American Beauty Berry condition

My American Beauty Berry is drooping and dropping leaves.
It has probably been getting more water then it needs but just wondering if there is another issue. I know they can drop leaves in drought but that is not the case here.,

Overwatering can contribute to several fungi and internal/vascular diseases.
I would rake away the mulch and see if you can encourage more air/water exchange in the soil. The plants need oxygen at the roots as well as water.

I don't think this is an over watering issue since the plant is commonly found on wetlands in the wild.

Elspeth, you say it's getting more water than needed, has that been provided by rain or hand watering?

We have been watering a lawn that has had a difficult time thriving. The record rains have helped but there are spots we are trying to expand. The Beauty Berry is getting that water.

It has been so hot and windy for the last month or so I can't imagine it getting too much water, but any things possible.

I will clean out below the bush and try to rake up the ground a little.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Any time I question myself re water, either lack off or over done, be it a pot grown plant or in the ground, best 1st test is to scrape way some of the soil around the root area and examine the soil left at the roots, if dry, the problem is obvious, IF wet, the plant is drowning with lack of drainage or as you suspected, over watering.

It's so easy to think plants are getting plenty or enough water however, in your temps, a crust can form onto the top soil preventing water penetration getting way down to the roots,
another thing to think about is maybe when you get the wet /dry problem sorted, look out for making a shade for the Plant while it's under stress, I have had to make a quick canopy from an old piece of cloth and 3-4 garden canes just to help keep the DIRECT sun off the foliage as any plant under stress is susceptible to attack from insect Or disease as mentioned above. healthy plants can fight off these problem but not plants under stress and the pictures tell us the plant is suffering from stress.
hope this helps you out and all turns out good, don't expect over night results, it took Time to show you it's unhappy and will be the same to show good health.
Just try the suggestions given first before any other more drastic methods.
Good luck and Kindest Regards.
weeNel.

Thank you. I have scrapped up the mulch and roughed the soil but I think you suggestion of checking deeper is a good idea. The soil does crust.

Thanks to everyone.

This message was edited Jul 31, 2015 10:11 AM

It was the crust. I gave the bush a deep , deep soak. Doing much better.

Thanks again.

That is good.
By keeping the soil roughed up a bit around the plant, then mulching you can run the water for a longer time on a slow trickle and deep soak it as needed.
Are there other plants in your garden that need this sort of treatment?

Great, glad it came around.

Actually there is a Flowering Quince and an Iron plant that are both doing poorly. The Quince is yellowing and dropping leaves and the Iron plant is yellow and sallow. I will try water. Again, I thought over watering with the Quince but maybe nutrients for the iron plant.

Do the same as you did to investigate the problem with the first plant:
Remove enough mulch so you can see the soil.
Dig into the soil enough that you can see if it is damp or dry.

You can also test using a moisture meter. The cheapest is a freshly sharpened pencil. For an established plant stick the pencil into the soil all the way, in several places around the plant, away from the stem. About by the outer leaves;
If the soil is wet the wood on the pencil will turn dark.
If it is dry the wood may pick up a little moisture, or none. It will probably also be difficult to stick it into the soil.

To help the water soak in you can also use a product called a surfactant. These are sold by names like Water Wet, or Water In. You can also use dish soap (like for washing dishes by hand). 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Water the soil around the plant, then add more water to continue soaking the whole root zone, and further dilute the soap.
Loosen the surface soil.
Build a berm around the plant, at least as far out as the outer edges of the leaves.
Allow the hose to run slowly so the water soaks in, does not run off.