Carpinus not so good looking

I have a Korean hornbeam that had a tough year. I got it last summer and it got bad leaf-burn. By the time I figured it out, the leaves were too far gone and started to drop.

It had a "second spring" in the fall as the new buds started to open but did not open all the way. Then this spring it sat dormant until almost July.

I was preparing myself emotionally to throw it out when finally a couple green buds showed up. Right now it has a few leaves here and there on the branches.

Where it grew leaves it seems healthy but there are so few, I'm afraid it won't have strength for the winter.

I seek your advice, sympathy, and recriminations for my poor treatment last year. thanks

It is unlikely that the leaf burn last summer contributed to its problems this year. It sounds to me like it may be a root problem of some sort. If it hasn't been repotted, you might lift it from the pot and examine/smell the roots. If the rots are black rather thah brown or yellow and if you can smell anything other than good clean "dirt" you may have root rot.

In that case, I'd wash away all soil with hard blasts of water. This will also wash away most of the rotten roots. Repot it in mostly Turface (10% bark), water it with a dilute fertilizer bath, then protect it in a cold garage this winter, getting it back out in the earliest part of spring you can.

Good luck.

Next year, you may have to cut off all branches and start over.

Thanks, Jim. I'll check tomorrow morning