EUONYMUS IN TROUBLE!

What is this? From research, I'm afraid it's crown gall, but don't really know. I planted twelve (for a hedge) last April, just at the beginning of our terrible heat and drought. I ran a soaker hose under them as often as possible, but they didn't do well and are now actually smaller and thinner than they were. This one shows the most damage, and scarily, the two on either side of it are not looking good, while they improve somewhat as the distance from this plant grows. I took one up and potted it in October. It is doing quite well. Help!

I see a few things going on in your photos.
Maybe shothole fungus in that first photo, could be a coincidence with the round holes though.

The leaves and plants over all looked pretty stressed, but I don't see any obvious evidence of crown gall. Usually it is on the crown of the plant, but it can be other spots too, either way you would see some rather obvious galls. The leaves are yellowing in a way that is common with over or under watering, the symptoms can be very similar.

Both photos look like they have some sort if twig blight or fireblight.

Have you had your hands in the soil since they were planted, that's where I would look to see what the cause of the problem is. It's possible the transplant stress and heat wave combined could have just been to much for your plants, no matter how much you water, the plant just can't bring up water from the roots fast enough. Stick a trowel in dirt at the edge of where the rootball was planted and see what's going on in the dirt. Check the crown for galls around and just below the soil line, they can hide there too.

Don't be afraid to post more photos too. It's really hard to diagnose plant problems without seeing plants, so photos are the next best thing.

Thanks so much for your reply. I've been so deeply involved in politics all spring I'm just now getting back to my yard and garden. I don't know the terms 'twig blight' and 'fireblight', but will look them up. I've lost three of my original plants and the replacements have the same problem. I should have known better than to bring healthy plants into this situation. I'm in the process of putting the ones I have left into pots. My yard runs downhill, and the soil for the first few plants is just dry dust. It holds no water at all. Farther along the soil gets better, but the plants don't seem to benefit from it. I've decided to take up the entire mess, treat them while they're in pots (if I can determine the proper treatment), and if they get healthy again, replant next spring. In the meantime I'll till up the soil, remove most of the dry sand and replace it with topsoil and 'red dirt'. My first experience of euonymus was about 100 miles north of my present home where it grew beautifully even in front of long abandoned houses. The soil there is mostly iron ore gravel or 'red dirt'. I'm hoping that a combination of topsoil to hold moisture and iron rich soil will make them happy.