Sickly Whitebeam

With very small, stunted leaf growth my lovely, 15 year old Whitebeam tree is a shadow of it's former self. The problem first started three years ago when it leafed normally but the leaves quickly turned dry, pale brown and fell very early in the season. The last two years, the leaves have been very small although still the lovely apple green colour and they stay on the tree until Autumn. IThe Whitebeam is sited in my back garden in a fairly sheltered spot which gets sun all day, assuming there is any! My garden has clay soil. I try to garden organically so no herbicies etc have been used near it. The crown of the tree is too high for me to get up to check for bugs. The last two Winters have been exceptionally cold with frost and snow lying for three months continually and it has also been very, very wet since then.
Any help gratefully accepted!

 

Hi AnnaGram

Take a quick look at this page (if you haven't done so already!): http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/trees/14396-tree-health-diagnosis-self-help-guide.html

If you can, please post a few pictures of the tree and its surroundings as it may help with diagnosing the problem.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

Thanks, Matthew...your help is much appeciated.

I read your self-help guide and it's excellent. I don't know too much about trees and although I have a selection in my garden, until now I have had no problems at all with them...my luck must have run out. I'll try and take some photos (the easy part) and post them online (the hard part)

Thanks again,
Anne

 

Matthew,
Sorry for the delay...first ever posting of pictures online! Hope they might help ...
Thanks again,
Anna

 

Hi AnnaGram

I think your tree doesn't like the conditions that it's in. Traditionally Sorbus spp. are grown on well draining ground, such as the chalky soils associated with the South. Adding well rotted manure to the soil around the tree will not only help break up the clay particles and increase soil pore size, but will add vital and much needed nutrition. I suspect that there may be competition from the other trees and plants for water and nutrients.
So:-

1. Break up the clay soil by using manure, straw, wood mulch, sand or gravel
2. Feed the tree
3. Water well, but do not let it get too waterlogged

I hope this helps, and let us know how you get on.

 

Thanks, Matthew.
I'll try everything you suggest and I'll report back , hopefully with good news!

 

Sorry, Matthew, should have asked if you have you any idea of the timescale when I might notice any results or is that asking the impossible?!

Thanks!
Anna

 

All depends on the tree, Anna.

 

I thought it might!
Thanks again,
Anna