Spirea leaves are turning brown and falling off but new leaf buds are growing

Question

I purchased 6 new double play spirea bushes this year, they seemed to be doing very well when I planted them several weeks ago but now the leaves are turning brown and falling off. They look like they are dying but upon closer inspection they have tiny new leaf buds on them. This is the 2nd time a couple of the plants have done this. They are planted in a pretty sunny area in a flower bed that has pea gravel on the top and the soil is sandy so it has good drainage. Could this be a watering issue or do you think something else is going on with them?

Answer 1

Do you water these often? They will like a good dry period between watering, so standing in any water can leave them with a fungal infection.

The best thing to do will be to take a soil sample to your local extension service. They will be able to tell you what, if anything, if wrong with the soil and how to correct it.

This link will help you to find the closest one to you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search