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Have we killed our established bay leaf tree ?

jmicklewright1990I4nz2anQjmicklewright1990I4nz2anQ Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi all, we've recently had our garden landscaped and are now getting our fingers green as a young couple.

The loosely worded 'landscapers' lifted the bay leaf with the majority of the root ball and was placed in a hole straight away.

I left it about 10 days and then trimmed it right back after reading the advice of this on the forum.

Problem is the bark got quite badly damaged and it's been in about 2 weeks now with watering day and night during these very hot temperatures.

We're novice gardner's and wonder if there's absolutely no chance based on the damage to the bark?

There is damage on front and then to the left branch rear as shown in the photos 

Posts

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I think your landscapers owe you a new bay tree.  Get something smaller/younger so that it will transplant and establish fine.  
    Utah, USA.
  • ElferElfer Posts: 329
    It was the wrong time of the year to move and trimming it so soon after the stress of moving didn't help either.
  • jmicklewright1990I4nz2anQjmicklewright1990I4nz2anQ Posts: 3
    Does anyone think there is a chance it could survive or is it too hard to tell?
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Yes, they owe you recompense.

    It looks very deeply planted. How did they prepare the ground?
  • jmicklewright1990I4nz2anQjmicklewright1990I4nz2anQ Posts: 3
    Fire said:
    Yes, they owe you recompense.

    It looks very deeply planted. How did they prepare the ground?
    They dug to the same level in the new location and popped him in. They did advise that it may not survive and at the time we took the chance. Now I wish we wrapped him up a bit but at the time wasn't as committed to our garden. Gone all green fingered now mind.
  • ElferElfer Posts: 329
    If you had to move it the right way should have been trim first (as far ahead as possible). You'd want to do this on a cool cloudy day rather than a hot sunny one. Then prior to moving it should have been watered well, the new location should have been dug up and filled with water to soil level 30min before planting. Then you would dig up the plant with as much roots & soil as possible, at least larger than the folliage and as deep as possible to minimize root damage. Using a couple of spades you'd lift it up enough to slip something like an empty compost bag underneath and then shift to new location checking height and width to make sure it fits into the new hole and scatter a handful of root grow into the hole and plant. A generous watering regime should be carried out from then onwards.

    I had to move a few plants last month which is usually a bit late in the year by using above method and they have all survived and doing well. Not that this method guarantees success as a lot also depends on how established the plant is and time of year but it does improve survival odds.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    That bark damage is very severe.. that may cause the death more than the transplant shock.  
    Utah, USA.
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