Opinion on my tree please.

This is my first post here so hello everyone.
I need some advice on my "Greys Ghost" or Betula Utilis Var Jacquemontii Himalayan Birch. My wife bought it from a reputable source in February this year and it was planted immediately. Before buying we made sure our soil which is fairly heavy but well drained was suitable. However it still appears to be dormant with no sign of any leaf shoots. The delightful children next door managed to snap a small branch with there football which I snipped and dipped in rooting powder and put it in my greenhouse. Remarkably this little off-cut was showing signs of life within days and now has good healthy leaves. This clearly suggests to me that my tree isn't dead but why isn't it sprouting?
We live in Staffordshire and we have been having great weather recently. All other trees and plants in the garden are very doing well but sadly this looks like a bare stick.
The Birch is currently standing at approximately 9 feet tall and the bark looks healthy.
Any ideas please?
Thank you.

 

Hi Marley.
Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I have no catkins just the closed brown buds. We certainly did experience a long cold Winter. The ground was covered with snow several times after the tree was planted. I'm still hoping it was the long cold spell which has retarded my Birch. A palm that we have had for years almost succumbed to the cold too but it seems to be recovering nicely.

 

I dont want to sound ominous, but I wonder if it may be dieing upwards.

It seems the top of the tree is alive ok, but just wonder if its a root problem.

It could just be sulking I guess

 

Have you tried giving it a water?

Was it supplied bare-rooted or in a pot?

What support (stake) have you given it?

 

Hello.
I keep the soil moist. It was delivered in a pot and I mixed the contents of the pot into the soil when The tree which is attached to the supplied stake with the recommended slip type strap.
This morning I removed a bud and cut it open. It is a healthy green inside so I think the tree may just be a little slow after the long Winter.

 

Hi paullus,

Trees in pots don't generally have the energy reserves that outdoor trees normally have, so this winter may have had an affect on how well it's going to take. Being pot bound then introduced to hard, freezing cold ground probably shocked it a bit. Just keep it watered and fed and it'll probably come up OK when it's ready. I wouldn't mind a photo or two of it if you could post one though, just to check.

Cheers,
Matthew

 

You say that you mixed the contents of the pot with your soil. A pot grown plant should have a well developed root system that retains all of the pot's soil when you remove it from the pot. Was this the case?

Was the pot compost very dry?

It should have broken into leaf by now.

Have you tried spraying the tree with water?

Take a trowel or hand fork and have a look at the soil down around the roots. Is it dry or there any little white grubs, do the roots look healthy - genrally new roots are white at first.

Is the tie too tight and sqeezing the bark.

If it has been grafted, look at the stem just above soil level and see if it looks healthy and intact.