What's going on with my tree?

[nathanp]

It basically needs to dry out and air out and that will take time. Whether you leave it as is or not, it probably needs the rest of the root ball exposed above surrounding soil ground level. I would either move it and replant higher, or leave as is, and unbury the rest of hte root ball. You could always leave that soil lower and put in a retaining wall to keep the surround soil higher. LIke this picture, just completely around it. Just make sure it is far enough from the tree to make the tree's root ball completely unburied.



That does not fix the water problem, though, if the water table remains too high the tree may still 'drown'.

I would not fertilize. Leave it as is for the most part other than letting the tree recover, or not.

It is still early enough in the year that it may recover.

[reed]

As far as taking cuttings, I know it is a pretty common practice but I have never tried it so don't know how it might work.

[kazedwards]

The water is not normally a problem. This year we have had much more rain than normal in a much shorter time span than normal. There is a man made lake near us that has an area that was under water when it was built but that hasn't been so for years. It's now completely cover and then some.

[castanea]

I would take it out, put it back in a pot, keep it in shade for at least a month, and under no circumstances fertilize it. Having said that, I doubt it will survive.