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Chinese CH, leaves falling off rapidly, newly planted

OnlineHarvest
12 years ago

Hi,

I just planted a climbing chinese climbing hydrangea 3 days ago. When in the pot, the plant looked healthy. Now, the leaves are falling off at a rapid rate, some browning/wilting.

I applied the root boster for plants when transplanting, perhaps a little higher concentration than I should of. I know it shocks the plant to focus on root production. Is that a simple explanation why the leaves are falling off (plant is totally ignoring above ground right now, all root production, especially considering I added more root booster than I should have)?

Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but an animal also dug down to below the plant in search of the bone meal I placed when planting. Lousy critter! Made a mess...

Your help is appreciated.

Comment (1)

  • luis_pr
    12 years ago

    At this time of the year, the weather and transplant shock can play a number that causes the symptoms that you see. Wilting indicates that the plant is losing moisture through the leaves faster than it can absorb it through the roots. Wind promotes moisture loss this time of the year. And hot temperatures help the moisture evaporate. As the loss gets bad enough, the leaves turn breown from the edges inwards. Disturbing the roots definitely does not help. But I do not think root stimulator is a problem unless you added too much.

    Transplant shock covers a plethora of symptoms where the shrub reacts to your garden environment to indicate that all is not well because the shrub does not like something. Most hydrangeas get over transplant shock in one year but others will need two years. After that, their wilting episodes are reduced but do not disappear forever; they will likely return during the worst of the summer season.

    Suggestions:

    Make sure that the plant is well mulched with 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm) of organic mulch at all times. Make sure you water early in the morning, starting with the rootball and moving outwards. It is not necessary to water the leaves.

    One gallon of water (3.8 liters) per watering should be enough. To prevent root rot, do not water again if a finger inserted to a depth of 4 inches (10cm) feels wet. Since the root system of new shrubs is small and limited, water often but not if the soil feels wet. Every three days may be fine. Every two days may be necessary if the location is windy.

    Which leads me to another suggestion, add a windbreak of some type if the location is windy and temporarily protect it from sun if it is getting sun after 12pm. You can discontinue that when temperatures go down. Most likely, sensitivity to the sun will not be an issue next year if the plant becomes established in your garden.

    The minute temperatures begin to come down, you can reduce the frequency of waterings to those times when a finger inserted to a depth of 3-4 inches (7.6-10cm) feels either dry or almost dry. But provide water is your winter is dry and the ground has not frozen.

    Do not feed the plant until next year. The potting mix probably contains those round fertilizer pellets that the whosale nurseries use so none is needed this year. Besides, you should never apply fertilizer to a stressed plant.

    Good luck,
    Luis

    PS - I have had three of those "animals" in my yard. They killed a hydrangea last year trying to get to the cottonseed meal. Oh those pooches.... sigh.... Hee hee hee!