Shrubs are dying after bird of paradise removal

Question

We removed a 5′ tall bird of paradise plant 3 years ago and replaced it with some Pittosporum silver sheen. I replaced one plant already twice and another one just died after 2 years. All plants are not really growing in that area. Could it be because of some old roots left over in the soil from the bird of paradise? Any ideas?

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Answer 1

If the root ball of the bird of paradise was not removed, it could cause problems growing other plants. Bird of paradise creates a dense, strong root system that could prevent other plants from putting roots into that area. I recommend digging up the area to try to get the majority of the roots out.

Another issue could be nutrient depletion. Adding some compost or fertilizer or taking other measures to build up soil fertility should help.