<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>I don't know whats more stressed me or my trees! We have had
somewhat of a wet year. My trees have shown signs of water stress in
that the leaves have yellowed on (this is not so now and certainly
not on all trees). I believe that this process is something like:
roots are prevented from taking in oxygen, this effects
photsynthesis, this effects the production of chlorophyl, this
results in less green in the leaves hence yellow.

Now I have noticed recently that some of my trees leaves appear to be
lighter in their shade of green - these are not new leaves.

I will point out here that we are in a fairly heavy clay soil and
that we went from being very wet to very dry very quickly.

I am worried that I have not kept the water up to the trees, mainly
due to the above but also due to lack of maintenance on my irrigation
system (filter was blocked so that water was getting through at much
reduced pressure) and there is no mulch - haven't been able to get
into the fields until recently due to it being too boggy.

You may have noticed that I have been asking about how to measure
soil moisture well until last night I was not overly worried and knew
I would sort sothing out, but I have lost the first of my larger
trees (only just over 12 months in the ground) and do not want to
lose any more.

Appart from digging a hole in the ground to see what the water
penetration is like, what other options do I have to understand what
is happening?

I have a few questions:
Can anyone tell me what the symptoms of under watering are?
Should I look at alternative issues?
Could the lighter colour leaves and death of a tree be the inevitable
result of water stress last year?
Would leaf analysis tell me more- that is, if it is related ot
mineral defficiency or water?
How do I go about getting leaf analysis done is Victoria, Australia?

I know I am showing my ignorance but I'm up for the challenge.

Jon
Wallan, Victoria, Australia
</pre>
</td></tr></table>