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hermhart

Should I give up hope on my newly transplated redbud?

hermhart
12 years ago

We got a redbud sapling (about 10" long including root) by mail. We were told it would come at the right time for planting. It arrived in early December of 2009. We planted it then. In the spring it sprouted and made a healthy looking little plant about 2 feet high. However, it was in the wrong location so around October of last year we transplanted it. Info I gleaned said that transplanting time was not critical. I was able to keep a little of the soil around the roots intact, but lots was exposed. It quickly lost its leaves but we kept it watered until frost. Now spring has come and it looks very dead. Even lower bark is breaking open. Other redbuds in this area haven't bloomed quite yet. Did we do something wrong? Should we give up hope on it?

Comments (5)

  • gardenscout
    12 years ago

    Definitely don't give up on it. I have one from a clearance sale that was seriously rootbound and has been in the ground for two years now. It is just now starting to push buds out, although it looks completely dead.

    Lightly scratch a tiny spot of the skin off of the bark with your fingernail and you will probably see a bit of green and white. Where there is green there is hope. Don't prune or fertilize or do anything to it, and I bet in a few weeks you will see some leaf buds start to swell.

    Each year I am amazed how long it takes to wake up. It is worth the wait!

  • oakiris
    12 years ago

    Well, from your description, it sounds as if it is not very lively anymore, especially if there are no buds yet and if the lower bark is splitting. Use your finger nail to gentle scrap away some of the outer bark on the trunk to see if there is any green.

    I think you may have transplanted the tree too early, since you wrote that "it quickly lost its leaves" after you transplanted it. Most trees should be transplanted when they are dormant; for deciduous trees, this means after the tree has "shut down" for the season, as in after leaf drop, (but before the ground has frozen,) or early in the spring before it has begun to bud out.

    Holly

  • oakiris
    12 years ago

    Hello again hermhart.

    My statement Use your finger nail to gentle scrap away should have been "gently scrape away."

    So I took a while to post my response because I am at work and got distracted by work.... :-) and gardenscout had already told you to check for 'livliness' with the bark trick, which is a good thing - otherwise you might be wondering how you were supposed to "gentle scrap" the bark. :-D So much for previewing my post!!

    Holly

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    12 years ago

    LEAVE IT ALONE ....

    reds bloom first.. and you say the local ones havent bloomed yet.. so how do you come to the conclusion yours isnt alive ...????

    it would not surprise me if yours does not bloom .. due to transplant stress

    so all you are left with is to wait until others leaf out.. and see if yours does ... of what good would scratching the bark do.. if no other trees have leafed out????

    wherever you read .. that timing of transplant is not important.. try not to go there for further info ... but regardless of that.. oct was perfect timing ... we move trees w/o leaves.. or just prior to leaf loss ...

    it is possible .. and if it is not grafted.. that it can die to the ground and still recover.. plain old RB are not that foo foo ....

    you are way to anxious.. and way to early.. to be doing anything about it.. other than perhaps trying to kill it with too much move ...

    give it a month.. let us know ..

    ken

  • hermhart
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks to you all for this excellent and encouraging advice.