Newly planted Viburnum dying?!?!

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to gardening and may have already killed my first plant! Less than 24 hours back I planted two medium sized Viburnum Spring Bouquets - added about two cups of fertilizer to each plant and a LOT of water. Until this morning they looked fine but I just noticed that all the stem tips on one of them have softened and started drooping. The other one is ok. What did I do wrong - too much fertilizer or water?

Thanks for any idea or suggestions that you may have!!

Edited to add: Checked the plant again at 11 p.m. and drooping branches are up again.

Drooping stems:

This message was edited Sep 10, 2012 10:16 PM

It might be that they need some shade for awhile. What kind of fertilizer did you put on, liquid of granular, on top of the dirt or in the hole?
And Hello

Hi and thanks for your response! I used 'Bonney Good Sumner Grow' - it's Sumner city's version of Tagro; a biosolid fertilizer. Their website says two cups for a medium sized bush - I put about a cup in the hole and another cup around the base after planting. Did I put too much?

Probably not. Just make sure they are watered and shaded. This heat we have had is not friendly to the newly planted. It can take a few days until the roots can get settled in the new soil and take up enough water. Those plants are pretty hardy and will most likely recover nicely.
I had a friend give me some rhubarb plants in early August and it wilted very badly. I put one of my golf umbrellas over it for a few days and it sprung right back.

Many of my plants (well established) droop in the afternoon sun. I would guess that shade and lots of water will help your problem.

Here's a follow-up on the viburnum situation - they are both back to normal, looking healthy and happy!

Willowind2 and PNWMountainGirl, thank you so much for your suggestions; I took your advice and moved one of them to a shaded spot. Also started watering them more generously. It took a couple of days but both of them survived. I think I might have very sandy soil so all those gallons of water that I added at the time of planting probably just drained away and while I was worried that the viburnums were suffocating from too much water, they were actually dying of thirst.

Anyway, they're looking good for now and once again, thank you both for your very helpful advice!!

You are most welcome Tulika. In exchange, you unknowingly gave me an idea with the Bonney Lake Good Summer Grow, and I now have a 10 yard dump truck scheduled for next week some time. Thank you!!!!!!

LOL!! You're welcome, hope it works out well for you (and me!) :)

Hurrah. Glad they made it.