Sometimes newly planted trees and shrubs fail to establish satisfactorily in the ground. Although they may show some signs of growth, the foliage begins to deteriorate, with leaves turning yellow or brown, shrivelling and falling.
Upon inspection of the root system you are unlikely to see signs of a healthy fibrous root system. The deterioration can take place over several months or be seemingly quite sudden. These symptoms can quite easily be mistaken for under or overwatering, making it important to inspect the plant to rule these out.
The
first step to successful establishment is to start with a
healthy, well-grown plant that you have checked for freedom
from the following potential defects:
- When a bare-rooted plant was planted out was the root system poorly developed? Sometimes bare-rooted plants may have has their roots severely pruned by under cutters leaving little or no fibrous roots.
- Have the roots dried out or been exposed to frost or cold drying winds before planting?
- Were there healthy, tensile roots evident when the container was removed, or were they brown or greyish, disintegrating when teased out?
Were
roots, curled tightly around the soil-ball and at its base,
cramped and restricted? This is commonly referred to as
'pot-bound'. - Was the plant, planted at the correct depth, i.e. at the same level of its original soil level (whether containerised or bare root). Planting at the wrong depth is one of the largest killers of all plants.
- Was the planting hole wide enough to accommodate the roots when teased out?
- Air pockets may be present around the roots. This is due to lack of firming, and not sifting soil between roots, when planting.
The
soil was over-firmed around the roots, compacting it, excluding
air and preventing roots functioning effectively. - Was the plant watered sufficiently after planting? Insufficient watering in the first two years after planting is one of the main causes of failure. Until roots become wide-ranging drought stress commonly occurs even in cool, moist summers.
Attention to these points can make the difference between success and failure.