Question From: Gilbert, South Carolina, United States
Q: I have a seven year old weeping willow that has been thriving, since planted five years ago. About a month ago, my zoyzia lawn was fertilized, as it has been routinely, and I had fresh wood mulch put in the area in which the tree is. About three weeks later, the willow lost all of it's leaves, and the tips of the thin branches all appear to be turning dark. Based upon your expertise, my question is: Is it the fertilizer or the mulch, or a combination of them in a short period of time... OR is it some disease? The leaves just turned brown and fell off within less than a week. There are no signs of problems on the bark. I water very regularly, and everything else in the yard is doing very well. I realize our winter temperatures have been getting slightly cooler the past few years, but last winter's chill here in South Carolina didn't harm other neighbors' willow trees.
A: My guess would be chemical damage. It could have been a chemical burn. A liquid herbicide would do it. Best Nancy
