How to Save a Pin Oak Tree From Chlorosis
We often take our trees for granted, expecting them to survive with little or no attention at all. Oh, we might prune off a broken branch every now and then, but that seems to be the extent of our care. However, if we want to continue to enjoy their beauty and the shade that they provide, then we need to pay close attention to their health.
Pin oaks are very susceptible to chlorosis and, if left untreated, it can lead to the demise of the tree. Chlorosis is a symptom of iron deficiency, which usually occurs in high pH soils. Trees that have chlorosis will usually have yellow leaves, and the veins of the leaves will be dark green. It is important to be knowledgable about the signs of chlorosis and how to treat it if you are going to maintain the health and beauty of your pin oak tree.
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Instructions
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How To Save a Pin Oak from Chlorosis
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Evaluate the condition of your pin oak tree. Check the leaves for discoloration--they may be a pale green or yellow color with dark veins.
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Call an expert in to help you diagnose the problem and to make certain that it is indeed chlorosis. Many landscaping services have certified arborists on staff they will be able to help you determine if your pin oak tree has chlorosis. Schedule a date and time for the arborist to come and give you a free evaluation of your pin oak and an estimate of the cost of the curative treatment. They are very knowledgable and they will answer all of your questions (if you feel the estimated cost of treatment is too high, get a second estimate).
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Understand the treatment procedure for chlorosis. Most landscaping services will recommend that you treat chlorosis with an internal systemic treatment of iron/zinc and also by a deep root treatment of micronutrients.
The procedure is to drill small holes into the base of the trunk of the tree and insert small, plastic containers filled with the necessary iron/zinc and micro-nutrients. It takes approximately two days for the release of these minerals and nutrients to be released into the tree. Once the plastic containers are empty, you may remove them and dispose of them (no need for the arborist to come out again to do this). This treatment is costly.
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Look into other forms of treatment that you can perform yourself and that are less costly. For example, you can do a soil application of iron chelates in early spring when the buds are just beginning to form on the tree. Your garden center should have chelates--they may go under the trade names of "Tru-Green" and "Sequestrane." Follow the label instructions and also ask the personnel at the garden center. They should be able to explain the application procedure to you.
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Determine if foliar application would work for your tree. Foliar application is applying the iron sulfate or iron chelate right onto the leaves. (If you have a very tall tree, this treatment would not work well, as you would not be able to reach the top of the tree.) See Resources for more information.
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Tips & Warnings
If left untreated, a tree with chlorosis will be susceptible to other diseases and will likely need to be cut down. Having a large tree cut down can be quite expensive--treating the tree for chlorosis will likely be cheaper.
Before treating your tree, make sure that you have diagnosed the problem correctly so that you don't do more harm than good.
