Question
QUESTION: Hello,
I have two willows in my front yard in VA that keep loosing leaves, most of their leaves.  They are very sparse looking.  I don't see any bugs on the branches, trunk, or leaves.  We have had significant rain recently so they have gotten what seems to be a good amount of water.  Any idea what is wrong and how I can bring them back to health?

ANSWER: Sounds like abiotic damage. Wind/air moving across the leaf surface will increase transpiration. This is part of the sink/source relationship between the roots taking up water and the leaves expelling water vapor. Combine constant wind with high heat and you have a plant that is THIRSTY. In an effort to conserve water, the plant will drop the leaves. Willow trees need more water than normal trees and as result will drop leaves. IF you have not done so I would mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch say about 2 -2 1/2 feet around the trunk not piled up on the trunk, This will help hold moisture around the roots. You can check the soil around the tree by digging down and see if the soil is moist down a couple of inches. If not water with 1 inch of water--place a pan under the tree and turn the sprinkler on and when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. Do this a needed.

Since the tree is in the yard (lawn) make sure you do not use a lawn fertilizer called Weed and Feed--this contains a herbicide that will kill trees. The symptoms are similar to what you described.

I would fertilize the tree next spring after the last frost. Use 1 lb of 10-10-10 fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree. Spread the fertilizer over the soil under the tree. Start at least a foot out from the trunk and extend the spread to the outer branch tips of the drip line of the tree. Water as above but use 2 inches to make sure the fertilizer has melted into the soil good.




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QUESTION: Thank you so much for the help.  I will be sure to follow your instructions especially in checking for mositure and watering as needed.  My yard use to be very wet and hold water.  I now think having two willows may be too much in this bed as the lawn has been dry now two seasons in a row.  A friend of mine suggested buying the fertilizer stakes and taping those in around the tree.  Do you think that will help?  Should I use 2 stakes per tree? One on either side?

Answer
Do not use stakes --they tend to burn the roots since they concentrate the fertilizer in one spot. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Apply just before a rain storm and you will not need to water. Make sure you do not use a lawn fertilizer called Weed and Feed near the tree . It contains a herbicide that will kill trees.