I transferred a 17 ft Pin Oak last spring from one point in my yard to another. It is now close to another one that I transferred two years ago, so I have a bench mark for progress/health. The newly transferred Oak was about 2 weeks behind the established with regards to leafing, but it filled out great. I thought I was all in good at that point. What I missed was a June dry period that caused leaf wilting on the top half of the new tree. At the point that I noticed it, we had been about 3 weeks of no rain but the rains came plenty after this point. Leaves that were starting to wilt on the lower limbs came back fine, and some new sprouts occurred on a few upper limbs, but the top half is still mostly dead leaves. Is it possible that the tree will be filled out next spring or do the leaves indicate terminal status for the existing limbs on top?
Ask that question next spring. But usually if the bottom leaf is bothered it is not a problem. If the top leaves are dead, that usually indicates a bigger problem. I'd still wait until next spring.
Question. Do you not own a water hose? Transplanting trees puts them under severe stress. Water is a BIG deal any time you move a plant of any kind. Especially oaks as they like to be dug up in the fall. Rainfall alone is not good enough on transplanted trees. But then since I been in the landscaping biz since the 70's whatta I know?
It was watered routinely if there was no rain. As pointed out in the original post, I lost track of the fact it hadn't rained is a while. Since you're in the industry is there anything useful pertaining to the question?
Look closely to see if the upper limbs have set any secondary buds. They some times will and will leaf out again. I doubt you will find any on an oak though. Best advice I can give is to keep your fingers crossed.
You really never specified that you were hand watering in your OP unless I misread it. I will also point out to you as I do all the folks that I do work for. Rainfall alone is not a sufficient amount of water for a newly transplanted tree of any size. Especially 1 the size you are talking about. Assuming the oak in question has a 2 to 3 inch DBH and I was planting it for a customer I would insist that it be watered every third day with a slow soaking trickle that would supply the tree with at LEAST 10 gallons of water at every watering. This would need to be done thru out the entire first growing season until the ground was frozen. If the tree was planted in the late fall like so many are I would recommend the same but would also tell the person to start the watering process again in the spring as soon as the soil was thawed. I wasnt trying to be critical or belligerent in my first response but I hear the rain water comment so often from people that I do work for and then their plants die. When a plant that I have planted for a customer die's in the first growing season I have to replace it for free whether it be a bad product or the fault of the home owner from lack of care to the product. I'm just trying to educate, not alienate.
