California Gardening: Newly Planted Weeping Crepe Myrtle, 1 by Twincol

Twincol wrote:
No, it's not really a patented weeping crepe myrtle, but it is weeping, as am I. I purchased and transplanted a 15 gallon Crepe Myrtle, Lagerstroemia "Natchez" bush last weekend. It has a lovely shape and is placed where it is in order to balance off a dwarf Magnolia at the other end of my new front yard landscape design. Both will hopefully provide year round interest, with both their shapes and their bark in the winter. I am delighted with my choices.

The Crepe Myrtle was transplanted at 90 degrees on a day when it the temps rose to 107. I thoroughly watered the material in the hole well in advance of the transplant and watered it some more to insure that any dry pockets were gone. This hole, BTW, was dug out months ago with a tractor-driven drill bit, well into and hopefully through the hardpan upon which most of Fresno sits. The next day, Monday, it was wilted, some of the leaves actually dry, brittle to the touch, tips of some of the smaller branches dried out. Eeeeeeek!

I gave it some more water Monday and Tuesday, and again this morning. I returned home today and it looks less wilty, but that's not to be confused with not wilty. I am so reluctant to keep putting water on it. I know that overwatering and leave a plant look like it's drying out. I just don't know what I should be doing. The temps are over 100 each day, so everything else requires more water. But . . . oh I just don't know what to do.

I'm not sure this pic will tell you much, but here it is. Can you folks tell me what I should be doing with this little girl? I have never paid so much for a plant before this. And then I had to pay to have it delivered. I just don't want to harm it and I am so invested in its shape, multi-trunk presence, I don't want to lose it.

Can you help me, please. What should I be doing? Continue to water daily, covering the top 2-3 inches or so with "rain-driven" water from my watering wand? Or let it dry out a bit? I just don't know what I should be doing with it.

Linda