scrawny birches falling over!

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therica Falling Waters, WV(Zone 7a) May 03, 2007

Hi- I planted 4 paper-birches, 2 years ago, about 3 feet high each. I've kept them trimmed so they would gain height, but it's gotten insane, they shot up to about 12 feet high by last fall, and now probably more like 16 feet tall! They have no branches, and the current spring winds are literally putting the trees flat on the ground.

I'm not sure if they're lacking water, or need some sort of fertilizer, but wouldn't be sure what kind of fertilizer to use, either-- possibly high nitrogen?

They're already staked as of last fall, 2 with thinner 6-foot stakes and 2 with 8-foot 3/4-inch-diameter stakes! I can't even get out to the store and find more heavy 8-foot stakes, but that's still only a temporary fix if I do.

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) May 03, 2007

Would have been better to leave the side branches on - they would have helped add thickness to the stem. Any that do appear, leave them on.

Resin

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Len123 Adrian, MO(Zone 6a) May 03, 2007

I read somewhere that you weren't suppose to fertilize trees for a couple years after planting, maybe that is why. I wouldn't fertilize them at all, I think I would remove the stakes and let them flop around. eventually they should firm their trunks I would think unless they would just fall over and snap in two.

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