Dying Cordyline
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 |
Dying Cordyline
Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message from DerbyshireDales contains these words: 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? The leaves are doomed anyway and putting too much stress on the minimal roots. Saw the trunk off about 6" above ground level. With luck, new shoots will develop next year, and you'll have a mutistemmed cordyline. One I did the same way last summer (also dug up from neighbour's garden) has three new shoots from the base atm. Janet. Ouch!! Isn't that a bit drastic at this stage?? I've transplanted a Cordy a couple of times without too much trouble. I'd support it with a stout stake either side, a foot or so away, and a cross piece at the height where the leaves start. Secure the trunk to the crosspiece. A good soaking with a bucket once a week should be fine. One time when mine looked poorly, I fed it seaweed extract once a week...........seemed to work. -- ßôyþëtë |
Dying Cordyline
"DerbyshireDales" wrote in message ... 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 .... |
Dying Cordyline
Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message from "BoyPete" contains these words: Janet Baraclough wrote: The message from DerbyshireDales contains these words: Not , IME, once a transplant has reached the "drooping head and leaves turned brown" stage. Did yours have those symptoms and still recover? No, it transplanted quite well. It suffered from pale leaves and brown ends at a later date. -- ßôyþëtë |
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