Why Your Newly Planted Tree Is Losing Leaves

Why Your Newly Planted Tree Is Losing Leaves

When you plant a new tree, you’re looking forward to watching its growth over the years and decades. Has a newly planted tree lost all its leaves? It may need immediate help to give it a chance at surviving. 

Trust our expert tree services in Oxford, CT, to inspect the new sapling for you and determine the best treatment path to take. Here are a few common reasons your tree might lose your leaves after replanting.

newly planted tree lost all leaves

The Sapling Isn’t Receiving the Right Amount of Water

Watering stress is a common reason new trees cannot maintain their leaves after planting. Before the leaves drop, you might notice leaf scorch – where the tips turn yellow or brown – which is commonly related to watering problems.

Giving new trees a deep watering twice a week is the best option. A slow trickle from a hose for about 15 minutes should be sufficient for a deep watering.

Additionally, avoid stacking too much mulch around the new planting. A few inches of mulch thickness allows the necessary water movement and retention.

Excessive Fertilizer Can Cause Issues

You must use fertilizer with significant care near newly planted saplings. The wrong kind of fertilizer can shock and kill the tree. 

For some sizes and species of new trees, using too much fertilizer can be worse than using none. Our arborists can advise you on the best ways to fertilize safely.

Planting in the Wrong Space Can Shock Young Trees

When planting trees, it’s important to put some thought into the location. Young trees need airflow, sunlight, and room to grow. Don’t place them too close to existing trees.

After a newly planted tree lost all its leaves, it’s possible the selected location was poor. If you placed the new sapling in the exact location of an older tree that you cut down a few months ago, the new tree might not be able to grow. 

Old roots in the soil from removed trees could cause a leaf drop from the sapling because it cannot gain root establishment. Soil conditions in this area could be poor or might house diseases that are affecting the new plant.

Transplanting Trees in the Wrong Season Is Stressful

Transplant shock is a common reason for leaf drop in a new planting. When the sapling goes into shock, it’s similar to dormancy, where it loses leaves before winter.

When putting in new saplings, try to do the planting in spring or autumn. Planting in winter or summer is simply too stressful for the young plant because of the extreme temperatures and tough soil conditions in these seasons. 

Trust the Arborists at Arbor Green Tree Service To Care for Your Young and Mature Trees

At Arbor Green Tree Service, we prioritize keeping your trees as healthy as possible. We can help with planting new trees and scheduling proper fertilization. Watering a newly planted tree helps, too.

Has your newly planted tree lost all its leaves? We’ll respond quickly to try to save it. Contact us today at (203) 615-2496 for a free estimate for any of Arbor Green Tree Service’s options in Oxford, Connecticut!