or pruning. They are basically trees in the 'woods'.
They are within about 50-75 ft of each other.

These are big old trees - maybe a hundred years, and it is a terrible shame
they are dying. But I don't know what to do to prevent it from spreading.
Any advice appreciated.

Robert

Oak Trees Dying Off
 

Are you in a fairly new house or new development with construction happening
within the past few years? Construction is very hard on trees. Damage to the
root systems begins to kill off nearby trees within a few years. In 1997, I
moved into a new subdivision that used to be woods. Several of the trees on
my lot slowly died, losing top branches first. Others that were not as close
to the path of destruction are doing OK. Mulching in a wide circle around
the trees seems to help but if the damage has been done, you can only wait
and see which ones will make it.

E.

"Robert Gray" wrote in message
. com...
Looks like I've lost another three oak trees this year.

Three of them (about 12-14" diameter) died last year, along with a
dogwood.
Common wisdom at the time seemed to be the draught had taken it's toll. I
cut them down and mulched the area last fall. As a matter of fact, there
was
one that died the year before that.

Now, I see that two more oaks with trunks 2'-3' wide have been leafless
for
most (if not all) of the summer. A third one about (18" diameter trunk)
has
some leaves, but the highest branches are barren with no growth.

I have no idea what is going on. The pines in the same area show no
indication of distress. Other than mulching, I don't do any special care
like watering, spraying or pruning. They are basically trees in the
'woods'.
They are within about 50-75 ft of each other.

These are big old trees - maybe a hundred years, and it is a terrible
shame
they are dying. But I don't know what to do to prevent it from spreading.
Any advice appreciated.

Robert