another "dead or not"?

10 years ago

My question is similar to subk3's "Dead for now or really dead?"

Last year I had a Chaucer which I killed with too much fertilizer after potting it up. Leaves all turned yellow and canes went brown.

I put it in the pot ghetto hoping it might come back. I don't remember seeing green on it again for the rest of the year. But recently when I went to move the pot I noticed it had rooted through into the ground. Could it have done that with no green?

I left the pot where it was, and my question is should I continue to leave it alone and hope for growth in the spring? Do you think the growth will come from the roots in the ground, and so should I move the pot out of the way?

Or could it have rooted through into the ground and then died completely?

I'm inclined to just leave it be for now, but thought I'd ask if anyone had a similar experience.

This post was edited by bellegallica_zone9 on Sun, Feb 16, 14 at 16:48

Comments (4)

jacqueline9CA
10 years ago
Again - PATIENCE! I would leave it completely alone. Do not move the pot. If it is alive, it will eventually sprout some new top growth. What I would do then is dig all around the pot to dig up as much of the roots as you can, cut or break the pot away from the plant, and plant it the ground (at the same level as the top of the dirt was in the pot) where it can get some sun. Then I would cut off ONLY any completely dead parts, and let it alone to re-grow more roots. Make sure it has adequate water, but DO NOT feed it (since you say you almost killed it by overfeeding already) until 6 months after you see brand new sprouts. Fussing with it now will probably just kill it for sure. You do not need to know whether it is dead right now or not - just wait and you will find out.

Jackie
cath41
10 years ago
Even though when that happened to me it turned out to be a walnut tree produced by a nut squirrels had deposited in the pot, I would still wait until it leafs out before doing anything. Then you can see what it is and whether it is robust or spindly and make your decisions accordingly

Cath
seil zone 6b MI
10 years ago
My question is was this an own root plant or a grafted one? If it's an own root do what the others have said. If it was a grafted rose it's probably just the rootstock growing and the grafts have all died off.
User
Original Author
10 years ago
It is an own root plant.

I never thought it might be something else in the pot.

I will leave it alone and wait to see what, if anything, comes up.

Thanks!