Everything is wilting/dying!

15 years ago

Been giving the plants water daily. Planted these all last Monday, has been quite warm. I added several bags of compost and new soil though most was just on top of the existing soil, not worked in much. Has been hot hot the last few days, 90s, but even when it was 70s or 80s things were wilting. My existing plants seem to be doing fine but these are all looking terrible! What am I doing wrong? Were the roots not pulled enough apart? I loosed them by hand but they were still sort of tight. Is the water not getting through the soil enough? Should I mulch? Should I fertilize?

Bee Balm looks great but impatiens and everything else flopping.

Astilbe has buds on the stalk and they are flopping along with the foliage. Coneflower in the back looks awful.

Becky Shasta daisy.

Alyssum and impatiens look sad.

Coneflower.

Snapdragon

I'm very heartbroken!

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Comments (4)

collectordi
15 years ago
I'd recommend water and shade. Water deeply. Let the hose run at a trickle for long enough to soak the plants. Then shade them. Pull some chairs over and spread a sheet between them to shade your plants or improvise something else to block the sun. Impatiens and astilbe should be in shade/part shade anyway. It looks like full sun in the picture. If that's the case you should move at least the impatiens. Don't fertilize! It won't help. Only fertilize plants that are growing well. A couple of cloudy rainy days would do wonders. Then you wouldn't have to water or shade them. Any chance of rain?
mehearty
15 years ago
Why wouldn't you have mulch? I agree with collectordi, but there really does reach a point in our zone that you should not have to water every day. In fact, I have never watered anything that was planted in the ground daily. Mulch will help hold in some moisture and will keep the roots a little cooler. I wonder if you're overwatering?
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silverkelt
15 years ago
I know you cant time everything.. but plant as early as you can.. dont plant near heat waves!

Since you appear to be in one, you need to give them water till they settle in, they have transplant shock.

Mulch does help alot, but not sure it will help in this situation. Ive moved stuff and planted in heat before but usually only 1-2 things so I wouldnt have to worry about having to water a whole garden.

Get shade on them quick, and water mid day if you have to keep them alive. Once you get them to settle in and over transplant shock you will be ok.

Silverkelt
flora_uk
15 years ago
More water. I find it helps to imagine that a newly transplanted plant is basically like a cut flower. Your plants have a mass leaves and flowers to support which are transpiring all the time. They need to drink deep and long to stay turgid until the roots start to grow into the new surroundings and can begin to absorb water efficiently for themselves. Don't just sprinkle - give them a really good soak to the roots every day if necessary until they stay perked up.

This is only for new transplants - the ones which have been there a while have roots doing the work.