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Red Robin dying?

Poly-anthusPoly-anthus Posts: 155
in Problem solving
Hope not!!  Established shrub and red leaves have been lovely this year.  However, the lower branches are drooping and leaves are shrivelled and falling off at a rate of knots.  Do you think it's just this warm weather and lack of water, or is it on its way out.  Hope not, it gives a good bit of privacy and I'd hate to lose it.  Thanks for any advice.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Give it three buckets full of water twice a week … pour it gently at the base of the  shrub so that ig soaks down to the roots and doesn’t run off the surface. Repeat ever week until the end of September, even if it rains.  If we get really hot dry weather like last year increase it to 3 times a week. 

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





  • Poly-anthusPoly-anthus Posts: 155
    Thank you Dove.  I'll do as you say.  It's not usual for us to get this warm dry weather in  the Scottish Highlands!!  I'll be out there with my bucket, lol.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's hellish isn't it @Poly-anthus - literally! Good rain today now.  :)
    They don't do well without warmth/shelter and moisture though, so they need quite specific sites and conditions to do well. I passed a house recently having some very mature specimens planted along a fence. It'll be interesting to see what they look like after winter, as they usually look dreadful here at that point -full of black spot and dropped foliage. The bloke across from me has some, but they're right up against the house wall, so they get the rain but also the warmth from the walls.
    If yours is in a good, sheltered site, and gets that water now, it should be ok  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Poly-anthusPoly-anthus Posts: 155
    Thanks Fairgirl.  Good downpour today but not anything like what was forecast, lol.  It's not in a sheltered spot but it's been in for a good number of years and has always been fine.  We had it trimmed down about this time last year and it gave us a beautiful show of new red leaves in late July.  I think I'm going to have to cut off the obviously dead branches at the bottom and follow Dove's advice with the watering!  Fingers crossed!
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