Question
Three years ago we transplanted an oak tree from another part of our farm and moved it to the front yard of our new home.  The tree is about 15 feet tall and this spring has leafed out only on the lower 2/3 of the tree.  There are a few leaves right at the very top, but mostly dead looking branches on the upper third of the tree.  Question is - is there any hope that this tree will EVER leaf out fully, should we cut out the dead branches now or give it more time, or replace the tree?  We have kept the tree well watered since moving it, even during the winter. We're in zone 5, northwest Missouri.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Rosalie. though one. I hate to loose an oak tree, they are special. trouble is, oak trees are hard to move from one area to another. they are majestic, but are also very finicky. They do not like to have the grade changed ont them at all. also, they do not like to have compacted soil around them. It is important to treat them very nicely, or they will get upset(so to speak). I am not an arborist by any means, so  I cannot be 100% certain what to do. if you really like this tree, my best recommendation would be to contact an ARborist if at all possible, and have them come out and take a look at the tree. if the tree trunk is more than 4" in diameter, this may be worth looking into, unless you are near a large city that would have easy access to an arborist. I have a great one that I work with, problem is I live in MN, so he would be of no help.
for my part, I would let it go for a while, and this fall, prune the dead stuff out. do NOT prune it at all right now, or any time untill this fall. there is an oak wilt that spreads into open wounds on oaks, and pruning this time of year is not good. No matter what, any pruning should wait untill the fall at earliest, even into the winter is a good bet. You may want to try a tree fertilizer, that can help. If you burried it to deep, of added some mulch around it, it may not be to happy, and may need some TLC. there are things that can be done, but an arborist again would be the best bet. I hope this helps, and I hope you can keep your Oak.

Happy gardening.

Mark