# Northern pin oak



## HuskyMurph (Jun 22, 2010)

i baught a northern pin oak last year its about 10 feet tall maybe 3" diamter on trunk. i dug out the hole like gertens told me to and did root stimulator right away. now this year it grew its leaves but they are a pale green. not dark green like all my other trees older ones. some of leaves look chewed on and a few like chicken pocs looking things on a few leaves. also today found a 1/4 inch hole in lower trunk goes in a little ways. wondering if its dieing or what??? i put in three fertilizer stakes maybe 1.5 months ago. should i water it more i have maybe 1 foot of dirt then sand under neath that. is there somthing else i should put on it. i see a few ants on it. thats probably normal. thanks any help will be nice. this is my first tree ever planted at my first house i baught last year.
nick
HuskyMurph


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## ct greenman (Jun 22, 2010)

Pictures please :deadhorse: Picture of the trunk where it meets the soil pic of the hole in the trunk pics of the leaves.
What was around the roots when you bought the tree? Did you take as much or the packaging off the ball?


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## HuskyMurph (Jun 22, 2010)

ill have to work on pics never posted befor. i have mulch around the tree. when i baught the tree is was in like a 24 gallon black plastic bucket thing. i took it out and cut the root ball all around it to loosen it up. like gertens told me to do


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## ct greenman (Jun 22, 2010)

Were the roots all circled around in the bucket? The root flare must be visible not covered by mulch or soil. Yes if you are not getting regular rain water the tree. Water slow and deep. Gator bags (look up online) are great to keep new trees watered. Too much fertilizer is not good. Compost is the best thing rotted leaves or rotted food compost is great. Ash from your fireplace also good fert.


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## HuskyMurph (Jun 22, 2010)

roots didnt look any different then ive seen. but cant really remember. i made sure the buldge above the roots was above ground. ill get some more mulch. how often to water??? and how much. if i put my finger under mulch its damp and its in a spot that usually moist.


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## HuskyMurph (Jun 22, 2010)

im getting compost next weekend so ill put some around it. how far should i go out from tree with. 1 foot 2 ???ill start from trunk and lay it around it. making sure not to cover buldge.


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## ct greenman (Jun 22, 2010)

HuskyMurph said:


> im getting compost next weekend so ill put some around it. how far should i go out from tree with. 1 foot 2 ???ill start from trunk and lay it around it. making sure not to cover buldge.



Distance from the trunk to the tip of the furthest branch is a good general rule for fertilizing and mulching. Only put 2-4 inches of mulch. Avoid high nitrogen that can cause more problems.


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## Ed Roland (Jun 22, 2010)

Prescription prior to diagnosis is malpractice.


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## treeseer (Jun 23, 2010)

if gertens told you to slice roots and apply a root stimulator, check the link in my sig for more accurate information.


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## HuskyMurph (Jun 23, 2010)

thanks guys. ill try to get some pics up.


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## ct greenman (Jun 23, 2010)

Ed Roland said:


> Prescription prior to diagnosis is malpractice.



thanks doc:chatter:


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## S Mc (Jun 23, 2010)

Nick, this tree was a large caliper for the height you mention. Be that as it may, remember that trees take about a year per caliper inch to establish. This is it's first season in its new spot, so expect some issues.

Do not fertilize. Do not add ash around this tree without doing a soil test. Pin oaks like acidic soil (around 5). Ash raises the pH level in soil; so unless you have a pH of around 3 to 4, raising the pH could be contraindicated.

When you are comparing the color of the leaves, are you comparing them to mature trees of the same species? 

To upload photos (which will help alot), if you haven't already reduced them by other means, open them in Paint, then select Image and then Stretch/Skew. Opt for 25% reduction in horizontal and vertical. This will reduce them to a size the website will accept and yet keep them large enough for us to see detail.

Sylvia


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## Ed Roland (Jun 23, 2010)

Ed Roland said:


> Prescription prior to diagnosis is malpractice.





ct greenman said:


> thanks doc:chatter:



No problem there ct. It's actually a paraphrase from this paragraph in the ISA fert bmp, p9.

"Current practices in the tree care industry are based on what is known as prescription fertilization - applying only nutrients that have been found to be deficient. This is an apt term, keeping in mind the medical saying "prescription without diagnosis is malpractice."

You can purchase it here with the Ansi A300 combo. $25.95
http://secure.isa-arbor.com/webstor...ent-Practices-Fertilization-Combo-P208C4.aspx

thanks


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## ct greenman (Jun 23, 2010)

The whole point of this internet thing we are on is to give suggestions. I will refrain from posting untill you have had time to give a proper diagnosis.


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## treeseer (Jun 24, 2010)

ct greenman said:


> The whole point of this internet thing we are on is to give suggestions. ....



Yes, and those suggestions are supposed to be accurate! That may be less entertaining, but more useful.


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## HuskyMurph (Jun 24, 2010)

i thought it might be cause this is its first year. how do you test the soil. some sort of thing i can buy at local tree store?? thanks guys


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## S Mc (Jun 25, 2010)

Husky, you can purchase an inexpensive pH meter at your local garden center. The accuracy may or may not be there. But it should give you an idea of acidic vs basic...just maybe not down to a specific level.

Soil moisture content is critical so be sure to follow directions explicitly. Also test several areas around your yard to give you a base line, if you will. Test by a tree that is looking happy and well. Test in an area where things, perhaps, are not so perky. And then also test this subject trees site.

You could be to call your county extension and see if they have a soil test available. This should give you more precise information and probably more information included in the base price.

Please be aware that if you do opt for a more complete soil analysis that gives nutrient levels and they include a level of Nitrogen that shows N lacking, this does NOT mean to add N. Nitrogen changes so quickly that tests are not accurate for this nutrient.

Sylvia


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## HuskyMurph (Jun 25, 2010)

S Mc said:


> Husky, you can purchase an inexpensive pH meter at your local garden center. The accuracy may or may not be there. But it should give you an idea of acidic vs basic...just maybe not down to a specific level.
> 
> Soil moisture content is critical so be sure to follow directions explicitly. Also test several areas around your yard to give you a base line, if you will. Test by a tree that is looking happy and well. Test in an area where things, perhaps, are not so perky. And then also test this subject trees site.
> 
> ...


thanks will do


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## StihlyinEly (Jun 25, 2010)

HuskyMurph, here in the fine state of Minnesota it's pretty easy to get your soil tested. Check out the U of M Extension Service's soil testing here: http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/


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