By Ronb
Powys,
United Kingdom 
I have a Laburnum tree, planted 8 years ago, which had a few flowers the first year but hasn't flowered since. It also loses its leaves early. The soil is loamy, just acid, and has an open aspect. How may I persuade it to flower?
23 Jul, 2013
If a tree tends to lose its leaves early, then the most likely reason is dryness at the roots. If that leaf loss is too early, then it follows that not all the potential mature growth is being made because growth is probably stopping early. Therefore flowering wood is not being produced. A possible remedy might be to mulch the tree in spring to conserve winter moisture. Apart from looking at the soil structure to assess its moisture retention properties, that is where I would start.
W
23 Jul, 2013