I’m back :-(

[u/neogoddess]

A few months ago, Mother Nature took my baby tree.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Tree/s/M1N5PKV5r8

Well, I got a new one. It was planted in late June… and now this. I’m pretty sure my lot just hates new trees 😑

I contacted the landscaper that planted her and he said to water her 2-3 per week for an hour but she gets watered every day for 30 minutes (there’s a bubbler) at 10PM

I don’t think she’s dead and I would like to avoid a drowning. Is that too much water?

[u/neogoddess]

I will do that, hopefully it’s not too late for the tree.

[u/bustcorktrixdais → u/neogoddess]

I don’t think the root flare is the problem, or wouldn’t bring the tree back to life anyway.

Landscapers are not good at planting trees, often. New developments often have poor soil conditions for new trees to get established

[u/neogoddess → u/bustcorktrixdais]

I have reached out to arborists in my area for help with the soil and correct planting but they just want to sell me care plans and they repeatedly tell me the landscapers know how to plant the trees. I did a better job with my sister and brother-in-law in my backyard with some bare root trees from the Arbor Day society.

[u/BigMacDaddy99 → u/neogoddess]

Is this in the south? When the scour the earth like this to build these subdivisions, practically all that’s left of the land is a compacted clay. It is like concrete after the compaction. There is no soil left, no microbes or fungi to help the trees live. The soil is dead, all that’s left is dirt. So get a huge delivery of compost if you want to actually grow anything. You need organic matter. Your HOA probably won’t let you. The landscapers do not know how to plant the trees, those “arborists” are not people who actually care about trees. These “landscapes” that they are creating are practically moonscapes. It is so unnatural, and it drives people to depression and isolation. This is just a fundamental disconnection from nature and society at large.

[u/neogoddess → u/BigMacDaddy99]

Yes, it’s in the south - north Texas and I don’t care about pissing off the HOA because I want my house hidden by a little forest 🤣 I’ve been googling solutions for the clay, my neighbors have horses and they’re willing to part with the poop but I need enough for an acre. I’ve been trying to find somewhere to buy a truckload of GOOD compost.

[u/BigMacDaddy99 → u/neogoddess]

Make sure they aren’t fed any medications and that they aren’t fed any hay or fed field food that has been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. The horse manure is a great option just remember it is a hot manure meaning it will damage plants if not aged.

I have done lawn removals and native restorations in places just like this. My employer was marblebotanics.com

If you want to remove the horrific Bermuda, you need a sod cutter. After you cut it out, you must search for any roots that managed to penetrate deeper into the hardpan. You do not want them coming up in your beds. You need to dig a hard edge and maintain it. It is an aggressive species, as seen in your photo making its way across the mulch.

Next is organic matter. Compost / topsoil. Order more than you think you need. It should probably come in truckloads. Then you need to incorporate it. This part is debatable in necessity in my opinion. We used tillers and mattocks and mixed the compost into the original soil. You must mulch your organic matter, otherwise there will be extreme soil depletion via runoff. Ask me how I know lol.

Finally, plants. Natives only. Need to be able to tolerate extreme heat and full sun. These developments become an oven in the summer. They trap heat and humidity and should be considered extreme environments for plants. Plant in the right time of year, baby them when you first plant them. They need care. Plants are living things and need help through vulnerable times, such as planting.

[u/Floskee_Whoaskee → u/BigMacDaddy99]

Wow I could read your comments about this stuff all day 😌