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Why Did My Persimmon Trees Die?

Finally, I succeeded growing a persimmon tree after failing three times in a row. Below is a Giant Fuyu persimmon tree that I recently planted in the winter. I bought it as a bare-root stick from a mail order nursery. Now, it is one of the fasting growing fruit trees in my backyard. Although too young to have fruits, persimmon glossy large leaves make it beautiful to look at and quite ornamental. Before this, I have planted one potted and two bare-root persimmon trees which died after a few months in the ground. Here are the three mistakes that I made.


Giant Fuyu persimmon tree
Giant Fuyu persimmon tree after 5 months in the ground


Planted It Too Low

My backyard has dark rich clay soil that can be hard as rock during drought or turns into a long-standing puddle when it rains. No fruit tree likes constant wet feet. When I pulled the dead persimmon tree out of the ground, there were barely any roots. To help with drainage this time around, I planted the Giant Fuyu tree on a mound with grass cutting and dried leaves mulch.

Watered Too Much

From my experience, persimmon trees do not like tab water. When it was hot during the summer, I watered daily, thinking it would help. However, the tree just dropped its leaves then died. This year, I have not watered the new persimmon tree. It has been raining at least once a week and the tree seemed very happy. I plan to water it only when there is a drought.

Put It in the Ground When the Weather Was Hot

During the spring, it is normal for the temperature in Houston to be in the 80s and 90s degrees Fahrenheit. I remember putting a bare-root persimmon tree down in May when it was hot outside. It grew a few small leaves, then dried out and died. The sun and the heat can put a lot of stress on the plant, so give it enough time to adjust. This January, I planted the Giant Fuyu when it was cool outside. With ample of time, it was able to grow full leaves before Texas got hot.

 

If your persimmon tree died and the suckers grew from the rootstock, it might be easier to graft next year then starting over again. Below is a Hachiya persimmon which I bud grafted on a tree that died last year.


grafted Hachiya persimmon tree
Hachiya persimmon, bud grafted in March

Follow Up on Their Growth


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Location: Houston, TX, USA

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