Just make sure that you wash your hands well after touching the plant -- it is highly poisonous! And be especially careful if there are children around...whatever you do, don't ever use an oleander branch to roast a hotdog or marshmallow; a good friend's son died after doing such a thing at a boy scout party. All oleander bushes were removed from the base thereafter.

recent transplants need proper watering.. until they are fully established ... but not knowing where you are.. who knows how long that is ... see link for such

but one thing for sure.. they are not children ... and they most likely.. NEVER need to be fed.... nor diapered.. nor educated.. etc .. and if they are within a few feet of a fert'd lawn.. they will eventually get whatever they need ..

i am surprised a 'gardener' couldnt have told you that.. i suspect you hired a day laborer ... another lost job for a landscaper .....

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

Thank you for the advice!

cski13: I was not aware that red oleander was poisonous! We don't have children but I will definitely keep that in mind when my friend's kids come over to visit.

The warning applies to all Oleanders, not just the red ones, just in case that wasn't clear.

They finally started putting Caution signs on the pots of Oleander at the big box stores. I guess they had too many law suits and figured it was better to let the public know what kind of shrub they were purchasing.

They are probably the most poisonous shrubs commonly grown in the USA.

Lena, please don't be overly concerned about your new oleanders. I've never known a landscaper or nursery employee to keel over from handling them. That includes me and my staff.

It's important to be aware of their toxic qualities, but remember that they are enormously popular plants, for good reason.

I miss oleanders more than any other plant since I moved from the deep south to a colder climate. Such a delightful, delicate fragrance. And once established, they are are super drought tolerant, and thrive in the full, blazing sun.

Rhizo, I agree with you. People just go apoplectic when they hear a plant is poisonous. Little do they realize how many common ornamentals are 'poisonous' to one degree or another. True, Oleander is high on the toxic list but I recently read how rare it is to find a documented case of someone dying from Oleander poisoning, even when it was intentional (as in attempted suicide).

But my question to you, is why have you given up on oleanders. I have reds, magentas, pinks and whites in containers which I protect in a big garage in the winter. They do fine containerized in Zone 7 NJ.

subtropix -- I cannot speak to the frequency of death, but I personally know of one involving a 7-year old, and it occurred due to ignorance that the plant was poisonous. Our time share in CABO has them as part of their landscaping plan and it bothers me so much to watch the small children pick the flowers, run their hands through the admittedly lovely foliage and then put their hands in their mouth or eat "finger food." Knowledge is power, and while Oleanders are indeed beautiful to have in a landscape, people should be aware of potential hazards on their property.