Question
Jim,

We have a king red maple that is about twenty years old and about 15 feet high.  The tree is normally deep red from early spring with a tint of green in the foilage.  In the fall the leaves turn a bright red.  Last year we experienced a drought that lasted several months.  Not knowing the drought was coming, I tilled the entire front yard in order to plant grass. I noticed that there were many tree roots sticking up through the earth but could not determine if they were from the oaks or the maple.  The leaves dropped early and this year the tree has only leaves at the top and on two or three lower limbs. Many of the larger limbs appear to be alive because I can see green just under the bark, but most of the smaller limbs are orange in color and have no leaves.
Do you think the tree is suffering from drought or could this be a disease.  Should I prune the orange limbs or will they come back.
The tree is on the south side of the house and we have had a lot of rain so far this year.
Thanks for your help.
V/R
Buz Sawyer

Answer
Sounds like a combination of the drought and tilling of the yard damaging the roots. Roots of trees grow in the first 1-2 feet of soil and if these are damaged the result will be a dieback of the foliage. The tree is compensating for the loss of the roots. The root system left can not support the foliage so some of it dies. I would leave it be since it is getting water and if dry weather sets in water. It may be difficult to determine which limbs are dead and alive right now so I would wait until later this summer to cut the dead limbs.