Transplant shock - To fertilize or not to fertilize?

Being of a "certain age" and wishing to see a tree attain some stature in my lifetime I had a B&Bweeping cherry professionally planted this March 23. The tree is grafted at 6ft. Total tree height at planting is 15' with a 10" spread. It is a 6" caliper tree. The ground is acid, sandy of good fertility with a lot of compost worked into the planting area which is 20x20. At planting the nursery company at my direction put PHC for tree and shrub tranplants from Gardeners Supply Company (mycorrhizae and water holding gel) at the recommended rate in the backfill and mulched. I gave it two doses of ortho upstart, about four gallons each a week apart, over the root ball when it began to bloom. It bloomed pretty good all things considered. I have also watered it every Monday and every Thursday with a slow soak through a ring waterer on a meter. I give it about 300 gallons. The soil is so very sandy here that you can't overwater. Any hole drains in fifteen minutes or less. Plus we are seriously deficient this spring in rainfall. One half inch for the entire month of April! In spite of giving this tree my all it has almost no sign of leafing out. Just a couple of tiny leaves emerging here and there while the flowers are turning brown. My question is - Do I just sit back and fret and keep watering while this tree struggles or do I fertilize? I had not planned on any nitrogen fertilizer until after it leafed out and then at a much reduced rate. Or do I call the nursery and tell them to bring me another one? Help!

The last option. At least ask them to come out and check it over.

Don't fertilize. It's like giving a compound fracture a massage -- only makes things worse! And it might void your warrantee.

Guy S.

starhillforest, I appreciate your taking the time to answer. I suspected I shouldn't do anything else but water but it is hard to sit back and watch. And your right too about calling the nursery. First thing Monday morning I will give them a call. They will probably have me wait it out a bit more until all sign of hope is gone. I am an impatient gardener. That can be a big fault. Good news is it is raining, at last! It remains to be seen if we will get anything meaningful. Thanks again Guy. You stayed the hand of doom. Mary

We all are so much in the hands of nature and Her whims, yet we all struggle on!
Keep the faith --

Guy S.
PS: By the way, do they still make Snapple? I used to love that stuff when it came out back in the early 90s!

I am rarely found without a diet Snapple peach in my hand. In this area it is a popular drink that sells well and can be found in most convenience stores and grocery stores. Believe it or not I heat it up right in the bottle in the microwave and drink it hot for the winter and of course keep them extra cold for the heat in the summer garden. It is surprisingly good heated because Snapple uses a good tea and their flavorings are mostly natural hence they don't impart any funny or off tastes. No, I don't work for them, nor does any family and I don't own any stock. I do add a considerable amount to their bottom line however.
Mary

Snapple is a great example of really blowing an acquisition. Quaker Oats paid $1.7 billion for the brand years ago. Not more than 3 years later, they sold it to Triarc for $300 million. At least Quaker Oats did not destroy the Gatorade brand--it saved their corporate behinds!

Kevin, wow! I knew that initially the problem was distribution. Hard for an independent bottler to get distribution and precious shelf space. All chains expect to be paid for shelf space. Certainly no competitor would put it on their trucks. They all fight visciously for shelf space. Where your product is placed in a grocery store or convenience store plays an immense role in sales volumn. I hadn't followed Snapple for a while and didn't know about the Quaker Oats deal. What on earth did they do? Or didn't do?

I love Snapple, peach and others! Don't do 'diet' drinks tho. I'll try it in the mike, how long do you heat it it up for? thanks.

From room temperature I usually give it 1 min to 1 min 10 seconds. Watch out! Depending on your microwave the bottle could get too hot for comfort. The only drawback is no handle. If I want it really hot I use a pot holder to grab the bottle. I just love Snapple hot in the winter. Come in from shoveling snow or a frosty car ride and in a minute or so you have a great "bottle" of hot tea. No brewing, no tea bags, no fuss! The peach flavor intensifies nicely and the tea is smooth. I still don't like winter though!