Question
I have several pin oaks and two of them have problems, one with dying branches that have long deep splits in the limbs on dead and live branches. The other has tips of limbs dying with the last leaves and a few inches of the end of the limbs soft and hanging on. Both have only been planted about 2 years and we live in N Alabama and have record rainfall over the last 1 and 1/2 years. The soil in a heavy clay base. Any ideas???

Answer
Debbra:
Difficult to say w/o seeing the tree in person. Suggest examining closely, the trunk areas of the affected trees. Look for loose bark or other "damaged" looking areas. Consider also contacting your local county Agricultural Extension office (every county should have one) and request a home visit. These folks can often pick up on something that may be overlooked.

Regards
Steve