Before Bringing Your Tree Or Shrub Back...

Make Sure It's Really Deceased!

From Your Friends At Schriemer's

All too often people will come into the store with plants in hand, having declared them dead and in need of replacement. Unfortunately, in too many cases the plants are anything but dead - or were anything but dead, at least until they were dug out and brought in!

It's not always easy for a gardener or homeowner to tell when a plant is truly deceased and should be brought in for replacement. Here are a few tips that should help you decide when it's right to bring a tree or shrub back into the store;

Any Time Of The Year:

1. Try to resist the urge to replace your tree or shrub too hastily, no matter how "bad" it may look. Often times your patience will be rewarded as the plant bounces back after seemingly taking a turn for the worse.
2. Some shrubs like roses, weigelas, barberries and hydrangeas are marginally hardy in our climate and the branches may die back in some years, sometimes all the way to the ground. This is not uncommon, and the plants are not dead or dying; in almost all cases these shrubs will recover and regrow from the base. All you have to do is prune them back to a set of healthy growing buds in late spring.
3. If your tree or shrub appears to be suffering from a disease or insect troubles, don't dig it out and bring it in unless it is obviously dead. Instead, snip off a sample twig, shoot or branch, seal it in a Ziploc bag and bring it in to the store for us to have a look at it. We can usually prescribe a remedy that will save your plant!
4. You can always use the "scratch test" to give a good indication as to whether or not a tree is really dead. Using the fingernail on your thumb, lightly lift a little of the soft bark on the trunk or a larger branch. If you see green underneath, it's likely the tree is still healthy and just running a little late. If it's brown underneath, the tree may be in trouble - but don't write it off just yet until you've checked it against all the other tips here.

In Spring:

1. Don't dig out any plant before the middle of June at the earliest, no matter how "dead" it looks. Recently planted trees may experience transplant shock which can delay the bud break, and there can be other factors at play as well. Some plants are just naturally late starters in spring, and you might be digging out a perfectly healthy plant!
2. Winter browning of evergreens is common in our climate, especially on newly planted trees as they adjust to their new surroundings. Despite their appearance, most will still break bud and go on to live a happy and healthy life, overcoming the tendency to brown in winter. Wait to confirm that the buds are not going to break before you dig them out and bring them back in.
3. Don't automatically write off broadleaf evergreen shrubs just because the foliage appears dead. More often than not they will still sprout new growth with healthy new leaves despite the dead foliage.

In Summer:

1. It is relatively common for the leaves of new transplants to wilt or brown along the margins in the summer heat, regardless of how much you water them. Unless the leaves dry out to a crispy brown and there is no sign of life in the buds, keep watering regularly and deeply (but without drowning the plant) and be patient.
2. It is also common for some newly planted trees and shrubs to have stunted or dwarfed growth in their first year. This is because the roots have been compromised during the transplant. Don't worry; once the roots recover, the rest of the plant will follow along.

In Fall:

1. It is very difficult to tell whether a tree or shrub is dead in fall; you're almost always best off to wait until next spring before declaring the plant dead and bringing it back in.