Need help with yellow leaves on newly transplanted cherry tree

5 years ago

Hi,

I am new to gardening trees, and I would really appreciate some help from people with some experience.

I got a 4-in-1 cherry tree from Home Depot, and transplanted it in my garden soil about 4weeks ago. I amended soil with compost, manure and small amount of sand. Tree spot gets direct sun from 7am-1pm, and some partial shade after 6pm. I live in Bay Area, and temperature for the last month has been mostly between 57F in night to 85F max during the day with only few days over 90F max.

Soon after I transplanted, bottom leaves started to turn yellow, and fell off. I was watering it every other day after transplanting. After reading online, I thought over watering was the problem. I reduced watering to once a week (for about 10mins). When I check soil, after top 2-3 inches, it feels moist.

Any suggestions what’s going on? How can I help it recover? i hope i can still help it get adjusted to its new home.

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Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
not great time for transplanting..

it is rather stressed ... so its got some yellow leaves .. so what.. vast majority are still green but a bit limp .. thats pretty much a WIN ....

you disrupted the roots... so its not uncommon it cant pump enough water to fill them up completely ...

if you could rig some temporary shade it would help ...

it will take this tree 2 to 3 years to become fully established ... you are responsible for all PROPER water this year.. and in drought next year ... and it should be rather free range after that...

next tree.. do not amend the planting hole .. but what is done is done ... see primer below on tree planting ...

its stressed.. not hungry.. no fert until fall ... if ever.. imo.. trees never need to be fed ...

my number one recommendation is to dig small holes to find out about water at depth.. so good for you ... that you already did such .....let it near dry in between good watering ... it can only pump so much.. so rotting the roots off isnt going to help .... more water isnt going to do any more than it is ....

i have no clue what 10 mins of water means.. that is for you to figure out.. like you are ...

i hope there is no landscape fabric under the rocks.. or what i think is red mulch ... i would have gone with uncolored mulch.. so it fades to grey to match the rock .. but its your choice ....

and lastly .. at the link.. section 1.. TIMING ... next time or for the rest of summer.. if you buy a tree or shrub.. just stick pot and all in shade.. and plant it at the appropriate time.. not when you buy it ... you are not a real gardener. until you have 100 pots to plant in fall ... its all about the timing.. and the stress you avoid.. yours and the plants ....

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
apexit shah thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
Embothrium
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
If you're saying the top ~3 in. of soil is dry when you check you are not watering it enough - that is too far down into the soil for it to be getting dry.

Microsoft Word - Planting fact sheet.doc (wsu.edu)
apexit shah thanked Embothrium
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apexit shah
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 and Embothrium for your comments. Really appreciate your inputs.

I checked moisture level closer to stem (where majority of original root-ball was), it was indeed dryer (even 3 inches below) compared to area nearby. I would start watering closer to stem every 3-4 days to keep that area moist. I hope that should help?.