Carolina Allspice or Sweet Shrub

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lotus75 Sacramento, CA Mar 02, 2010

Hi. I hope somebody could help. I am worried about my Sweet Shrubs, I got them bareroot through the mail. I planted them per instructions in a flower bed with some good soil in a protected area near the house. This was about early November. I'm in zone 9 so I think they did ok through the winter. They aren't dry or breakable. However they are still looking like the sticks I first got through the mail. I am afraid they aren't going to leaf out. Can anyone give me some advice on how to care for them better or is it too late? Thanks!

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missingrosie Hillsborough, NC(Zone 7b) Mar 02, 2010

My experience - beware those sticks. They will take off like nobody's business. Seriously, I think if it doesn't look dead - it aint. The bush will pop out from underground all new shoots once it gets established.

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flowAjen central, NJ(Zone 6b) Mar 02, 2010

I usually stay clear of bare root plants, but that's just me.
If you are worried they are dead, do a scratch test with your fingernail. Just scratch a little bark off and see if there is green under there, if there is they'll be fine.

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flowers_delight Leicester, NC(Zone 8a) Mar 02, 2010

lotus75, take my advice and don't order anymore of them. I too did stick gardening, and they are cheaper, but takes years to grow to any size. I have an Indian Hawthorn that started from a stick and planted around 5 years ago and it is just now about a foot tall, Just not worth the wait. Go to a nursery and spend a little more and get a grown shrub,you will be less frustrated .

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Mar 02, 2010

these are fairly fast growers but they are late to bud out in spring...just be patient.

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lotus75 Sacramento, CA Mar 03, 2010

Thanxs guys.....All your responses have put my mind at easy. I'll see what happens. Funny though I emailed the company Greenwood Nursery where I got them, thinking I would get some real good advice about them, but still no response.

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missingrosie Hillsborough, NC(Zone 7b) Mar 03, 2010

they figure if they can hold you off for long enough the sticks will do their spring thing and then they won't have to answer you. They probably get a lot of 'is this dead?' mail and if they promise to replace within a year..it pays to wait before replace.

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