Hello!
I bought 5 crepe myrtles from Kenny's nursery south of Ocala. They are all pretty big with fat roots that I had to cut out of the pots. One I knew was very iffy - it had a gigantic tap root through the ground cover and the nursery folks were basically going to destroy it, but I bought it. Anyway, that tree and one other, which looked great, though roots had grown to the grown and had to be cut, are seeming to fail. I've stayed on top of watering, even put some polymer crystals in the planting holes along with a bit of bone meal (which has been my practice for a while, but maybe isn't needed here) and compost. Three of the trees seem to be doing ok, but I don't know what to do about the two that are losing leaves that turned yellow. I gave them both some fish/kelp yesterday....

Any suggestions? Just wait and see? I'm told CM are very resilient and tough to kill - but those seem to be the plants I'm really good at killing.

Here is the one with the big tap root on the day it was planted. It's about 3/4 bare of leaves now.

I couldn't get the next two photos to upload, so here is the other one on the day it was planted and yesterday.
Thank you for your help!

Well. fooey...the photos aren't loading. Will try again later. Thank you.

First day in the ground, August 3


Yesterday

Dropping leaves is a tree's defense when it's struggling. I wouldn't discount them yet.

You go and talk to them and tell them how much they are wanted - I love my crape mytles they were the first things I wanted in my garden I have 6 in deep pink and they are just gorgeous. Prince Charles believes in talking to your plants - so it must be right!

LOL
Good news! I was out talking to them today and discovered itty bitty leaf buds on them! Hooray! Also, one of the noid colors bloomed and it's white. I really, really wanted a darker purple and a deep red/pink, but it wasn't in my budget to pick and choose and I didn't want to wait. These were $6 each. So I have three lavenders, one that's pinky lavender, three whites and one more unknown. I did want some white for the fragrance. I have three other CM that were here, but two are in a very shady place, so I doubt they'll ever bloom - not until one of the water oaks go, which I hope won't be too soon. One other is in shade, but not as much - it's pink.

Thank you!

Laura I am glad to hear that - I fancy one of those bright red ones, but what I have seen look a bit straggly, so I will wait until I find a really nice one.

Sometimes CMs get planted too deeply and they drop leaves. I pull back the sand along the base of the trunks.
;)

Hi Sugarweed-thanks for the input. What about azaleas? I'll need another thread for that....

It's easy to bury any plant too deep here in sandy Fla. Easy to get carried away just digging .
Always transplant to the same depth the plant is when you get it.
I have to always watch especially the young fellows if they plant for me.
Sidney

It sure is easy to just keep digging. That's why I got into cooking turkey buried in a pit. Did a big hunk of pork once, too...mmmmmm good.

I try to keep things at the same level and also make a watering ring around them, for big stuff, anyway.