As part of my overall landscape design I just planted a "meadow" of Berberis "Rosy Glow" (I know I know not the first shrub you may associate with a meadow...!) The soil is blue clay topped up with about 10" of compost and mushroom mix, full sun, zone 5b, assisted transplant with Mike's.

Some of them are starting to lost their leaves and it strikes me as a little early. It has not been particularly cold in the North East, rain has been heavy at times but generally average since I planted, (therefore I think root rot, despite the clay, is unlikely at this point).

Should I worry?

Thanks

Ian

If the original root-balls have gotten dry, the 'Rose Glow' will roll their leaves before dropping them.

If you are saying they are planted in 10" of two kinds of compost, then as this material decomposes over time the whole is going to sink down onto the original clay-like soil. The shrubs would have been much better off being planting directly into loosened existing soil, without amendments, or if for some reason that soil was really unsuitable then they should have been planted in a new layer of better soil (consisting mostly of sand, silt and clay) put over the top of the original dirt, without any blending together of the two.

Where there is a problem with flooding and puddling the answer is installation of a drainage system.

The 10" i was referring to was above the blue clay, built up to grade. A 10" mix of mushroom mix soil conditioner (not sure if this is common in other areas but around here mushroom mix refers to the soil created at a local mushroom grower, the fully decomposed end result of the mushroom growing medium, post mushroom harvest) and a little more compost mixed in for good measure. I prepd the soil in such a way to get a good start at breaking down the clay underneath and build a proper layer of humus.

Where I now understand I may have gone wrong is that in the meantime the water will just drain down to the clay and sit there, drowning out the roots. I guess Im now wondering just what degree of saturation is really going to kill my Berberis.

Slope in the area is not so pronounced but is going toward the street. No problem with flooding or puddling just soggy soil (an inch or so of boot sink) for a day or two after the heavy down pours we have been getting lately, but mulch is helping to absorb a lot. No serious drainage solution was necessary, my strategy was to begin breaking down the clay by amending the soil over time through continuously adding compost for aeration and to build nice layer of humus.

I will do a test dig tomorrow to check the lower part of the root ball but after digging in other areas of the property I'll be surprised if I find any severe saturation.

All my other plants in the same general area are doing fine such as
Purlple Leaf Sandcherry
Amelanchier
Weigelia Wine and Rose
Boxus Green Mountain
Euonymus Burning Bush

Thanks