"DerbyshireDales" wrote in
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Hi
We replanted a cordyline 2 weeks ago taken from our neighbours garden
over the road. Our soil is no different to our neighbours and the new
location is south facing, similar to the old. It is about 4 feet tall
with 2 foot long leaves extending and was in good condition when we
planted it except that the roots were tiny. There were lots of them but
non were longer than 2 inches so we planted it to a depth of about 18
inches to cover all these thin and short roots. We watered it in
heavily but the same evening the plant started to bend near the top and
the leaves all started to droop. We have supported it with some twine
but its only getting worse and the leaves are loosing their green and
have brown tips. My mother is sure we should be watering it everyday
with about 3 buckets of water. We thought that might waterlog it so it
has had 3 doses of my mothers watering and we've given it a bucket on a
couple more occasions spread over the 2 weeks. Its on a the top of a
steep bank (heading down to the road) with shrubs of equal size on each
side but open to the bank side and garden side. Can anybody advise what
we can do to save this mature plant as it is clearly not surviving?
Many Thanks
E & S


--
DerbyshireDales


Rather than soaking the roots and possibly drowning them, i.e
forcing all the oxygen out of the cavities adjacent to the roots,
shade the plant from the sun as much as possible, and keep the
foliage moist with regular spraying to prevent as much
transpiration loss as possible. If you cover it with
thick black polythene this should create a humid atmosphere
which will reduce transpiration. At the moment water
is simply been pulled out of it into the atmosphere.
Most plants, I'm not sure about cordylines transpire through stomata
in the underside of the leaves. So spray there as well. That's
what keeps plants rigid, a solid column of water being drawn
from the roots and transpiring or evaporating through the
leaves all the time. Cutting back the rate of transpiration
and evaporation should reduce stress on the plant until it
has the chance to develop more roots. Keep the stake as it is.

As presumably anything more drastic might disturb good neighbourly
relations. At least this way you're showing you're doing all
you can.

This time of year probably isn't ideal for transplanting either.

Also, ideally you want the soil moist under the roots so they
will go in search of moisture there, rather than simply
flooding the surface. As the roots need oxygen as well.

So cover it up, and get it out of the sun and into a humid atmosphere
so it stops losing so much moisture.

You could maybe uncover it in the evenings for a few hours,
when its really cool, to give it some air.


michael adams



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