I live in the Atlanta, GA suburbs, and I have a yellow poplar in my front yard that has been dropping brown leaves all summer long. I have seen other yellow poplars in the neighborhood that have much fuller canopies and have just started to turn yellow. Mine is all yellow and brown and the leaves on the branches are scarce. I have noticed some of the leaves on the tree have small holes in them also. I want to save the tree, it is fully grown and has the potential to be beautiful. What should I do?

10/22/20085:40:12 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Tree Questions

For any definitive diagnosis I would definitely recommend having a professional out to look at the tree. If you go to http://www.isa-arbor.com/ you can find an ISA Certified Arborist in your area. It sounds to me like you may have some kind of fungal disease causing premature leaf death and drop. Trees are more vulnerable to disease and insect attach if they are unhealthy. Prematurely yellow leaves may indicate a nitrogen deficiency. You also might check your watering regimen. Too much water or poor drainage can cause root disease which can manifest as a nitrogen deficiency. We sell a product called Sick Tree Treatment. It comes in 40 pound bags, each of which treats 1000 square feet. You'll want to treat the entire area under the dripline of the tree (the edge of the canopy). You can order it through our website. We also recommend mulching around the base of the tree. Going as far as the dripline is best, but at least 4-6' to a depth of at least 3" is highly recommended.