New transplanted Dogwood dying quickly

Question

I'm the new father of my first tree: a 7-foot high Dogwood freshly planted by my landscapers in the front yard about a week and a half ago. I live on mostly clay, but the top foot or so is topsoil put down by my builder last year when we built the house, and the landscapers dug a pretty big hole and transplanted the tree with some Pete / Pebble / Sand / Soil mix of some kind. I think they left the root ball intact with the native soil from the nursery. They put a water bag around the base, taught me how to keep it full, and mulched around that.

I put my hose deep into the enclosed pocket of the water bag that you're supposed to keep full and put the hose on a timer so that it runs about 1 minute every 3 hours to keep it full. The water bag seeps water into the ground slowly all day keeping it moist.

When they planted the tree it was green. It is now all brown and dried up. There is one single green leaf left. I've sprayed the leaves with water in the mid-afternoon every day, even a some Miracle Grow canister at the end of the hose. But I feel like I'm losing the battle here.

One thing I learned after the fact is that these trees are not happy with direct sun, and unfortunately there is very little shade in my front yard (hence the reason for planting trees). Between noon and 4 pm, the front yard can get pretty hot even here in Western Massachusetts.

Any advice? Am I doing anything wrong?

Answer 1

You have transplant shock. Get some." Quick Start" made by miracle grow. Use that ,and your not supposed to feed newley transplanted trees for about two to three years. Your giving it to much water also. It needs to dry out a little or you will get root rot. Water every other day,once in the A.M, and again in the P.M. Good Luck Byee

Answer 2

I'd consider moving the tree maybe if you have even a slightly shaded area. Also if you spray the leaves anytime while the sun is out it will burn them. That should be done after the sun has set. Trees usually do well on there own.....It seems it might be being watered to much. Are there any little white bugs or anything like that on the tree? [e-mail]

Answer 3

Dogwoods are an understory tree.  In the wild they grow in the woods or on the edge of the woods where they can enjoy the shade from the larger trees.

Your tree is suffering from being suddenly thrust into a full-sun environment.  It needs to have some shade.

If you have a more suitable spot in your yard for this tree, go ahead and move it now.  It hasn't had enough time to become established in its current home so moving it wouldn't do any more damage.  

Make sure to always plant trees at the same depth they were originally grown.  You can find tree-planting information here:

http://freeplants.com/free-article-sprin...  

Answer 4

You planted a tree in the middle of summer, see if you have a warranty on the tree and maybe your tree man will replant for free this fall.

Wilt pruf is a product you can spray on the foliage to reduce transpiration, that may help reduce wilt and watering. Cornus is host to ...I think its verticillium wilt, so your tree man may be back anyway, take a sample to your county extension agent(twig with a few leaves)two good rules, plant when it's cool, and plant small.