Question
We started a flower bed in April and planted several boxwood shrubs. Now I know that we should have waited until fall to plant shrubs. However, they seemed to be doing fine until a few weeks ago when a few of them started turning yellow and now two a them are completely yellow. I'm not sure what is wrong. I started fertilizing with Miracle Grow liquid feed in June, which I now also know was a bad idea. The two that are yellow are next to a water faucet that had a slow leak until a few weeks back. Are my plants dying from fertilizer burn or from root rot caused by too much water? How can I tell? What can I do? I took pictures if that will help.

Answer
Hi

Boxwoods cannot tolerate wet feet.  I would think there is probbly a root rot that has set in.  You can check this by looking at some of the roots.  If they are dark brown or black and are soft and mushy, then I would say this is the case.  Boxwoods are susceptible to a soil borne disease called boxwood decline, which is caused by several fungi working in conjunction.  If you would like to try to treat the plants, buy some Daconil fungicide from a garden center.  Make a 2% solution in a gallon bucket and pour about one half gallon around each plant.  Repeat this in about 14 days.  There is no guarantee as the fungicide is used as a preventative rather than curative.  You may end up replacing those two plants this fall.  Do not overwater the boxwoods.  Good Luck.