Question
QUESTION: Hi Jim

I contacted you last year about Sycamore trees being in my small front yard and my HOA refusing to acknowledge even the species of tree. We are in Richmond, CA and we have very very high winds in our neighborhood

It has been a little over a year since they planted the new Sycamore trees (they did so last June/July) and virtually all of them appear to be dying.  There was very little foliage at all this year for any of the newly planted trees, and the leaves that are on many of the trees are not so much green as they are yellow-brown.

My question to you is:  Are the trees just going through normal shock, and they will all be fine come next year, or are they in real danger of dying?

By the way, I got the landscaper to remove some of the stakes for some of the trees in our neighborhood, but not all of them.  The landscaper seems to be referring to some tree trunk diameter rule instead of the one year rule, then remove.  Is he correct?

Thanks for all your previous help

ANSWER: Sycamore trees have a high susceptibility to drought, and can fall victim to insect pests when not watered regularly. In hot weather, water at the roots twice a week. Watch for signs the soil is drying out and water more often as needed. The sycamore sheds its flowers, seeds and twigs throughout the year, leading some to consider it a unkempt tree for a yard. Maintaining well-moistened soil will reduce this shedding to manageable levels.

IF you have not done so mulch around the trees with not lore than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. This will help wold moisture around the tree roots. Some of this is shock but it sounds like a need of water also.

I disagree with the landscaper--it really is the growth of the root system which is the year growing season. Trees can be planted that have large diameters when planted but need the support until the roots have grown into the surrounding soil. The bracing will help hold the tree up during the winds. And usually a year will be enough for the roots to spread out to be able to hold the trees.



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

QUESTION: Thanks for the reply Jim.

The thing about watering the tree though:

1.  I have the sprinkler set to water 3 times per week right now, twice an evening for 5 minutes per session.

2.  We have had a pretty cold summer.  In Richmond, CA; warm weather does not really kick in until about this time of year, and it only stays somewhat hot(never over 90 or even many days of 85) for about a month or so, until winter weather returns.  Most of June and July consists of cloudy days until about noon or so.  In addition, our area got more than average rainfall this past season due to El Nino.  So, the lack of water thing seems a little unlikely this time.

I also have some papers saying that Sycamores are drought tolerant, and some who, like you say, is not.  Looking up at where the Sycamore trees usually grow (near rivers/creeks) I would think that the tree inclines to favor a more moist soil to a dry soil.  Are there varieties of Sycamore (platanus occidentalis)where some are drought tolerant and some are not?

About the mulch, how much do we add?  You say no more than 3 inches deep, but how far out do you put it?  A total diameter of 1, 2 or 3 feet?  Also, our tree has grass around it. Should we clear the space of grass where the mulch will go? I am assuming we do.

Answer
I would mulch around the tree about 3 feet out from the trunk. Make a donut like shape so that the center near the trunk is about 1 inch thick and not on the trunk. I would first kill the grass with Roundup. This will not harm the tree but will kill the grass roots. No need to pull the grass up just cover it with the mulch---pine straw will work great as a mulch.

Yes they are drought resistant to some extent. They prefer sandy soil to clay soil.  Sounds like the water was not the problem. IF one has died pull it up and see if the roots have grown into the surrounding  soil. IF not then when the tree was planted the clay sides of the hole were smoothed off and the hole was made to resemble a pot in the ground. The roots could not grow through these hard pot sides. Just another thing to look for as a possible cause.