Indian Hawthorn are supposed to be evergreen The winter was unusually cold. They have lost all leaves.
1) How may I determine if the bushes have died?
2) Is it good to trim the bushes while dead looking or should I wait until after they leaf out?
3) Is there something I could feed that might revive them?
This message was edited Apr 14, 2014 3:01 PM
Really sorry RESORT2ME, but I am unable to enlarge the picture you sent to us so therefore don't have a close up allowing me to have a good look at the shrubs.
The best way to tell IF a shrub is stull alive is to use finger and thrumb, hold a top branch between these two fingers and gently scrape away a bit if the bark, IF the wood under the scraped bark is gree / white or cream depending on your eye, it is definitely alive, if it is brown, feels dry it is dead,
To establish how far down the branch the die back has spread, you need to do the same test further down the branch, do several tests over the bush the same way and IF it's brown all over or dry, you can assume there is no life or sap rising in those branches.
At this time of year, the sap should be rising up tree's / shrubs and all other plants, But not yet showing signs of NEW growth. some take longer so best erring on the right side.
It may also be good idea to look for fungus, unusual growth or any diseased leaves laying on the ground under the shrubs as some diseases cause leaf fall and the disease can lay dormant in the soil /fallen leaves for the winter THEN start their life cycle all over again. rake these leaves up and burn.
Hope this help a little.
WeeNel.
The upfront ones are no longer green. (The ones farther out, beyond the magnolia, are holly of sorts.) Everything was green as shown, going into cold winter but the nearer ones (Indian Hawthorn) lost all leaves along with other plants that normally die-back with freezing. So far this Spring, I see no live Indian Hawthorn. Their branches snap off as dead, dry sticks. I'll go further into the plants checking for life. I figure if dead, branches will snap off rather than bend.
I've been in no rush to break them back for fear of doing damage, but here it is mid-April and no signs of life.
Last year about this time, the flowering crab-apple was near full bloom when I found tent-worms in several areas. I wet down the whole tree with Malathion spray. Not only did it get rid of worms but all blossoms dropped also. The leaves didn't appear to look hurt any. Just now I thought of this as maybe the reason these plants look dead. They are planted, wrapped under that tree. It never occurred to me that Malathion would kill Indian Hawthorn.
What might I treat Indian Hawthorn with to counteract my foolishness? Yeah, I know a slap up side the head, but that won't help the plants.
This message was edited Apr 14, 2014 4:04 PM
I am absolutely positive that IF the branches are snapping off like dead wood, then that part of the plant / shrubs are dead. However, as there has been globally such a wide range of climate changes and most gardeners have had a hard time end of last year and start of this one, maybe you can leave the plants in situ for another week or so, just to give them the benefit of doubt.
IF you do more checks and the branches or twigs are still brittle and just snap instead of bending to slight pressure, then I would dig them out, amend the soil with lots of humus before replanting the same or anything else.
Don't beat yourself up too much, we gardeners all make silly mistakes, the good news is, you will be a lot more careful in future when you want to use chemicals, I hate chemicals for the very reason you have found, that is, they don't solve ALL problems as folks think and can, in fact more harmful than saviour.
Hope it's not all doom and gloom but if it is, remember there's always a bright side, in your case, an opportunity to change the outlook you have and get maybe different texture/ colour or even just an open space till you have a firm idea of what the replacement shrubs will be.
take good care and try relax while searching for anything new to replace the losses.
Kindest Regards. WeeNel.
Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis species and some hybrids share this common name) have a pretty strong come back, even if most of the top got frozen. Do the test suggested above (scrape bark with a knife or fingernail and look for green to cream color, not brown). Do this quite low on the plant, perhaps 6" to a foot above the soil.
If it is dead down that far, if there is not any sign of growth, give up.
It might be older plants, they do not sprout very well, or the plant may indeed be dead from the frost.
We also had weird weather, a very early freeze. Plants might have handled that cold later in the season, after acclimating to the approaching chill, but such a sudden extreme chill so early damaged plants that I have not seen damaged for several years.
Thanks for the replies.
If they are stunted but not dead, would it hurt the plants to dig them up, amend and trim and reset? We like the bed shaped as is. I do wish to add some color so most likely the bed will be enlarged.
The best time to lift and replant things that have been growing in your garden / environment is spring time well before the strong summer heat arrives, OR wait till end of season when the temps are cooling down a bit.
The reason to carry out these tasks or in fact any planting / even new plants, is the cooler temps allow the roots to establish quicker, it hot weather the plants use all there energy trying to just get through the heat and in some instances, they are deprived of the extra water they need to stay cool, strong and flower or leaf out depending on the type of plants.
You mostly see parks, planting at these cooler times too, this saves man hours of trying to protect the tree's/ shrubs ect from the heat and constant watering.
Here in Scotland where I live 9West coast , Normally no shortage of rain) I have a vast area of planted shrubs, tree's, and ofcource my favourite Herbaceous borders, Yet I still have to prepare new planting areas for the times when there is not enough rain and the way I do that is within the planting hole for say Shrubs / tree's, I sink a clear plastic juice container into the hole, have cut OFF the bottom and removed the cap, sink the container down into the soil and allow a couple inches above the top soil, when watering, you fill the carton up a couple of times and the water get's way down the roots instead of running off the top soil, even here in my climate, there is a crust forms on the top soil and unless you continue to break this up (impossible in a large garden) then the plants are deprived of the water they need to get them off to a good start.
I actually leave the carton in place for a couple of years IF it's beside a tree and for shrubs, maybe until your happy they are self sufficient to be able to get their roots out to get any water they need. It's also a good way to add feed for the first few years IF that's required.
Hope this helps you out a bit and things are saved.
Best Regards. WeeNel.
Rhaphiolepis are commonly available at reasonable prices.
I would not work so hard to save them. They do get old and have limited ability to come back once they are compromised.
Dig them out and get new ones.
Do some research so you get the right variety. The different varieties grow to different sizes, and have different flower colors.
Have a look into Rhaphiolepis umbellata 'Minor', the Dwarf Yeddo Thorn.
Deep green, almost waxy looking leaves, resistant to the bacteria that makes the leaves get black spots.
Thanks for to replies.
I like challenges before replacement., but that is a thought if the battle is over.
This message was edited Apr 20, 2014 5:06 PM
Yes, if they are showing some new growth by now, they may come back just fine. But if they are stunted, deformed or old then it is not worth trying to save them. Plant new ones before the summer heat makes it harder to get them going.
Now is a good time to check them out in the stores and neighborhoods- flowers are opening.
