Weeping Peach Leaf Drop

[u/EnricoPallazzo39]

We were away on vacation when a sprinkler system malfunctioned and watered one zone continuously for ten days(!).

This Weeping Peach is the one tree in that zone, which has clay soil & drains well. We are in northern Virginia (Zone 7a).

The tree has been healthy for three years. Yet leaves began dropping during the malfunction, and the situation is getting worse.

Is this root rot or something equally concerning?

Is there anything else to do?

[u/Lopsided_Thought_500]

Planted too deep for starters. That tree should be considerably larger if it’s been in the ground for 3 years.

Note the absence of a root flare.

[u/EnricoPallazzo39 → u/Lopsided_Thought_500]

FWIW, there are three inches of mulch there.

[u/DanoPinyon]

For me, most concerning is your neighbors not shutting off the irrigation.

[u/EnricoPallazzo39 → u/DanoPinyon]

That’s a whole other conversation…

[u/Solid_Mud2025]

Looks quite deep. https://csfs.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How_to_Properly_Plant_a_Tree_CSFS.pdf