Why Is My Maple Tree Looking Sick?

Have you provided your maple with adequate water during the dry period?

Have you provided your maple tree with adequate nutrition?

Does your maple grows near the road?

Does your tree shows any signs of defoliator insect pests?

Does your tree shows any signs of diseases?

Maple tree decline is often due to stress caused by a drought. Be certain to provide adequate water during dry periods. This means you may need to thoroughly water trees every one or two weeks during extended periods of dry weather. Trees can be watered with a slow stream from a hose or using drip irrigation. You may want to avoid using a sprinkler if it will wet the bark or exposed buttress roots as that may encourage decay. Move the hose periodically to soak the entire soil area under the tree's branches to a depth of about six inches.

Inadequate nutrition is one of the possible causes of maple decline. There are a couple of options with which you can provide good nutrition to your tree. You can have a soil test done to determine the optimum rate and type of fertilizer to use, or you can fertilize trees with a complete fertilizer in the spring and/or late fall. The general recommendation is 2 to 4 lbs of fertilizer per inch of tree diameter. Broadcast the fertilizer over the root zone.

De-icing salts are often the cause for declining trees like maples that are often seen growing along the side of the road. The impact of exposure to salt used on roads can be reduced by the use of a barrier (curb, berm, ditch, etc.) which will catch and/or divert the spring runoff water which often contains large amounts of salt. If soil and foliar analyses have been run and high sodium or chloride concentrations were found, then leaching the soil with fresh water in the spring, or applying gypsum to improve the soil structure or texture may be useful.

Maples often begin to decline after several successive years of defoliation by insects. Affected trees not only lose their first set of leaves to these insects but will often use up valuable food reserves to produce a second set. Although forest tent caterpillar populations may not be high every year, severe defoliation by these or other pests may trigger a decline or result in the death of an already weakened tree. In years when pest issues may be high, an insecticide treatment may be the only thing that can help to protect your tree.

Some fungal and bacterial diseases may cause a decline in maples. Diseases like root rot, branch canker, and twig blight are the most common maple killers. These diseases can't be cured, only prevented by good growing practices and preventive use of fungicides. In some mild cases, you can stop the spread of the disease.

Maple tree decline is always caused by some stress factors. These stresses can come from numerous sources. Proper pruning to remove larger dead branches in the crown is one of the ways which may promote vigor in the remaining growth. Pruning is best done in the early spring. Make sure you water, feed, and protect your tree from injuries, pests, and diseases and you may give it a chance to recover.