I think I poisoned my Texas Ash

[MaryTX]

I have an almost 14 yr old ash I planted when I first moved into my house. there's a large area of loose rock next to it that was used for a play area for my kids. Weeds abound in that area and I used a weed killer to eradicate as many as possible...unfortunately it didn't dawn on me that the roots of my tree grew under the rocks....then I noticed my tree wasn't leafing out with it's "brother tree" on the opposite side of the yard. I have deduced I poisoned my pretty tree. Right now it's TRYING to leaf out, but has only produced tiny balls of green at the ends of it's branches...the leaves it does manage to squeeze out look pathetic and sick. I've tried fertilizer, etc. It's not dead, but I'm wondering if it will come back next spring? I obviously have stopped with the weed killer. Will it come back? Can I do anything more to make it "feel better"?

 

[Woodanhor]

What kind of weed killer how much and when applied?
Pictures might be helpful

 

[MaryTX]

I'm going to say it was applied LIBERALLY in March or April. Pictures for reference, Ortho GroundClear, pictures of tree and the "leaf balls" it has.

 

[Woodanhor]

According to what I find in online sources that ground clear is inactive in the soil so you would have to spray the trees leaves to affect it

My guess is something else wrong with the ash tree

It should have leafed out in the spring

 

[uniballer]

One of the ingredients, Imazapyr, can apparently migrate through soil, and also persists long enough for the Ortho claim that Groundclear prevents weed regrowth for a year. The instructions from Ortho warn the user not to use it over the roots of desirable trees.

 

[Woodanhor]

One of the ingredients, Imazapyr, can apparently migrate through soil, and also persists long enough for the Ortho claim that Groundclear prevents weed regrowth for a year. The instructions from Ortho warn the user not to use it over the roots of desirable trees.

I originally thought the same thing

When I googled I came up with Ammonium Nonanoate as active ingredient?
Maybe the original poster can confirm what was in the product she used
Is this it
https://www.ortho.com/en-us/product...mpbYOuVyoruHxHa9aSG2cd4NH6gVr_DMaAnYnEALw_wcB

 

[uniballer]

I assumed the product was Ortho GroundClear Vegetation Killer, which contains glyphosate and imazapyr

 

[Woodanhor]

I assumed the product was Ortho GroundClear Vegetation Killer, which contains glyphosate and imazapyr

Thanks I didnt catch that when I looked it up
That could cause tree problems especially if over applied

 

[buzz sawyer]

First, I wouldn't have used an aggressive vegetation killer in a play area for children. Second, I would remove the grass from around the tree base out to about 2' and add a couple inches of mulch - not piled up around the trunk.

 

[MaryTX]

First, I wouldn't have used an aggressive vegetation killer in a play area for children. Second, I would remove the grass from around the tree base out to about 2' and add a couple inches of mulch - not piled up around the trunk.

It is no longer used for a kids play area...its just a massive pain in the ass now! my children have long since stopped "playing outside." I'm a single mom, if/when I have the money you can damn well bet I'm going to have it removed!

 

[MaryTX]

I originally thought the same thing

When I googled I came up with Ammonium Nonanoate as active ingredient?
Maybe the original poster can confirm what was in the product she used
Is this it
https://www.ortho.com/en-us/product...mpbYOuVyoruHxHa9aSG2cd4NH6gVr_DMaAnYnEALw_wcB

yes, that is the product used.

 

[Woodanhor]

yes, that is the product used.

If its the one in my link your tree probably has a different problem
Did it get leaves in the spring?
When did you use the ground clear?

 

[MaryTX]

If its the one in my link your tree probably has a different problem
Did it get leaves in the spring?
When did you use the ground clear?

Sorry, I haven't checked this in a bit. Um...it did NOT get leaves in the spring, not fully anyway, those little balls of whatever there are look like teeny tiny leaves that WANT to leaf out but just don't. I really don't remember when I used the ground clear, probably in april or may