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Sickly Photinia tree.

sportsport Posts: 4
in Problem solving
We have five 3/4 Standard Photinia trees planted in a straight line about 1.5m apart. They were planted at the same time and I think I can safely assume the soil conditions are the same for all 5 trees. They are about 4 years old. 4 of the trees are healthy with new growth and good blossoming this year.

The 5th tree in the line however is not so good and appears to be in general decline for the last two seasons. Gradually over the last 6 months or so all the leaves on this tree have gradually turned a deep red/bronze colour - there was no blossom at all on the tree this year.

The leaves are firmly attached to the plant and are not falling off. I have watered the plant well during dry spells (It is also on an automatic sprinkler for 30/60 mins per day) and I have fed the plant with liquid seaweed every two weeks but nothing seems to revive or perk it up.

I have peeled back bit of the bark about half way up and the tree appears to be alive as it was softish and green underneath the 'peel back'. I have cut off a short section of a lateral branch with red/bronze leaves and at the cut the branch appeared to be alive and well. 

Vine weevil was a suggestion elsewhere, but there is no sign of 'nibbling' damage to any of the leaves either on this plant or any of the others in close proximity. 

I would add a few pictures but I don't know how to on this site - if someone would like to tell me how? 

So the tree appears to be alive but not flourishing. Suggestions warmly welcomed.

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    edited June 2021
    If you can post a photo of the shrubs not looking well. Helps to see what has happened with the leaves, as you mentioned some clinging on which usually signals die-back or frost/wind damage.

    Photinias are sensitive to very cold weather and this can knock them back a bit. This year, the spring time has been pretty cold with very cold nights. I suspect this recent weather has caused some set back. You could prune back some branches to see if that stimulates growth.
  • sportsport Posts: 4
    Thank you Borderline. Hopefully I have now attached 4 images. I think would be fair to say the tree has been in gradual decline for a year or so, certainly before this last winter. As you will hopefully see - all the other photonias close by are very healthy.

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Shrubs can take a long time to show signs so it may have been suffering from previous year's extreme heat and then lack of watering. Even in immaculate planting schemes, I have seen healthy shrubs standing next to dying shrubs in rows. I have had this happen to me too. I would still hang in there and continue to water when it is warm again, and make sure you water in the early mornings or evenings to get the best from the watering. Don't need to feed it anything as it is very stressed. 

    You mentioned it was all planted 4 years ago. I think those ties can be cut away to allow the trunk space to grow. Be mindful these shrubs are planted quite close with one another, so the roots will be competing with one another. They will need to be kept at that height to stop further growth. The canopies can get quite big. 
  • sportsport Posts: 4
    Thank you Borderline.

    I will release the supporting stakes as you suggest. All the trees are at there final height (pretty much as supplied - 3/4 standard and about 5ft from soil to base of the canopy) so I have been gently pruning to keep them at their current canopy 'mass' - apart from the sickly specimen which is pretty much still as was supplied. I've always watered towards the end of the day to supplement the automatic watering system which also comes upon for an hour around dusk. Interested to know more about not needing to feed as it is very stressed?

    I have read elsewhere on the www to reduce the canopy by a third - does that seem reasonable? When to do this - now I think? 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Yes, you can reduce the canopy now. At this time of year, they can re-grow pretty quickly. Do this with your sick looking shrub too and see whether it responds.

    All your plants were pretty large specimens when you planted them and large size shrubs will always take a lot longer to settle in. Even with good uniformed watering, they can still fail. It's always best to plant-in smaller shrubs. They may start off looking small, but they will usually take off quicker whilst more mature shrubs take a long time for their roots to knit into the surrounding soil. 

    Regarding feeding, apart from a bit of feeding when you first plant them in, a lot of shrubs should be fine with a good annual top dressing of more compost, mulch or well rotted manure. 
  • sportsport Posts: 4
    I will just reduce the canopy of the sickly specimen as the other four are about the right final size and just need a 'tickle up'. The base of all four plants are surrounded by a membrane* to keep down weeds and large diameter gravel on top of that so do you have any other suggestions for feeding - liquid something or other although as previously mentioned I do give it  swoosh of liquid seaweed.

    *The membrane is a bit coarse and I'm happy water passes through it. 
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