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mlmuir

Dawn Redwood Stunted Growth

mlmuir
9 years ago

This is my first post to the forum I hope I am in the right place.
I live in Proctor Vermont. zn4 and
I have a Dawn Redwood that is about 5 years old.
Up until this spring it was growing fantasticly, full beautiful growth. But this year it has taken a nose dive. I have parts of the tree that seem to be doing ok, and other branches with hardly a bud on them. Usally by this time of the season
it has totaly filled out.I have included a photo to try to show this. Other photos are avaiable if needed. Any help will be appreciated..

Sorry about the sideways pic I will work on that.

Thank You

Comments (11)

  • hairmetal4ever
    9 years ago

    In VT after this winter...I am thinking winter damage.

    How cold did it get this winter?

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    hey... welcome ...

    i had a DR ... hit by hard frost or freeze.. twice in one spring ...

    it would leaf out ... then get zapped... leafed out again ... and got zapped again ...

    it recovered.. but it looked sparse that year .. just like yours... any recollection of such this year for you ..???

    this is one of the few conifers.. that have dormant buds along the branches... which means it can fill in over the years ...

    we had a real bad winter in MI ... z4 at least.. in my normal z5 ... my plain green DR.. looks fine ...my jack frost.. looks a bit like yours ...

    i am not going to do anything... but let them do their own thing .... they are well established TREES .... as is yours at 5 years ...

    in addition.. spring was so late this .. my pines are not even fully budded out yet.. meaning summer is late this year... and if you are about the same... then this might fill out.. this year also ...

    at 5 years in the ground.. there is not much you can do.. nor need be done ... i am not one to 'feed' trees .... and if its anywhere near a fert'd lawn.. its getting what it needs ...

    ken

  • mlmuir
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    ...I am thinking winter damage.
    How cold did it get this winter?

    weeks of below freezing with several consecutive days of 0 or below. Develpoed a list also.

  • mlmuir
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ken,

    Ken

    Thanks for the info

    I am pretty sure we didn't have a freeze after it started to bud out.
    . One other thing I have noticed. It has a list. toward the south side of the tree (See Pic)
    I cant figure out what caused this.

    Will this self correct? or will it, heaven forbid need Guy wires?

    Michael

  • Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
    9 years ago

    Winter damage!

    As for the lean, if the roots are well anchored, the tree will grow vertically from that point on but the original lean will remain. It looks like it was planted too deep...there should be a noticeable trunk flare at the soil line by now. That was likely the cause of the initial lean (poor root anchoring) and may also indicate poor root form (caused by being root bound at the nursery).

  • ginkgonut
    9 years ago

    Mine started the spring out very sparse due to winter damage. With the heat it is putting out a lot of new growth and dormant buds are breaking under the dead buds.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    9 years ago

    My Montezuma cypress was looking pretty sparse after late hard freeze in Texas. Once weather got warm, it rapidly filled in but it did look bad for a few weeks...

  • mlmuir
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Folks,
    Thanks for the info.

  • Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
    9 years ago

    Mimuir, I also side with winter damage. I am a bit my cynical than the others though after reading Whaas's stories and watching this winter here.

    Magnolia grandiflora, however you soell southern magnolia, survives here but as we are on the northern limits of its survival zones you just do not get the estate dominating trees you get in the old south. Same with the crepe myrtles.

    I think your metasequoia is a tough tree and I bet it survives. If you are in zone 4 there are going to be winters that give it a cool Alpine look.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    it is not leaning... it WAS LEANING...

    its already corrected itself.. and has grown straight for many years ...

    there is nothing to do.. but observe it ... thru the decades ..

    lawn looks nice a green... if you fert.. it will steal anything it needs ...

    if you weed and feed ... i would put a 6 to 8 foot bed of mulch around the bottom ... and try to avoid such near the plant ...

    welcome to the weirder the better club.. who needs every tree to be perfectly straight??? .. no character.. lol

    ken

  • hairmetal4ever
    9 years ago

    Has your tree started looking any better?

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