Got this sickly looking peach tree in the end of May. After about a month I started seeing red/black spots on the leaves and it looked like something what eating them. Did some research and started spraying it with neem oil. The spots stopped happening on newer hight leaves, as well as the bite marks. Now all the leaves are falling off and it looks like this. Is it dead? Does it have any hope? What can I do to put it on life support and make it through the winter?
I don’t see an obvious cause but here’s some general young tree care advice:
Ensure the root flare (a swollen area at the base of the trunk where the first large roots fuse together) is not covered by soil. Do not assume that the soil level in the pot was the correct level for it to be. Cheap nurseries that mass-produce trees often pot them too deep which leads to permanent health problems unless corrected.
Remove the grass around the base of the tree and replace with several inches of wood chips, but avoid covering the root flare. The chips should cover the soil around the tree but not touch the tree itself.
Check soil moisture regularly, and slowly but deeply irrigate during dry weather to keep consistent below-ground moisture. Allow the soil surface to dry somewhat before watering again. Proper soil moisture should be soft and moist but not sticky or dripping. Never allow the soil in the root zone (below the surface) to get completely dry. In future years the tree will be tolerant of dry conditions but not during year 1.
Avoid the use of lawn equipment, especially string trimmers, near the tree. Young tree bark is very delicate and can be easily damaged which can cause major issues if serious damage is done. Hand weeding close to the trunk is best. If the mowing in this area is outside of your control, consider protecting the trunk with a trunk guard. In a pinch, a plastic bottle with the bottom removed and cut down the side can suffice.
Thank you for the tips. We removed the grass in a 2 foot radius, but evidently our grass is super invasive and has grown back. We put watering bags down, but haven’t kept up with the soil moisture, so we will be on top of that now.