I need your tree planting experience...

Question

I'm hoping that you can give me some advice with a tree. I bought a 3 foot dogwood tree on Saturday, planted it on Saturday night, turned on the sprinklers for about 15mins. Since we got some good rain on Sunday, I left it alone. Today, ALL the leaves are droopy and they actually feel crunchy. The guy at the nursery said you can over water the tree, and as I was reading online most landscapers agree to not fertilize the first year since you may damage the roots. The tree is only about 3 feet tall, but I did make the hole twice as wide as the container and the same depth as the root ball. I put mulch around the tree but kept it about 4 inches away from the trunk to encourage air circulation. Am I freaking out over nothing, or is my tree dying?

Answer 1

transplant shock. replant it, making sure to tamp down the back fill very firmly.  if it was sold b&b then pull back the burlap and slit the ball. if it was sold in a bucket then check for root bound problems.  loosen and spread out congested root growth.  most important is to pack the dirt tightly.

Answer 2

You can't overwater a new tree/shrub in one day.  Perhaps you could have given it a deeper watering initially but too late now.  If it is summer where you live and you planted it in the sun, all your problems could be related to heat.  Many plants in nurseries are grown in shade house etc, you buy them and take them home and suddenly they are in the sun - droopy and burnt leaves.  If the position has the right amount of sun for your area and the variety you have chosen, leave the plant where it is.  water it deeply and then make sure it doesn't dry out for at least a year.  Don't overwater, just dig down a bit with your finger if it is moist don't water, when it starts to dry out water.

Don't fertilize this will burn the plant and could kill it.  Get some Seaweed extract from the garden centre and water the plant with it, following the directions.  It helps with transplant shock and encourages root growth, but is not a fertilizer.

Your planting method is as taught in horticulture at the moment so nothing wrong with that or the mulching.

If the planting position is suitable I think if you regularly water, new leaves will develop so don't worry about the old ones.  Give it some TLC and you'll find it will bounce back with new leaves suitable to the aspect it is now in.        

Answer 3

Did you plant the dogwood in full sun?

Dogwoods are an understory tree.  In the wild they like to grow on the edge of the woods where they will be shaded by the taller trees.

Go ahead and dig it up now - it hasn't been in the ground long enough to have settled in.  Then move it to a spot where it will receive some shade during the hottest part of the day.  Move it or lose it!

Answer 4

The planting hole is too big,it should only be a little larger than the container.The soil at the bottom of the hole should be loosened prior to planing and compost,peat or leafmould worked in.

After planting back fill with the original soil,enriched with bone meal or similar,the tread the soil firm,afterwards loosening it slightly allowing  water to soak in.The mulch can safely surround the trunk within an inch or so and a stake should have been inserted beforehand for support.

It's unlikely the tree has been over watered,providing it wasn't out of the soil too long before planting the leaves shouldn't be crisp as described.Contact the supplier for their input.

Answer 5

Its a young plant, it may just be in shock.

As well, is it getting enough shade? The sun may be scorching it if its in the sun for the majority of the day. Young plants usually benefit if they have some shade as the sun changes posititon in the sky during the day.

Try buying some miracle grow. Apply some drops, then give it some water. If its not getting enough nutrients due to the shock, the miracle grow might just perk it back up.

Answer 6

The best thing would have been to add rooting hormone and bone meal in the hole before you planted the tree.  You could probably dig it up and try again, since it's only been a day.  Also cut off some of the roots to encourage the tree to grow new ones.