We just planted rhododendroms last week and now they look like they are wilting? We put them in with top soil and peat moss and made sure we dug the hole twice the size of the plant and put it in no deeper than the top of soil and also put some mulch on it…..what have we done wrong? How can I get my shrubs to look healthy again? Thanks
If you have not buried soil or mulch up against the stem (bark) of the plants then I suspect that you are watering too much and drowning them….especially if you have heavier soil and you’ve added peat moss which retains 20 times its weight of water. Newly planted shrubs and trees need to be kept moist but not soggy wet all the time. About the only thing that can cause such a quick reaction is drowning. We’ve had plenty of rain lately so let the dry out a bit so the roots can breath. If things get hot and dry later in summer, you’ll need to water. You can always check before watering. Poke your finger into the soil as deep as you can and if it feels cool and moist, don’t water and check again in a few days.