transplant shock

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dooleyworth Saint Simons Island, GA Oct 08, 2006

my neighbor gave me some old holly bushes they wanted to get rid of. we dug them up and rushed them across the street and planted them. four are doing really well but two seem to be in shock. first they went from dark to light green and now the leaves are turning brown. i fed them some milorganite and trimmed the tops but they continue to brown, any suggestions, if i lose them i am going to have one wierd looking hedge as i can't get this size bush here, dooley worth

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ardesia Jacksonville, FL(Zone 9a) Oct 09, 2006

I did the same thing earlier this year - large bushes 2 didn't look like they were going to make it, etc. I poured a whole bucket of Superthrive on the root ball when I planted them and each week for about a month. I have found that helps; I think any type of growth stimulator would help. I think Ortho makes one called Up Start. I also set up a soaker hose on a timer and ran it all along the row of bushes (in my case it was Burfordii hollies and Podocarpus).

It has been about 3 months now and the two that looked dead have come back to life. I have been running the soaker every day for about 15 minutes; just enough to keep the soil moist but not wet. The spot where they are planted has excellent drainage. I was given these shrubs during the heat of the summer which, as I am sure you know, is the worst time to transplant around here. Perhaps you will not have to water quite so much.
Good luck with them. alice

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pdoyle23323 Chesapeake, VA(Zone 7b) Oct 09, 2006

I have done the same thing. Last weekend we transplanted 15 bushes (box hedges) that were a good size. I have been keeping them watered well and gave them a little fertilizer. 2 arent looking good but I do think they will make. Don't give up. I bet the make it.

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dooleyworth Saint Simons Island, GA Oct 09, 2006

thank you both for your advise and encouragement. i need it. . i have been afraid to fertilize them again as i gave them a good dose of millorganite when we transplanted them. i have bought some hollytone which i have had good results with on the rest of my hollies but have been holding off giving it to them hoping the temperature would drop and it has but will go up again in the next days so i am holding off until the weekend when its supposed to get cool again.

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ardesia Jacksonville, FL(Zone 9a) Oct 09, 2006

The starter solutions are not fertilizers but usually are various vitamins like B6; similiar to root-tone. They just encourage new root growth. You can safely use them any season to prevent transplant shock. .

Also, HollyTone (my favorite too) is a slow acting fertilizer; you won't burn anything with that.

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dooleyworth Saint Simons Island, GA Oct 09, 2006

ardesia: thanks, i will check out the starter solutions tomorrow.

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