How can this happen ?

I have lost three or four trees in buckets from what looks like "ringing " . The trees are several years old from four foot to over seven foot . I keep everything watered well and inspect often . All of a sudden , the bark around the base looks like it was hit by a string trimmer and tried to heal over , just giving up the ghost and all leaves dead .
Any suggestions ?

How wide are the rings of damage on the trunks? Can you get a photo?

They are about 1 1/2 high, a couple inches up from the soil .
I'll try to get a pic tomorrow , have appts all day today . Thanks for answering so soon
I have another one I noticed that looks like thickening a bit in same area .

Almost sounds like a rodent problem. Do you have voles? Is there any type of weeds near the containers where the rodents can run? Are the containers near a wall where the rodents can run?

Dave

No , the ones affected are lined up on an old outdoor redwood chaise . I have two of them setting in an afternoon shade . I haven't seen any critters except squirrels the dogs keep chased off . I forgot batteries for my camera today but will scrounge around tomorrow , maybe come up with some .One of my tall ones (7' ) did this first . It broke off easy at the ground line and was still green below the break . I had a (sport)? that had blood red mature leaves all through this heat that was planted in a place of honor . Red today , dead the next . I have had a worm in the past that drilled a hole straight up the stems of azaleas ,systemic took care of that and cut one of these across . No worm hole
Maybe the picture will solve the problem .

I guess I can forget about posting pictures . I got them on camera , Followed directions to load on windows 7 . Only three (my dog ) went to Drop box , my GS put on here . I couldn't even get into it but once and the computer says it wasn't expecting that . Only certain somethings were allowed . I'm so frustrated , can't get into Drop box , sorry , just forget it .

I sat back , regrouped , decided I could work it out and after many false starts , the test forum , and my McDonald hard head , GOT IT!
First pic is the slight swelling ,tree still alive
Second , ignore, mistake .I didn't scroll down far enough
Third , Outer bark , off and peeling ,dead
Fourth , My beautiful blood red JP, dug and potted to hopefully save ,dead .
I hope you can id what's happening . I have several grafted trees that I have a lot of money in . None of those have been affected

You might have an insect problem. Check for Sow Bugs. I have seen them destroy crops of small maple seedlings very quickly.

http://insected.arizona.edu/isoinfo.htm

http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg377.html

I would mix a solution of Orthene and drench plants. This way you can eliminate the possibility of any insects.

Dave

I have Orthene and will get that drench done today . Thanks, you guys are the greatest .
I had no idea those bugs were harmful.

Be careful to follow instructions.

Thanks, I learned to read the instructions first , years ago when I killed some desirable plants with roundup .Wind drift .

Wow, sow bugs can do that much damage?
I just assumed they only ate microorganisms in the soil and roots, since I see them primarily in the bottom of pots, not on the surface. I will no longer be so nonchalant about them!

Digger, are the healthy grafted jms in the ground, or are they in pots as well?

Both . I lost one in the ground , not grafted . the rest were in pots . I haven't lost any grafted trees . I have five grafted ones to plant in the ground the next two weeks .I have three grafted in the ground and they are well established

if that is bugs I'd be surprised . Looks like common bark split that usually occurs in north. During winter sap rises during warmer SUNNY day periods and temps fall to at or below freezing at night the trees bark burst usually towards bottom . In Oregon growers who have experienced this have been awoken at night thinking they were under machine gun attack from the sound of spitting bark popping on their thousands of trees. If the split doesn't wring the tree your tree will likely survive and heal over but if ringed they die . Usually it goes up the trunk further but you are in the south and it might be different. New studies from the university of IL state that the cause may be damage to tree bark when young the creates soft spots more likely to split . Around here this is probably the most cause of death with established Jms.as well as newly planted ones.. Putting hard plastic slitted cover over the trunks in winter the first couple of years after planting and taking off in late spring seems to help . So be sure to add bark split to the many ares of caution with Jms including over watering and over fertilizing and basically loving them to death .As well as bad placement such as planting in full sun and planting too deep and in wet areas.

Of course if this happened over the summer then I be wrong but it is possible that it was there in spring and not noticeable but with the bark dieing over the summer it became so..still would be my guess

This message was edited Nov 14, 2012 11:08 AM

More than likely the freeze/thaw is the problem now that you bring it up . We have a great swing in temps both spring and fall . I'll check out the wrap next year because I'm out of state until next April . Thanks for coming back to me ,I was stumped . I hate losing that bright red one ,I haven't ever seen one so pretty , and hold it's color like that .

hi david - nice to see you post!

Hi , both of you !

Yes, welcome back to DG Davidsan!

It's great to have Davidsan back with us! He's an invaluable source of JM information. He's solved many a JM problem or concern over the years.