Are my oak tree$ ok- any tree experts??

[Howard]

Thanks all! Knew they are losing now but also was told they should replace more so than lose - But see so many at nice ranch entrances that half are pretty bare right now

I see above mentioning treatments but- tree guy and several oak tree blogs say do not do this. Do not fertilize or anything on a large tree. They say u don't even want it trying to grow just not shock too bad. So many different thoughts and opinions .

[wickll]

All live oaks are dropping leaves right now. This is the time of year when they look terrible. Some turn yellow and drop, others just drop. I have about 100 in my yard and they all look bad right now. In a couple of weeks, they will look great again once the bud back out. It's normal

Just keep them watered well and give them a little time. My mentor in the tree business once told me as long as they leaves turn brown and fall off, you are ok. When they turn brown and don't fall off, the tree is in bad shape. It is the time of year for liveoaks to be shedding their leaves. Plus, it is normal to lose some leaves due to transplanting shock.

["DOC"]

I used to have a tree spade and moved a lot of trees.
Live oaks move really well....Your soil looks sandy????
If it is then water/water/water....more water.....
As said above, dig down about a foot or foot and 1/2 and check the soil.
If its dry you need to soak the ball, put a hose on it and leave it until the hole fills up and runs out.
They are probably alright but the biggest problem I had was getting folks to water them enough.

[Howard]

That's been my biggest concern. Over or under watering. Will do a couple test digs

[Howard]

Soil around good looking one is sandy-
Two in front are in pure gravel and clay. Worse conditions possible but the place they came from and the ball the truck brought in also had a lot of clay. Probably slow down growth. I asked about replacing dirt all around it with back hoe but they said the roots would push through I dug down on one side a foot amd it's dry solid orange clay- Other size of same tree is good soil- hmm. All within what came w tree

I made a home made deep water with PVC pipe and cut bottom slanted and drilled bunch or holes. Then got to thinking these trees hadnt been watered on system last few years. All the old soaker lines were busted up and hadn't been going for some time

Guess ill just keep watering good every two -3 days

[Howard]

Went out of town couple days and just got home. This tree that looked worse had new buds just starting to form on some of the limbs. Can't help but think a good sign. Guess they were just turning anyway on top of a little shock.

Still looks rough but there is hope m

[markm]

That is great news Howard. I don't know what type of soil you have there at the house but if it is clay based be careful not to over water. I use to live in McKinney and had black gumbo and killed a couple of Red Oaks from over watering......root rot.

I now live in Aubrey and have sandy lome.............I can't water them enough. Sand is great for horses but not for holding moisture.

I need to put in a few more trees this year. At least I have easy digging.

[BrianL]

I have a large(18")at work that looks very similar to yours. My guess is normal.

[Sackett]

With your sandy soil there, you need to be watering 3 days/week. Also, get a 2" layer of mulch on top of the root balls of each tree. This will help with evaporation and keep the moisture level up below the mulch. I agree with an application of Super Thrive. They'll be fine. It's most likely a combination of the oak molting and a little bit of shock. From those pics, those tree's look to be ~4-5" caliper. That spade was more than big enough to dig an ample root ball so they should bounce back nicely.

After the first year, I wouldn't put any mulch on them and let the grass grow up to the trunk flare.

[txtimetravler]

I don't trim or fertilize my trees until they has been in the ground for 18 months or so. After that, I'll fertilize, prune, etc.
I also keep a thick heavy ring of mulch around them year around.

[MySRT8U]

I don't trim or fertilize my trees until they has been in the ground for 18 months or so. After that, I'll fertilize, prune, etc.
I also keep a thick heavy ring of mulch around them year around.

Don't trim oaks unless its the heat of the summer or the coldest part of winter. That's when the beetle that spreads oak wilt is dormant. Also, with your mulch, make sure you don't cover the crown of the tree.

[Howard]

Good news is ......all three made it perfectly



Lost all old leaves and put on new