In well-drained soil it's pretty much impossible to give too much water, particularly in summer, so don't worry about overwatering.
It might lose leaves as a reaction to the extreme heat at the same time as trying to adapt to its new home, but it's the roots that are important at this stage. You want to encourage them to go down deep so that's where the water needs to be, not just wetting the surface. You could try burying a couple of lengths of drainpipe or similar just outside where the rootball is and pour water into those as well as onto the soil, to make sure that at least some is going deep enough.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
As an experiment, if you have a bare patch of soil near the tree, try pouring on 5 litres, give it 10 minutes to soak in, then stick your spade in and see how far down the water has gone.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I just had a light bulb moment and remembered ages ago I bought one of those devices that you stick in the ground and in tests the PH and also the moisture level of the soil. Did it just now all the way down and this is the result.
So it looks like over watering is definitely not the problem! I tested it on the cockspur and that is better... half way on the machine, as are the other trees. I'm off to hose it and put a mulch over it, unless anyone here thinks otherwise!!
I agree with @Allotment Boy, it would have been better to keep it in the shade and well watered until the temperatures returned to normal.
I do think Amelanchiers can be a bit quick to go yellow and shabby looking if they aren't getting ideal moisture levels, but that doesn't mean they are going to die. I did have one for a few years but it clearly didn't enjoy the dry soil in my garden, looking ropey from at least August onwards. It was surviving but not thriving.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I would leave the hosepipe running steadily for a good 30 minutes, check with the device again, (very useful !), then when you're happy, mulch it.
Depending on whereabouts you are in the UK, temperatures are set to rise again over the weekend, but nothing near the temperatures earlier this week. Personally, there is no rain of any note on the local forecast for the foreseeable future. (Localised heavy downpours and thunderstorms possible today, but it doesn't look like it at the moment 🙁)
The leaves look like they are starting to go into "autumn mode", ie the tree is trying to recoup the nutrients before dropping them as a reaction to the dry weather. Walking in the woods around me where it's incredibly dry, I am seeing the same process with mature trees. I thinking upping the watering is sensible bit you will probably still see a lot of the leafs fall off. We had the same thing happen last year on a tree that didn't get enough water and it came back strongly in the spring.
I'd keep taking pictures and keep the nursery informed so you have comeback should anything happen. It's a bit bizarre they came on the hottest day ever.
I've just given them all a good solid watering, checked the level again and now applied a thick layer of mulch. I'm a bit gutted to hear temperatures are going to rise again - I'm on a hill with a south facing house / garden and it is absolutely unbearable - on Tuesday night it was 32 degrees in my bedroom at 3am (needless to say I didn't sleep the entire night). My dreams about moving to South West Scotland might need to start taking shape!!!
Good advice to keep a photo diary, thank you! And I agree with the comments - in hindsight I have no idea why they decided to deliver and plant not just on the hottest day of the year but.... ever! I suppose it's not really a surprise they would struggle. It's good to hear it doesn't necessarily mean the tree is dying, but still a shame that I'm going to potentially have a bare tree from August onwards....
Thank you everyone - really appreciate it as I woke up feeling a bit woeful about it all!
I see what you mean @Balgay.Hill … and the tree still appears to be strapped to a cane as well as being staked … surely that cane should’ve been removed on planting? I’ve never seen a professionally planted tree left strapped tightly to a cane like that before 😵💫
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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So it looks like over watering is definitely not the problem! I tested it on the cockspur and that is better... half way on the machine, as are the other trees. I'm off to hose it and put a mulch over it, unless anyone here thinks otherwise!!
I do think Amelanchiers can be a bit quick to go yellow and shabby looking if they aren't getting ideal moisture levels, but that doesn't mean they are going to die. I did have one for a few years but it clearly didn't enjoy the dry soil in my garden, looking ropey from at least August onwards. It was surviving but not thriving.
(very useful !), then when you're happy, mulch it.
Depending on whereabouts you are in the UK, temperatures are set to rise again over the weekend, but nothing near the temperatures earlier this week.
Personally, there is no rain of any note on the local forecast for the foreseeable future. (Localised heavy downpours and thunderstorms possible today, but it doesn't look like it at the moment 🙁)
I thinking upping the watering is sensible bit you will probably still see a lot of the leafs fall off. We had the same thing happen last year on a tree that didn't get enough water and it came back strongly in the spring.
I'd keep taking pictures and keep the nursery informed so you have comeback should anything happen. It's a bit bizarre they came on the hottest day ever.
Good advice to keep a photo diary, thank you! And I agree with the comments - in hindsight I have no idea why they decided to deliver and plant not just on the hottest day of the year but.... ever! I suppose it's not really a surprise they would struggle. It's good to hear it doesn't necessarily mean the tree is dying, but still a shame that I'm going to potentially have a bare tree from August onwards....
Thank you everyone - really appreciate it as I woke up feeling a bit woeful about it all!
the tree still appears to be strapped to a cane as well as being staked … surely that cane should’ve been removed on planting? I’ve never seen a professionally planted tree left strapped tightly to a cane like that before 😵💫
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.