QuestionI recently purchased 12 Leyland Cyprus, the grower delivered and planted, with in a few days the tops started turning brown, now the brown is spreading to the lower section. We were watering daily during hot August and now every other day. I recently gave them a treatment of Miracid. The soil drains well and the area is open with no shade.
AnswerSounds like shock from the planting. The summer months are the worst time to plant a tree due to the hot drier weather--mainly the heat. If you have not done so mulch around the trees with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. This will help hold moisture around the roots. Water with 1 inch of water--place a pan under the trees and turn the sprinkler on and when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. This is called deep watering --do this every third day for a month then once a week. It will look ragged for a while but should recover. Check with the planter and ask what type of guarantee they have --time wise. Near the end of the time check and see if the tree looks good if not ask them to replace it.