Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I am have two, planted this Spring, immature (about 12-16" high) hazelnut
trees I bought from a nursery while dormant. They sprouted wonderfully and
have been very healthy. For about the last two weeks they have looked
droopy and wilted. I have been careful to keep them watered as its has been a
hot spell after an unusally cool and wet Spring. So it's not a matter of too little
water. Feeling down into the soil around the tress it is moist. The area around
the trees is mulched and it has a light ring of weed block around the tree as
they are planted in a pasture which has intense weeds (once a dairy farm
many years ago).

The trees get full sun all day. So my question is, can these trees not take the
heat, or could something else be wrong with them? I see a few small holes in
the leaves eaten by bugs, but very minimal. No brown spots or obvious fungal
damage. The leaves are not turning brown and falling off but the look a bit
limb and slightly curled, but not dried out. I am a little befuddled as the other
trees I am growing (fruit trees) which are also new this year are fine.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for this great forum and
participating in it.

Yours truly,

Tony

ANSWER: For right now, I would say it is the change in the temperature from earlier in the year.  It is called transplant shock.  If the tree has many leaves, you may remove a few to see if the wilting subsides. The plant may have too much foliage and cannot transpire enough water to keep the leaves turgid.  Try this and wait a  week and let me know how it looks then.  Good Luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I will indeed. Now that you mention they are rather full for such small trees in
terms of the number of leaves and the one with more leaves of the two is the
more wilty. The other new trees this year are native plum which have far
fewer leaves overall and are not wilty. I will follow up and let you know, I
think you nailed it though. Thanks a million.

Tony

ANSWER: You are welcome.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: David,

That seemed to the trick, much less wilty this week on the baby Hazelnut
trees. By the way I have another issue if you don't mind a quick question. We
are in another stretch of cold nights and lots of rain. Some of my other trees
have a fungal issue, looks like some sort of rust, brown spots all running
together on the tip side of the leave forming a large brown area (plus a plum
tree has holeshot). I've been using alternate spraying of neem and fung-oil to
try and hold it down until it finally gets hot and dry. Problem is the new leaves
seem effected. Should I try something more powerful?

I try to avoid anything toxic in the garden area. Someone suggested Captan
but that seems toxic to me. I intend to do a copper spray after the leaves fall
for next year. The trees are kept clean and old leaves are disposed of. This
has turned into a problematic Spring, very wet and colder then usual. I
sometimes think fruit trees are harder to take care of then children,
everything seems to like to attack them!

Thanks again,

Tony

Answer
The shothole is probably not a big concern unless the tree is losing a lot of leaves.  The copper spray would be good for that problem as well.  As for the other trees, there could be a fungal leaf spot.  The copper would be a safe alternative for now.  The cool rainy weather is most likely the culprit here. Good Luck.