Tree drowning help

[coolbrze]

Planted an 8' tall Kwanzan Cherry tree last year & it's drowning out. Given we've had record rains the last 18 months but is there anything I can do to save it? It's on a good grade, lots of red clay (non-permeable) soil, but we dug the hole plenty big/deep & used good planting mix. Took a couple core samples from between the tree ball & native soil w/ my soil probe & they were both wet. Water is just staying in the hole. Only thing I can think of is to put up landscape edging around the tree & cover to try to keep some water out... Any other suggestions?

 

[buzz sawyer]

What leads you to believe it is "drowning out"? Maybe post a couple photos showing the area around the tree?

 

[ATH]

Pulling landscape edging away from a tree is always a food idea....

Not much you can do about saturated soils that don't have anywhere to drain...

 

[Raintree]

Planting mix (organics) + water + clay hole= toxic anaerobic soil.

 

[ATH]

Don't remember why, but it just occurred to me some time last week that you hadn't been around for a long while - good to see you posting again @Raintree!