One of our Shumard Red Oaks has half yellow leaves and half green leaves. We noticed this last year and the leaves shrivelled and fell off early and the tree in general looks punier than the others we have. We attempted the soil improvements throughout our yard last year, especially under this tree (i.e. aeration, lava sand, greensand, cornmeal, molasses, spraying garrett juice). I've heard there is an iron injection that is very effective. Does anyone have any info. on this? We live in the DFW area. Thanks in advance for your help.

_________________
BK

Is the root flair exposed? Also are you sure it is a shumard? Shumardis tend to do very well in this area but if you got a southern red oak it will do what you describe and eventually die. That has been my experience with the southern red oak in the north texas area. I bought it at a big box store and didnt realize it was a southern until after I planted it. Just make sure that it isnt planted to deep. Good luck.

_________________
Life is a Garden. DIG IT!!!

Had the same issue has carhoods once. It was in fact a Shumard/Northern Red oak hybrid.

_________________
Shepherd of the Trees
It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields we know so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.

Root girdling can also cause exactly what you're describing. The side of the tree where a root is choking off nutrients to a portion of the trunk will be sickly compared to the rest of the tree. As carhoods suggested, make sure the tree's root flare is exposed and look for signs of root girdle.

Howard says that trunk injections often do more harm than good, although I can't remember the specifics of his argument.

~Dave

What are signs of root girdle? It doesn't look like it's planted too deep. We bought this house 1.5 years ago from the original owner who planted the trees 20+ years ago, he's the one who said it was a Shumard. What does root flare exposure do and how much does this usually cost?

_________________
BK