tree-today, yesterday & tomorrow

Question

These two trees I purchased last year produce lavendar flowers in two shades and a white one. The nursery owner said it needed direct sun. I planted them where they’d get direct sun most of the day. About 3 mos. later I contacted the nursery owner and was afraid they were dying. He showed me how to make a circle of holes around the trees so as to absorb water better. This has been at least 6 months later and the trees are not thriving. However, the one that gets more shade than the other is keeping its leaves better. Any advice?

Answer 1

I think that they may not be getting enough water. Is your soil sandy? The water may be leaving the soil too quickly. The tree in the shade would do a little better because the water would not be evaporating as quickly. If your soil is sandy, you may want to amend the soil around the trees to help hold water better. At the very least, I would recommend increasing water to the trees, at least for a little while, to see if they improve.

The trees may also have a fungus. Treating the trees with a fungicide won’t hurt them and will help clear up any fungus that may be attacking the trees and possibly causing the leaf loss.