My brother lives in Iowa on a hillside that is clay. I have bought him several trees (10+) over the years from Gurney's. Bare root semi dwarfs. Gurney's have replaced them but the replacements die also. Peaches, apples, cherries, apricots. Nothing grows. It leafs out, maybe last the first summer and then dies, not from a lack of water.
The last two years have been wet, lots of rain & flooding. I suspect it is TOO much moisture. He does have three older trees that are growing in the same area.
I am looking for advice for him.
thanks
dan or
It’s hard to envision too much water on a hillside… And the rootstock would address the apples, but what about the peaches, cherries and apricots..? Not that I’ve had good luck with those three either 
though it generally takes longer than one season for them to croak…
You say he has older trees, what are they? Apples are generally bullet-proof -- didn’t the Red Delicious come from Iowa..? Any animals chewing on the leaves? …deer are nearly everywhere… …gophers? …mice? Fenced or mulched..? If he tries again and sees them headed toward death …I’d pull a couple out and haul them to an Extension Service agent, if you’ve any of those left.
Thanks for the replies. If I remember right, the trees that are growing are apples. Type of apple? Well, there is a good question. I have no idea other than one is red and the other is green...
I have been on his place when there is water standing in the rows of corn/ beans in the field for several days. When the clay gets soaked it is nasty....
There are 1000s of deer in Iowa ... they browse just about everything, including trees. But what I saw and my brother has described... is trees leafing out and then dying...
I have researched this a bit... sounds like two choices are in order. 1. Dig the hole and a trench to drain the hole. Fill with a mix of clay and amendments. 2. Build a raised bed/ circle to hold the roots above the soil for the most part.
This is quite a different experience than I have planting in eastern Oregon. Plant, water, and they grow.
dan or
Iowa was inundated with rain last year. Lots of farmers couldn't even get their crops planted. It didn't really stop until sometime in July. Once that clay gets saturated, it's takes awhile to dry out. Making sure you have the right rootstock on an apple (personally I wouldn't even try peaches, cherries and apricots until you figure out apples. If you know how to graft, I'd get some Pacific crab apples and try grafting onto them. They're about the only apple that can handle wet soil.
One thing to consider would be pears. Both Asian and European. They are better able to deal with damp soil. Quince would be another option, but of course they're not all that good to eat off the tree.
The other things to look at are exactly what Viron mentioned. Pocket gophers, voles, moles, and mice can all damage trees. Any evidence of fireblight? Cedar apple rust? Apple scab? Apple tree borers? Does your brother spray them at all? Are the trees located near farm fields?
For a start, I'd try a different nursery. Find one with an excellent garden watchdog rating that is actually located in Iowa. Or at least in a nearby state. They should have a good idea of what will grow there.
Buy from a nursery that will allow you to order the rootstock as well as the variety.
Some of the big national mail order nurseries do not have good customer satisfaction, so just because you recognize the name, it doesn't mean they are good. Some of the best nurseries to order from seem to be fairly unknown outside the serious gardening community. Always check with Garden Watchdog before ordering from a mail order nursery that is new to you.
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