Question
oak leaf
Hello David,
We have a black oak that we planted three years ago and I noticed last week that the leaf veins appears bright yellow and more numerous (though my husband suggests they're just more visible). Is this a normal occurrence as the tree matures or is this a sign or a problem. The only thing we could find in our research that was similar was a result of herbicide treatment which we have not applied. Thanks.
AnswerThis is not normal. It probably is a nutritional deficiency. When the tissue between the veins turn yellow, it is iron deficiency. This is the opposite situation where the veins turn yellow and the tissue between the veins remain green. I would fertilize the tree with an tree fertilizer that has micronutrients in it. There could be several nutrients involved. See if you can find some micronutrient fertilizer with things like boron, manganese, iron, zinc, etc. The tree may need some nitrogen fertilizer as well. I think the problem can be resolved with a little time. Do not overfertilize the tree. You can send it in the other direction of toxicity. Good Luck.
