Q.Why Is My New Silver Sheen Getting Dry, Crunchy Leaves And Dying?
Please help! I just planted new 5-gallon silver sheens. Three of them got crispy and died, so I replaced them. Of the new ones, the one that is in full sun every day is starting to get dried, crispy leaves. I’ve been watering them quite a bit since they’ve only been in the ground about 10-14 days (nursery told me the new plants would need a lot of water) and it’s been close to 100 degrees in LA. By quite a bit I mean spraying them with a hose for 30 seconds each (daily) and running a drip irrigation for 30 mins every other day. I’ve been watering the crispy one extra, but it seems like I’m losing 🙁 I added a photo of the new one and the old one. You can post the question/answer to send it to me directly – either works!
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
This drought tolerant, hardy plant has one kryptonite... Wet soil.
This shrub will appreciate drier conditions, so you should let the soil dry out, thoroughly, down to about 3 or 4 inches between waterings. Likely, unless you are experiencing a drought, you will not need to water at all.
I would treat with a fungicide, and keep the soil more on the dry side. Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/pittosporum/growing-japanese-pittosporum.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/using-fungicides-in-garden.htm
