Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Morello Cherry & Dwarf Salix Help please.

lmtetselllmtetsell Posts: 10
in Problem solving
Hi all, new to Gardeners World and gardening!

We moved into our first house 8 months ago. The garden was a real mess and I was keen to get green-fingered. I planted lots of seeds indoor ready to plant out and have done well with my veg plantings, they're all doing well. However I'm struggling with two trees I brought in, a dwarf Salix and a Morello Cherry.

I had 4 trees, the two above also a dwarf apple and small cherry blossom. The latter two are thriving well, full of lovely leaves but the salix started and now lost everything, it's tips turned black. I moved it's position and I've chopped all the tips off but it's not doing well. And my Morello started to bud then they've all turned brown and stopped. It's gone really dull along the branches. Are they poorly? Have I done something wrong? 

They're in a good organic compost. Watered well, good drainage. Cherry is in a good sunny spot that is shaded towards end of the day. And I've popped the salix in a shadier place today. 

Thank you for any help in advance. 
«1

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    edited May 2019
    Are they planted in the ground? It does sound like a watering problem. Especially if you saw buds forming and then drying up. The twig you are holding is showing dying back, but that could be from frost damage to lack of water.

    Last year, it was pretty dry and hot. Any newly planted shrubs will have needed more care and watering. The winter has also been dry too. Willows need a lot of moisture to be happy. Not sure what type of soil you have but, if it's free draining, it will need bulking up with more well rotted manure and compost to hold moisture in. Mulching afterwards will also keep weeds down and maintain even temperatures keeping the roots cool.
  • lmtetselllmtetsell Posts: 10
    Thanks for reply, the cherry is in a raised border, after we let it soak its roots we planted it quite deep down. 

    The Salix is in a giant plant pot.as it was originally for the front garden which is slate. But I have now moved it to the back. 

    Both have compost all around. And I water well. I planted them both around February time. 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    edited May 2019
    Growing Salix in a pot is challenging. But if that is your only option, you must be on top with the watering. A loam-based compost like John Innes No 3 with grit added and multi-purpose compost mixed in will be the best mix for the pot.

    Raised beds can also dry out quite easily so keep an eye with the watering. Generous one gallon of water once a week into its base and even more often into the summer months. I hope the cherry tree survives. At this stage, hard to know. But, if no leafing up in the next few months and branches are brittle, I'm afraid it's dead.
  • lmtetselllmtetsell Posts: 10
    Thanks for you help, I was preparing myself for that. I might swap it out and get that soil ready for the salix. And maybe use that big pot for a blueberry. 

    Thanks again!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    When you say you planted the cherry ‘quite deep down’ are you saying that you planted it deeper than it had originally been planted ... if so this would cause a problem. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • lmtetselllmtetsell Posts: 10
    The roots where quite large when we got it, so we planted up to the where the clingfilm was wrapped around the base, about 2 inches above the start of the main stem/trunk? Unsure on right word. 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Dovefromabove makes a very valid point about planting level. It sounds like you have planted 2 inches up from the original pot level? If that is the case, this will be causing your tree to suffer. Try to take out the excess soil on top and re-plant at the same level as the soil in the original pot. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2019
    Cherry trees have done roots quite close to the surface. It sounds to me as if you’ve planted the tree a little too deep which can cause the trunk to rot. I would either remove some soil or take up the tree and replant.

     It should have been planted so that the soil level was the same ad if had been previously.

     If the tree had been purchased as a bare rooted tree it should be possible to see the soil mark
    at the base of the trunk. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • lmtetselllmtetsell Posts: 10
    Oh dear. I've probably done it too deep! Learning curve for me. I went and had a look, it pulled out very easy, the roots have shrunk all back, barely there. I think I've killed it. Maybe if I soak it again and replant, do I have a hope of a rescue?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Scrape the bark in a couple of places with your thumbnail ... if it’s green underneath then there’s still some life there so it’s worth trying.  
    🤞 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





Sign In or Register to comment.