Bradford pear - whats wrong with it?

The below bradford pear's leaves are turning brownish and wilting. The guy at the garden place told me to water it every other day after planting it, and that's all that needs to be done. I did that, and about 4 days later it started looking like this. It has been planted for about 5 weeks now. Is it dying? Should I water it more? Less? Is there anything I can buy to help it out (i.e. fertilizer..ect)?

Also, why are the good leaves a light green? All the other bradford pears I see have very dark green leaves? Is it because it's a small bradford? Will the color change?

I bought a very healthy-looking Bradford Pear at WalMart for $13.50, and 4 weeks after planting it was 2/3 dead (all the leaves on bottom

I bought a replacement at Lowe's which has been in the ground for 2 weeks now. No dead leaves yet, but no new growth either. We'll see.

I just watered it before I took the pictures, so it's just basic brown mulch that is wet..making it look dark.

Ether J> > The below bradford pear's leaves are turning brownish and wilting. The

Doesn't look dead to me. On my dead one, the leaves turned dark brown / black and were hanging limp. Yours doesn't look too bad. But, I'm a novice too.

As for watering, it depends on what kind of soil you have. Before watering next time, push a portion of the mulch aside and carefully scrape away about an inch of soil with your fingers in a small area.

Is the soil soaking wet? DO NOT WATER!

Is the soil slightly moist? STILL do not water.

Is the soil dusty and bone dry? For sure you need water, and you should check more frequently in the future.

Other more seasoned experts in this ng may have a different answer, but that's what I've been told by my gardening friends.

Looks OK to me. Is it possible that your new tree is in full sun? It could just be that it went from a slightly shadier spot in the nursery/garden center into the middle of your yard and is just going through some adjustment. I would just leave it alone. One recommendation for a new tree would be to build a small dirt lip at the edge of your dark mulch circle to catch any rain water and make watering easier.

-al sung Rapid Realm Technology, Inc. Hopkinton, MA Zone 6a

Looks like leaf scorch

Make sure not to over water it... too much will kill it just like not enough. You want to deep water not water constantly. I would not fertilize it. I was taught not to fertilize new trees heavily as they need to acclimate and not start rapid growth

You don't mention where you are.... here, central/southern CA, already, my flowering pear has some sun scald and we haven't even had sustained 100's (they're coming just late)

HTH Nicole

Thanks Nicole! I live in East Tennessee.

Nicole wrote: