Hmm, this is a tricky one. It's obviously quite a mature specimen that has been root balled. I know it's conventional wisdom to plant with the wrapping in place but I wonder if that is part of the problem. I have noticed at the gardens where I volunteer, they have lost some specimens like this. When we have taken them out its obvious that the roots had not really spread beyond the rootball. Sorry that this doesn't really help you solve the issue. I agree with others, make sure it's very well watered and mulched, and hope for the best. P.S. for future reference, a smaller plant will often establish better and out grow a more mature one, if you can wait for it to get to the size you want.
@Molamola I hope I have got this wrong. Did the seller know and then told you to leave the netting on when you planted it which would hold it together? It has tried to repair its self but not enough sap rising to heal the damaged branch?
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I've never felt that leaving that stuff in place is a good idea either @Allotment Boy. It certainly doesn't look good down at the base. I think it's a case of damage limitation for now, and hope it recovers.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks all! I don't think it has split at the base, I inspected it and it seems whole. The dark line might just be how they fused together or how an old split healed?
The branch that isn't doing well is just one part of one of the halves, with the rest of that half looking fine.
In any case, I shall certainly be observing it to see how it settles in. I knew it would be a bit of a gamble with a mature plant (:
I would remove the sacking. If it has been planted a long time, it should have rotted off below the soil surface. If so, the top bit should pull off. If it doesn't I suspect the root ball is still within the sacking. I bought a load of rooted salvia cuttings once. They were in these tea bag type things. After a year, all those in the bags had died. When I pulled them up the roots had not gone beyond the bag . All those without the bag thrived.
Update: we wrote to the nursery, who agreed it doesn't look good. Since I posted, even the few leaves that emerged on the troubled branch (which is definitely the whole left half of the bush) have turned black and died back.
The nursery thinks it was damaged in harvesting and has offered to replace it, either with a smaller plant in a pot or a similar one in autumn.
I'm in two minds. Ideally I'd cut off the troubled branch and fit another viburnum next to it but the root ball would be in the way, and it might look lopsided? Otherwise, I could replace the shrub entirely but there is a half that is doing well, so seems cruel to dispose of that.
I would have no compunction in removing that one and scrapping it. There may be some sort of rot/infection in there by now. I don't get the idea that one can be cruel or unkind to plants ... you don't mean that do you? ... what about pulling up weeds or eating cabbages and potatoes?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@Molamola I agree with @Dovefromabove. Maybe you are unable to go back to the grower. I think the damage could have been done sometime ago looking at your photo. If that one branch dies I think you will be left with a very misshapen shrub
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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P.S. for future reference, a smaller plant will often establish better and out grow a more mature one, if you can wait for it to get to the size you want.
It certainly doesn't look good down at the base.
I think it's a case of damage limitation for now, and hope it recovers.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The branch that isn't doing well is just one part of one of the halves, with the rest of that half looking fine.
In any case, I shall certainly be observing it to see how it settles in. I knew it would be a bit of a gamble with a mature plant (:
The nursery thinks it was damaged in harvesting and has offered to replace it, either with a smaller plant in a pot or a similar one in autumn.
I'm in two minds. Ideally I'd cut off the troubled branch and fit another viburnum next to it but the root ball would be in the way, and it might look lopsided? Otherwise, I could replace the shrub entirely but there is a half that is doing well, so seems cruel to dispose of that.
I don't get the idea that one can be cruel or unkind to plants ... you don't mean that do you? ... what about pulling up weeds or eating cabbages and potatoes?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.