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marjan12

My shrubs & trees are dying - please help

marjan12
13 years ago

HI everyone -

We bought some foundation shrubs/trees about a month ago and they look bad, really bad (pic attached.)

There are 3 green mountain boxwoods, 1 golden mop, 1 montgomery blue spruce (and some nana junipers...)

We put in potting soil when we planted them, they are in full full sun, and we water them twice a day.....

Please, please...does anyone have any ideas?

(p.s. - We are outside of Boston and it's been too too hot lately)

!!! Thanks

Comments (7)

  • marjan12
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Pic attached...thx

    Here is a link that might be useful: pic of dying shrub & tree

  • jean001
    13 years ago

    With recently planted woodies, the usual problem is water,either too much or too little.

    The key is to maintain and evenly moist rootball until the roots can extend into the surrounding soil, a process that usually requires 2 years.

    So stick your finger into the top of the original rootball. Is it dry or wet?

  • Marie Tulin
    13 years ago

    May I ask why you used potting soil? Generally, unless your soil is truly awful, woodies should be planted in the soil they are going to grow in. In a hole one and a half to 2 time the width of the rootball and the same depth as the rootball. Make a temporary well or moat around each to hold the water longer after it is watered.

    I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong, but when you are expecting a week of cooler weather or better yet a week of rain and drizzle, dig them up and replant them in good old regular garden soil or a mixture of some compost and your garden soil.

    No peat moss! No fertilizer! Not too deep!

  • stimpy926
    13 years ago

    Mulch those plants!

  • subtropix
    13 years ago

    No offense, but they look like they're growing on the surface of the moon. Don't know where you are located, but locally in the Mid-Atlantic region and into the NE we're in the middle of a rather serious drought that has brought temps into the 100's.--Nothing would survive transplant into my yard at this point in time--except cactus. I see native, drought tolerant plants dying! Hard to tell from a picture, but your soil may need to be amended with humus and peat (I'm not opposed to improving the soil if the local soil is poor.) With some human effort, soils can improve over time. A second recommendation I would make is that you MULCH the area around your plants--will help with soil moisture and temperature regulation. Hopefully you did not plant too deeply as the above poster warns. Also, agree that you should not be fertilizing at this point. But Idabean,"A week of rain or drizzle"!--I feel like it hasn't rained since March around here! Good luck.

  • hydrangeasnohio
    13 years ago

    If I still had my receipt I would return them. Then wait for Fall to replant or atleast some cooler temps. Even if they would recover it will take a season or two to get back to what they looked like when you purchased them. And of course mulch them next time after planting.

  • User
    13 years ago

    Go read what was on the bag of soil you planted them in.
    Does it say Garden soil? or Potting soil?
    If it says potting soil, you planted them in the wrong soil. You can't leave them in that.
    Go to the garden place you bought them at, and buy garden soil. Is you soil bad? Is that why you planted them in soil?
    Then, while you are there, buy at least 1 big bag of mulch per plant. If you bought 5 plants, you would buy 5 bags.
    Dig up the soil if it was potting soil and replace with the garden soil.
    THen Put all the mulch down, one plant at a time, nice and thick but NOT UP to the stem, around the plant.
    Don't water them 2 times a day.
    Twice a week unless it rains.
    The mulch is soooo very important both for the heat and in the winter when it is cold.
    Your plants should be ok with the right soil and mulch.
    Remember, the more mulch the better.
    Mulch is your friend.