We planted two of these 2 1/2 weeks ago. One now has curling leaves, some
misshapen and was full of tiny spiders and inchworms.

The lady from the "Master Gardener" program told me they need more water.

The nursery that grows them and sold them to me told me they were over
watered.

These rhodos are foundation plantings planted in a mixture of humus/manure,
peat, and topsoil. The ground drains well around them. We've had a very wet
year in MA in general, so the ground has been damp, but it hasn't rained
much the past couple weeks.

I gave the wilting plant a spraying with insecticidal soap

Do I water or not water?????

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm

"Jenny" wrote in message
...
We planted two of these 2 1/2 weeks ago. One now has curling leaves,
some
misshapen and was full of tiny spiders and inchworms.

The lady from the "Master Gardener" program told me they need more water.

The nursery that grows them and sold them to me told me they were over
watered.

These rhodos are foundation plantings planted in a mixture of
humus/manure,
peat, and topsoil. The ground drains well around them. We've had a very
wet
year in MA in general, so the ground has been damp, but it hasn't rained
much the past couple weeks.

I gave the wilting plant a spraying with insecticidal soap

Do I water or not water?????

Unfortunately, not a simple answer without seeing the plants and knowing the
conditions. Both overwatering and underwatering can produce the same
distressed appearance. Check to see how deeply they were planted - the top
of the root ball should be slightly higher than the surrounding soil. Even
in damp weather, newly planted shrubs and trees will need a good soaking to
settle them in, then only water again - deeply - when the top 3-4 inches of
soil becomes dry to the touch. Continue this practice throughout the growing
season.

The insects are an indication the plants are stressed. Relieve the stress
and the insects will take care of themselves.

If I had to bet money on the problem, I'd guess first the rhodies are
planted too deeply - a very common planting mistake.

pam - gardengal

same with mine. did a nose dive two winters ago and has never seemed to recover.
dont think it is reliably hardy in zone 5. Ingrid

"Jenny" wrote:
We planted two of these 2 1/2 weeks ago. One now has curling leaves, some
misshapen and was full of tiny spiders and inchworms.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
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endorsements or recommendations I make.

Pam,

They look like they're planted okay as far as the top of the rootball goes.
There was a bit of settling towards the back of the plant, and I brushed the
soil back just to be sure.

It sounds like I did overwater. I'll let them dry out and see if that
helps.

Thanks!

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm



"Pam - gardengal" wrote in message
news:Jwoqc.73961$xw3.4095797@attbi_s04...

"Jenny" wrote in message
...
We planted two of these 2 1/2 weeks ago. One now has curling leaves,
some
misshapen and was full of tiny spiders and inchworms.

The lady from the "Master Gardener" program told me they need more
water.

The nursery that grows them and sold them to me told me they were over
watered.

These rhodos are foundation plantings planted in a mixture of
humus/manure,
peat, and topsoil. The ground drains well around them. We've had a very
wet
year in MA in general, so the ground has been damp, but it hasn't rained
much the past couple weeks.

I gave the wilting plant a spraying with insecticidal soap

Do I water or not water?????

Unfortunately, not a simple answer without seeing the plants and knowing
the
conditions. Both overwatering and underwatering can produce the same
distressed appearance. Check to see how deeply they were planted - the top
of the root ball should be slightly higher than the surrounding soil. Even
in damp weather, newly planted shrubs and trees will need a good soaking
to
settle them in, then only water again - deeply - when the top 3-4 inches
of
soil becomes dry to the touch. Continue this practice throughout the
growing
season.

The insects are an indication the plants are stressed. Relieve the stress
and the insects will take care of themselves.

If I had to bet money on the problem, I'd guess first the rhodies are
planted too deeply - a very common planting mistake.

pam - gardengal

"Jenny" wrote:

Do I water or not water?????

Check the soil around the roots and see if it is wet or dry. You only
water when it starts to get dry. You need to water often until the
roots get established. Was it containerized or B&B? If B&B it should
not have too much stress if the root ball was not disturbed. If it is
containerized, it may have been potted in bark dust and the roots will
not come out of the bark dust sometimes. They are much more difficult
to get started. Most rhodies grown in the west coast (USA) are shipped
in bark dust.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Stephen,

The rhododendron was grown by the nursery I bought it from. They have many
acres of plants out back growing in rich Connecticut river bank soil. The
plant was only about 18 inches high and appears to have been recently dug
from a field and put into a plastic 3 gallon container. If I recall
correctly, when we took it out of the pot, it did not have a whole lot of
roots wrapped around it the way a lot of plants you buy do so I figured it
had been recently dug. .

All the other stuff I bought from them including a twin of this plant is
doing fine. They do have a one year guarantee so if it dies I get a new
one. .

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm



"Stephen M. Henning" wrote in message
news
"Jenny" wrote:

Do I water or not water?????

Check the soil around the roots and see if it is wet or dry. You only
water when it starts to get dry. You need to water often until the
roots get established. Was it containerized or B&B? If B&B it should
not have too much stress if the root ball was not disturbed. If it is
containerized, it may have been potted in bark dust and the roots will
not come out of the bark dust sometimes. They are much more difficult
to get started. Most rhodies grown in the west coast (USA) are shipped
in bark dust.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman