Stunted Oaks?

[BearNest]

I have a 10 year old plantation of white pine, red oak, and white oak.
The pines are all 10' to 14' tall. The red oak died within two years of being planted. The white oaks are all still alive but have not grown very much if at all. I am in an area of clay soils with bedrock only a few feet under ground.
Is it normal for white oak to be so slow at growing? Would pruning them back to the ground encourage new (quicker) growth?

 

[treeseer]

...I am in an area of clay soils with bedrock only a few feet under ground.
Is it normal for white oak to be so slow at growing? Would pruning them back to the ground encourage new (quicker) growth?

Better to help the roots than hurt the branches. break up and amend the soil, mulch, irrigate, fertilize. Can you post a pic?

 

[BearNest]

sorry, I cant post photos, as the oaks are already buried in snow.

 

[dtm165]

Well, white oak is a slower growing tree, but because your red oak died it might be something with your soil. Oaks do well in all types of soils but loamy soils are ideal. Get a fertilizer test - a soil test and a foliar analysis. It may be Nitrogen.