Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener: Frans Fontaine Hornbeam help, 2 by evrgrn

evrgrn wrote:
I planted 3 hornbeam trees last year and they are all responding differently. One appears to be healthy and has maintained most of its leaves this season. One seemed healthy in the spring but soon lost all of its leaves and the base of the trunk is cracked and exposed. The third did not produce any leaves this spring and appeared to be dead but is now growing small new sprouts at the base of the trunk. Can anyone tell me if there is any hope for the two problem trees? The pictures show the crack in the trunk and the new growth.