Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Help! Did I kill my new katsura tree?, 0 by DonnaMack

DonnaMack wrote:
Oh yes, Gracye and VV, yes, it just ain't right.

One of the things I learned the hard way is that most planting crews know nothing. They took two carlesi compactums that were not in fact compactums and planted them so closely together that one killed the other. I could not understand why a littleleaf linden died after ten years until I dug it up and saw the mangled wires. 7 viburnums trilobums were planted so deeply that they rotted - I was able to save one. A large serviceberry was installed - it had canker on arrival. A Green Mountain Sugar Maple was put in a low, damp spot ($590 right there). A pagoda dodwood that dwindled down to one leaf - literally - before my hubbie and I dug it up (which was easy, beacuse it was installed so high it was leaning to one side) and reinstalled it in a proper location and gave it care. Ah, the 1998 installation. I won't go on about the 19 acid loving shrubs installed in a yard with an initial ph of 7.9. Happily, with reseach, and lots of ironite and compost, they thrived.

After demanding and getting several hundred dollars back (having spent far more) I started reading - mostly Dirr, but lots of sources. I have since planted dozens of shrubs and a few trees, after correcting the low, damp spot, and I haven't lost one. You would think people in the trade would do some basic research. The trees and shrubs are the BOSSES - but they are not that demanding. They just want a little love and respect. Don't we all?

Plants are very forgiving. Here is the cornus alternifolia that was a foot and a half tall and down to one leaf. Saved by "amateurs".