Why my PJM leaves are curling

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akirtania Westford, MA Jul 19, 2022

I am a new gardener living in Massachusetts and started a brand new garden with lots of PJM Rhododendrons about 6 weeks ago. A couple of my PJMs are showing signs of stress and the leaves are curling (see the photos). First, I thought it was due to the lack of water even though I have set up drip irrigation for them. I watered them manually too to revive them but they haven't shown any sign of improvement. In fact, some branches of one of the PJMs look dead to me. They are next to my AC units on the West side of my house foundation and receive full sun in the afternoon. Please help with any suggestions you may have. Thanks in advance.

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Jul 28, 2022

I would dig a hole next to those plants, and see how wet the soil is.

Those pictures look just like what I would expect from PJM rhododendrons experiencing "wet feet", or poor drainage around their root systems.

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EmmaOliver New York City, NY Aug 03, 2022

It can be root rot that may occur due to overwatering. Overwatering and poor drainage causes the soil to remain damp all the time and the roots don't get the necessary air circulation.

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kolomikta Somerville, MA Oct 08, 2022

I also live in Massachusetts, and the above answers are wrong. Here's the answer: you planted your PJM at the beginning of a summer of historic heat and drought. (It's better to plant in April and May, though in this case it wouldn't have made much difference.) It's in full sun part of the time, and next to AC units, which generate more heat. That made matters worse. The drip irrigation and supplementary water was not enough. Now that it's fall, cut off the dead branches and plant the rest somewhere else.

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