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Hello! I am new to gardening and need some advice on Dappled Willow (Hakuro Nishiki type). I just planted it about a 3 weeks ago in full sun location. I noticed that some of the pink leaves are drying out and turning brown while green leaves are turning yellow and are falling off. I have been watering daily to help the plan establish. Is it getting too much water? Or not enough? I checked the soil and it was moist but not soaked. I used shrub soil for planting and the area drains pretty well. I noticed that the plant flyer recommended part shade, although I am finding online that dappled willow can also grow in full sun. I am not sure what the problem is, but I don't want to lose this plant. I live in zone 5.
Your problem sounds like a water issue to me. How are you watering it? Just a little each day? With any new tree, I put plenty of water into the planting hole before I put the tree in, backfill with soil, and water again and then I mulch it well. After that, I give it a good soaking about once a week by laying the hose at the base of the tree and setting the water to a slow trickle--I leave that for at least 1 or two hours, depending on how dry it is. A good deep soaking encourages any plant to put down deep roots whereas shallow watering can cause it to develop shallow roots.
I watered it daily for the first two weeks, but sounds like it was shallow watering from your description. After I noticed the issues with leaves, I switched to watering every three days or so. But I might still be over watering it. Sounds like I need to start watering weekly and do a deep soaking instead.
It may also be transplant shock. You may want to use a transplanter fertilizer (avail. @ home depot or Lowes) It is a liquid that you dilute with water and water your tree with it. It has a high phosphorous (middle number) for root stimulating and IBA (Indole buteric acid) which is a rooting hormone. It helps the plant overcome the stresses of transplant shock.
In reference to the product momo125 is talking about: Miracle Grow makes one called Quick Start which I always use when transplanting. You could also try a product call Super Thrive (Wal Mart usually carries it). It's not a fertilizer so won't burn the roots of your new plant. It's a mix of vitamins and hormones and does wonders for plants. It might help your ailing tree.
Thank you all so much for your recommendations. The more I read about it, the more I think that it might be transplant shock. I will give it Super Thrive a try.
I wonder if a period of benign neglect might not be in order EXCEPT to learn its watering needs and follow them faithfully. The tree is going to have to live under the conditions it's in. If someone is in CCU, the solution is not to feed them well. Many companies sell many products that allegedly do this and that for a plant. Certainly a fertilizer with a formula based on an analysis of your soil would be advisable in half doses in the spring and fall, but not while the tree is under stress. You probably know that autumn is the ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. They have all winter then to develop a sound root system.
Unfortunately, yellow leaves are both a sign of overwatering and underwatering.
Good luck! If you have to replace the tree, please do it in the autumn.
I have a dappled willow, trained as a standard (pic below), growing in full sun here in Arkansas and have had no problems with leaf-burn. Also, though Dappled willows are more acceptable of dry soil than most willows, they are still a willow and can tolerate much water, I have several grown from cuttings in wet mud along a pond and they are thriving, both in shade and sun. My large trained one is growing in soil that has been constantly saturated by our record rain over the last year. You should not have a problem with overwatering, it does sound like more of a transplant issue, though most willows are among the easiest of plants to transplant, hot weather, hot winds, and full sun could exacerbate any transplant stress and cause your leaf problems. And my experience with several different willow species/cultivars has been that while fertilizer may get you even more rampant growth, most willows are perfectly fine without it. Good luck!
I treated the tree to some Quick Start about a week ago. I did notice that the plant grew since it got planted, so it's a good sign. It also seems like the leaves stopped turning yellow/brown. Hopefully, it was just a transplant shock and it's finally getting over it.
Just wondering how your willow is doing? I have transplanted one on the woods and have one in a container. Both get ample water...and some neglect, but are both doing ok.
THIS IS A QUESTION FOR PEACHESPICKETT. HOW DO YOU TRAIN IT INTO THE SHAPE OF A TREE? YOUR PICTURE OF YOUR TREE IS AWESOME! I WANT MINE TO LOOK THE SAME. I HAVE THREE, ONE IS A SHRUB. THE OTHER TWO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MINIATURE TREES, ACCORDING TO THE TAG WHEN I BOUGHT THEM. BUT SO FAR THEY ARE LOOKING LIKE SHRUBS TOO.
