I planted two 10 ft river birches last September. Immediately the leaves yellowed and fell off. This Spring they looked normal. We received alot of rain in June and starting July 1st, the leaves started to yellow and fall off. I have contacted the nursery a couple of times and they keep telling me it is normal and to keep watering once a week. My neighbors on both sides have more mature river birches and neither have yellowing. What is the problem?

Greetings Brad:

Well, newly planted trees do require plenty of water. However, too much water can be just as detrimental to the young roots of these trees as too little water.

Supplemental watering should take place if Mother Nature is not adequately watering your trees for you - which is often the case with newly planted trees. It is also important to note that soil texture and drainage can also be a factor - trees planted in heavy clay soils tend to pond water in the previously excavated planting hole, thus starving the tree roots of needed oxygen (the result of which is often yellowing foliage or the tree dropping its foliage all together).

For tree watering guidelines, please refer to the following university Websites:

http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/SP682.pdf

http://extension.missouri.edu/drought/waternewtrees.htm

http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/environment/BD556.html

I have the same trees, same problem. I planted them last fall. Lately the leaves have yellowed and are falling off. We have had a wet spring, and there has been some standing water around my River Birches. They are in clay soil. Should I try to dig them out and replant them? Or wait until the soil dries out and hope? Should I plant them high? Just wondering what to do if, as you said, "trees planted in heavy clay soils tend to pond water in the previously excavated planting hole, thus starving the tree roots of needed oxygen (the result of which is often yellowing foliage or the tree dropping its foliage all together)"

Hi Chris:

I would encourage you to receive an on-site assessment as I can't answer such an individual, tree-, site-specific question...sorry, but the Internet does have limitations :-)

Best of luck@