Q. Here are the rest of the photos of
our African sumacs with leaf drop. Our yard is too
small for me to get far enough away to get an entire tree in the photo. Please let me know if that would help and
I’ll go outside the neighborhood wall and see if I can get a photo of the
entire top of the trees. Thank you for
any advice you can give us!
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| Readers African sumac yellowing and dropping leaves |
A. The usual problem with African sumac yellowing and
leaf drop this time of year is a lack of water. When these trees are planted by landscapers they frequently do not use enough drip emitters. Or when they plant them small, they use just a few emitters and no one adds more emitters as these trees get larger. During hot weather the amount
of water larger trees require is considerably more than when it was growing
during 90° weather. It is now 115 to 117F. And it has been very windy.
leaf drop this time of year is a lack of water. When these trees are planted by landscapers they frequently do not use enough drip emitters. Or when they plant them small, they use just a few emitters and no one adds more emitters as these trees get larger. During hot weather the amount
of water larger trees require is considerably more than when it was growing
during 90° weather. It is now 115 to 117F. And it has been very windy.
Another possibility could
be watering too often. If the tree roots are in soil that is watered daily and
it’s not draining, the roots could suffocate. If they begin to suffocate and
die they can also have yellow leaves and leaf drop. I think this possibility is less likely in your case.
be watering too often. If the tree roots are in soil that is watered daily and
it’s not draining, the roots could suffocate. If they begin to suffocate and
die they can also have yellow leaves and leaf drop. I think this possibility is less likely in your case.
There is a 3rd
possibility. It is possible to water these trees daily and still not give them
enough water. If the total volume of water applied is not enough to satisfy the
trees demand for water, they can actually be under watered even when they are
watered daily. I would add more emitters instead of increasing the number of minutes on the controller. Yes, I know it’s more work but you won’t be over watering everything else on that valve.
possibility. It is possible to water these trees daily and still not give them
enough water. If the total volume of water applied is not enough to satisfy the
trees demand for water, they can actually be under watered even when they are
watered daily. I would add more emitters instead of increasing the number of minutes on the controller. Yes, I know it’s more work but you won’t be over watering everything else on that valve.
There is one way to find
out. See if the soil around the tree is wet or dry. Take a steel probe that is
at least 18 inches long. This can be a very long but skinny screwdriver or it
can be a piece of 3/8 inch steel rebar 3 feet long.
out. See if the soil around the tree is wet or dry. Take a steel probe that is
at least 18 inches long. This can be a very long but skinny screwdriver or it
can be a piece of 3/8 inch steel rebar 3 feet long.
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| This screwdriver might work if it is long enough. |
Push it into the soil in
several locations under the canopy of the tree. If it pushes into the soil with
a great deal of difficulty, then the soil is too dry. If this is the case,
flood the soil under the tree with a hose or sprinkler with a good soaking that
goes down at least 18 inches deep. You have the probe so you can measure how
deep the water penetrates by pushing the probe in the soil. If the water is
running off of the area, turn the sprinkler or hose on multiple times 30
minutes or an hour apart. I use a mechanical water timer and an inexpensive
sprinkler on the end of a hose. You should see a response by the tree if the
soil is dry in 7 to 14 days.
several locations under the canopy of the tree. If it pushes into the soil with
a great deal of difficulty, then the soil is too dry. If this is the case,
flood the soil under the tree with a hose or sprinkler with a good soaking that
goes down at least 18 inches deep. You have the probe so you can measure how
deep the water penetrates by pushing the probe in the soil. If the water is
running off of the area, turn the sprinkler or hose on multiple times 30
minutes or an hour apart. I use a mechanical water timer and an inexpensive
sprinkler on the end of a hose. You should see a response by the tree if the
soil is dry in 7 to 14 days.
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| It would be like this but there would be no grass. |
If the soil is too wet
under the tree then of course you have to wait longer between waterings. But I
tend to think it’s probably not getting enough water. Covering the area of the
soil under the canopy of the tree with woodchip mulch 4 inches deep helps keep
the soil wet tremendously.
under the tree then of course you have to wait longer between waterings. But I
tend to think it’s probably not getting enough water. Covering the area of the
soil under the canopy of the tree with woodchip mulch 4 inches deep helps keep
the soil wet tremendously.
Thanks so much it was very helpful
Thank you so very much. This time of the year it usually looses leaves but these two trees look very bad this year. I water them in the evening with the hose as well as the drip water in the morning with the drippers. I may be over watering.
First to check with a rebar.
It is my understanding there are selections of African sumac that drop leaves more than others. It may not be a matter of moisture but it could be partly genetics
I don't think it is simply lack of water. We had a massive leak under our Sumac, and it dropped leaves like clockwork 4 times a year. Now the leak is fixed, and it continues it's quarterly leaf drop. It is a massive tree, it is impossible to get water to all of it's roots, as they spread all over our yard. We just had record rain, and it's dropping leaves again, this time green leaves, maybe from wind? I am so tired of this messy tree.
That sounds good to me. I will have to check to see about the water level. It kind of worries me after reading what the Arizona Mom was saying about the mess. To me it sounds like you have to baby that tree. But it has not lost its leaves, they just turned brown. Wonder if I should take those brown ones off. I think it just got froze. And I couldn't water for a while. Now thanks to some nice neighbors I'm back in business. Maybe I can bring it back to life
Your information has relieved my stress that maybe my tree was dying…it's not, it needs more water. Thank you for the way to check with the rebar/steel/screwdriver, made it easier for morons like me to understand!
This information relieved my stress. I thought my tree was dying but I was underwatering the poor thing. Instructing to use the rebar/steel probe/screwdriver is perfect for morons like me who need proof! My tree will be received more water and TLC, I don't mind the mess of the leaves because any tree in Arizona is a gift!
Messiness = a natural mulch beneath the tree which both cools the surface temp of the surrounding soil and cuts back on evaporation. A light frequent raking with a broom rake is about all the care one needs to manage the leaf litter.
Well, unless one lives in a windy area where rocks are used in place of mulch and grass and courtyards are common. What leaves don't blow into every corner and neighboring yard and street gutter get stuck in between the rocks spread all over the yard. A rock rake must then be used to pull all the rocks in a section aside, and then a broom is needed to sweep up all the debris. Then the rocks need to be raked back and another section of the yard started on. If this isn't done, it becomes a fire hazard and weed bed. So, as much as I do love my African sumac, I can completely relate to Mom of 8–especially as I'm also a mom but of 6. Anything that regularly adds mess to a full household without doing it's part to clean up or to be cute and innocent enough to be forgiven is bound to quickly become a serious nuisance! Haha!