Cryptomeria issues... droopy leader and dead leader.

6 years ago

I have two Cryptomeria Japonica Yoshino's I put in last spring. Roughly 6 ft tall and look fairly healthy in general after the mild winter here in CT zone 6a. They get 6+ hours of sun after 11am or so in a moist but not wet location and put on probably 12-18" last year. I have not done pruning to shape them besides the one big issue mentioned in the second tree below. I do love them and hope you all can provide some guidance.

The first tree (in the pics below) seems top heavy and all the new growth up top is really causing the tree/central leader to droop. Is started after a heavy rain a few weeks ago, but it hasn't straightened up. It doesn't look damaged, but it isn't really the look I want of course. Will is straighten? Is it a health issue? Should I try to help it with a training or pruning?

A second question I have about the other tree isn't as urgent, since I already tried a course of action - just asking if it was the right thing. There was no burn on the entire tree over the winter except the top 18"-24" of the central leader and that top row of baby branches all died. I waited quite a while hoping it was the 'bronzing' you hear about and it would come back, but no they were well dead. So I cut it off to the nearest live branch and tried to train that branch as a new leader by tying to a little bamboo stake tied to the trunk. Sadly the dead leader was significant, probably 1/2" or more at the cut. I also pinched the tips on a few other side branches that seemed to be reaching up to take over since I waited so long hoping it would come back.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
soil looks very dry...

dig some small holes with a hand trowel. and FIND OUT about moisture at root depth ...

looks like a nice weed free lawn.. anything sprayed on it this year???

ken
Gregg z6a-CT
Original Author
6 years ago
I checked and the soil is drying out, but definitely not totally dry. A handful would hold together just barely, and break apart easily. Cool and damp past the first inch or two of mulch. We have been dry this spring in CT, but my yard is low on a long gentle downhill and usually stays fairly damp but not web/saturated. And I've watered roughly 1/week this spring. I actually often wonder if it's too much if anything, but it's not saturated and wet or anything.

Thanks but it'd definitely the angle on the picture... that's mostly nimblewill and crabgrass, bordered by a giant grove of poison ivy, virginia creeper and oriental bittersweet all intertwined. It's delightful.

No herbicides though.
Related Professionals
Binghamton Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Gainesville Landscape Contractors · Newport News Landscape Contractors · Richmond Home Builders · Morgan City Home Builders · Mansfield Home Builders · San Jose Home Builders · Hannibal Landscape Contractors · Elgin Landscape Contractors · Lawrenceburg Home Additions · Lewiston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Poughkeepsie Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Chula Vista Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Emporia Landscape Contractors · Merced Basement Remodeling
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
try not to equate the characteristics of an established tree .. with a recent ...HUGE.. transplants ... that does not take into account.. field digging it .. shipping it to seller ... to your house.. and you planting it .. it has to get over all those stresses.. before it will start acting like an established tree .. might take 2 or 3 years. in tree time ...

ALL trees releader .. but again.. in tree time ... when it does.. it might throw up more than one.. and that is when you will choose one.. and take care of the others ... in tree time.. there is no reason to hurry the process along... you can ... if you want... but the tree will take care of it ... itself ...

since it appears to be planted high ... a bit above grade ... i would opt toward erring on the side of more water .. if your soil drains ...

is the lawn irrigated??? .. if so.. i would not rely on such to water the roots of a tree .. its 2 differing methods ...

anyway... be patient.. in tree time.. it will sort itself out.. and you can clean up any mess .. but bottom line.. you cant speed the process much at all ...

if you fert that lawn.. once the tree gets its roots out under it.. it will NEVER need any additional fert .. and right now.. its still stressed.. not hungry... so fert is not a response .. imo ..

ken