Hybrid poplar tree problems.

[brendon444]

Anyone no what is killing my trees? Have about 200+ so don't want to lose them and have a bare yard. Leaves look burnt like frost but we haven't had any. Very small leaves and wilting, trees look bare. Affecting 25% of my trees.
Anyone experience this? have talked to a few people with this problem in different areas but no answers.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Do you have a local nursery or how about local city weed/insect inspector?

 

[pfi572]

Aphids I am guessing .

 

[007sevens]

Anyone no what is killing my trees? Have about 200+ so don't want to lose them and have a bare yard. Leaves look burnt like frost but we haven't had any. Very small leaves and wilting, trees look bare. Affecting 25% of my trees.
Anyone experience this? have talked to a few people with this problem in different areas but no answers.

How long has the tree been planted?

 

[007sevens]

Anyone no what is killing my trees? Have about 200+ so don't want to lose them and have a bare yard. Leaves look burnt like frost but we haven't had any. Very small leaves and wilting, trees look bare. Affecting 25% of my trees.
Anyone experience this? have talked to a few people with this problem in different areas but no answers.

Your trees are stressed. We just have to determine why they are stressed. #1 reason for stress usually is lack of water and or nutrients. #2 would be something you did in the vicinity of the tree. Did you just spray around them or rototill are them? Spraying around them can make them feel sick and if you sprayed to much they can die. Roto tilling around them is a good thing as it forces the tap root down because your actually cutting up surface roots by tilling. In the long run this is a good thing but can stress the tree a bit and it will come back around.

 

[brendon444]

Did not do anything out of the norm. No spraying or rototilling recently before this problem has occurred. I do usually roto till around them but had not since previous year when they were doing great. Trees are about 6 years old, some a lot worse than others. Happening in various areas of the yard. Some areas soil is very damp and others it is normal to dry and affected trees look the same. So hard to pin point. Some neighbors trees are also being affected in the same way. Would lack of snow this winter or ground frost have any effect? Will they come around or have another round of leaves this year?

 

[ferniesnow]

Did you look under the curled up leaves for aphid eggs?

 

[brendon444]

Did you look under the curled up leaves for aphid eggs?

looked close and have not seen any aphids or eggs but will inspect further.

 

[sirkdev]

Are there any problems we can't solve on S@M? Great site...

 

[pete gads]

Are you near a field where maybe a farmer sprayed and drift got on your trees

 

[imdoo'n]

poplar trees are being stressed all over, tops die with the lower parts keeping alive.

 

[ZRrrr]

As previously alluded to above.....probably Leaf Scorch due to dry conditions caused by high temps, dry winds, low soil moisture.

 

[brendon444]

Any reason why this year or from what?

No spraying in my area. So not drift. Oh well I guess they are only trees. Not sure there is much I can do.

poplar trees are being stressed all over, tops die with the lower parts keeping alive.

 

[Summitric]

Have u tried watering and giving them some plant food or spikes?

 

[imdoo'n]

Any reason why this year or from what?

No spraying in my area. So not drift. Oh well I guess they are only trees. Not sure there is much I can do.

No idea? Lots of farm yards around have dead tops and trees falling down!

 

[52weekbreak]

The stress of the last several years are catching up with the poplars. Sounds like yours have caught a fungus or insect infection. Chainsaw time .

 

[brendon444]

Have u tried watering and giving them some plant food or spikes?

Yes I used fertilizer spikes on half of them. The soil has lots of moisture. Now just hoping they come around and get another flush of leaves.

 

[winterax]

Give the Northern Forestry Center in Edmonton a call, they have a ton of experts on this stuff, 780-435-7210, Greg Pohl or David Langor.

 

[brendon444]

Talked to nursery and was told it was damage to the roots from winter frost. No snow cover and snow coming late in year and spring. Have been many complaints in the area


Quote
"deep snowpack coming later in winter, after the soil is already frozen, can also insulate the soil – but in a different way. These late snows actually keep soil frozen for extended periods – even during January thaws and despite the heat of the earth’s core. The surface layers of forest soils do commonly freeze, and when they do, it is not good for roots or the stems and branches dependent on them. Not only do the roots remain inactive under such frozen conditions, but the freezing, heaving, and cracking of winter soils physically damages roots – particularly the fine feeder roots in the uppermost organic layers. This can trigger a cascade of effects on overall tree and forest health. By reducing a tree’s ability to take up water and nutrients, particularly during spring bud break, winter root damage limits subsequent stem and branch growth in summer. In turn, this can contribute to tree mortality and may even explain pockets of dead trees."

 

[Cat401]

So what do they recommend to do?

Soak the roots with water?