Please help me to help my new birch trees

[user78262102928]

I’ve got 5 birch trees (3-5 years old) that we bought from a very reputable nursery and planted in the spring this year. I was careful with preparing the holes, staking correctly, and watering (with tree bags).

Three of them are fine. No concerns. But I am worried about the other two.

One of them is looking generally healthy except its dropping leaves as if it were early autumn already, and has done for a few weeks. A few (10-20) leaves turning yellow each day and falling, but the rest of the tree still healthy looking and green. Lots and lots and lots of leaves still green. My concern with this one is that it suffered some damage to the bark before being planted. The damage initially healed over but has now gone dry and soft to the touch where the damage was. But there is no pattern to where the leaves are dropping - it’s not as it’ll it is from a branch directly above the damage. There are a lot of ants on the tree too.

One of the others has looked a bit scraggly ever since it arrived, and has just got more so. It only has about a third the number of leaves as it’s neighbour, however it does have new growth in the last few weeks. I am wondering if I need to give it some feed or something to help it perk up?

Sounds like your growing conditions are fine, and the trees are putting new growth, so I'd do nothing for now. Give them a year or two to settle in.

Was the damage to the bark caused by you, or by the nursery/delivery people? Either way, I would (politely) let the nursery know you're concerned (ideally, send them photos), and ask them what advice they'd give. A reputable nursery ought to replace a tree that hasn't thrived if it seems likely the fault isn't yours (which is probable, when you have three thriving trees). This is especially the case if they or their delivery driver damaged it.

Of course they might well suggest you do x or y and wait to see if it turns a corner, but if not, it'll be better in the long run if you've been in touch - two years on would be a bit late to complain!

Thanks both. Very good advice. I will contact the nursery and ask for their advice, and also hope that they are just settling in. They were a very expensive investment - the rest of the garden is being done on the cheep.