Help! Need advice on how to save my Tree

Can anyone explain to me what is happening to my tree?? It has lost leaves and looks to be dying and thus occurred in the space of about a week. Was fine for 2 months outside. This is a southern live oak from GA ive been tending since last year.

Do you have other images of it - even from when you got it? I am struggling to make much out as it looks like little more than a seedling in this one.

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It was literally a seed I planted last fall. It and it started to grow this spring. Was doing fantastic until a few weeks ago. The picture it was healthy in was taken on August 8th, the other photo was taken on 9/5. In less than a month it's completely fell apart.

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My guess: the seedling has been drowned.   The soil contains too much water and no oxygen.

I am guessing Birmingham, Alabama is fairly hot right now. Is the seedling in shade or full sun?

Partial shade mostly sun. I thought over watering caused drooping leaves and yellow spots, not brown leaves that wilt. Also I noticed there is a fuzz like bit of fluff under the leaves. Does that help diagnose it further for either of you?

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Symptoms may vary. Looking on the picture with still green leaves I believe there are signs of light chlorosis which is one of the overwatering symptoms. Dying roots produce an ethylene precursor that is distributed to the leaves. As a result the leaves change colour and then they are dropped as it is in the autumn - at least on most species. Oaks are not dropping leaves they stay there untill the start of new flush.
THe "fluff" you have mentioned could be a secondary infection/ attacks by insects.

I would check the roots. If they are dark brown without any white points = most probably they are rooten. Looking on your soil it looks quite wet. Oaks ( at least oaks I am familiar with) are know for they ability to live in very dry places. Just look on the leaves and their epidermis. They differ from many other plants.

If the roots looks OK ie white points then I would cut of the affected leaves and put the seedling into semishade.

Thanks Glad! I did move it to a less wet section of soil. I'll check the roots and if its as you have said, is there any hope to saving it?

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If the roots are still white then I would guess the chances are good. I would move the plant into an airy, porous substrate though. The roots needs oxygen as much as we do.

Thank you Vlad. I moved it to a different container with drier substrate, and out of as much sunlight. Going to monitor it for a few days about the leaves and if they are still dead/ dying I'll remove them.

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Hello Dwntown247

I hope your little oak survives. Your photos look like "damping off" to me. There are multiple pathogens that can cause damping off, it only effects seedlings prior to their being able to provide their own natural barriers to pathogen invasion.

Because the cause of this cannot be easily diagnosed, I cannot provide reliable advice. A bit dryer might be better, but the seedling will not survive without consistently moist soil.

I have my own little oak that emerged from an acorn. I cherish it for personal reasons but I have no hope that it will ever become a proper bonsai.

I see in the background of your photo a pine seedling.

I infer that you are keen on growing small trees. If so, I would encourage you to plant the seedling in the ground, or at least a very large pot, so they might gain some girth before you begin “bonsai” treatment.

I wish that I could provide better information about your seedling oak, but alas, I cannot as its decline might be do to many causes. If you like you might try a wide spectrum fungicide.

Please let us know if the tiny oak survives!

Yours,
David B.

What fungicides would you suggest? Also i have the option to move it into a larger plant pot so I can do that later. I'm leary to keep moving it around.

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