Dogwood trouble

I purchased a dogwood from Lowes. It looked very healthy but was preleaf/bloom time. I decided I needed another and got it from Home Depot. One has taken a toll from the last heavy frost and I have 1 limb with leaves and the other tips are dark brown with dead looking buds. The other hasn't produced any life and it's still in the container. I purchased them in March and I will return them but wanted to know if there is something I'm doing wrong.

Should I dig up the one with a few leaves or add some special treatment to it?

Kathy

My advice would be to take them both back. A healthy Cornus florida would be well budded out by now in your zone. I can't think of anything you could have done wrong since March that would have caused such severe die back. Before you got them, they probably sat somewhere in a truck or a warehouse that wasn't climatically managed properly for storing woodies. You shouldn't have to start out a tree's new life in your yard rescuing it. There is a saying about plant material from WM, Lowes, HD and the like: "If it's big box it's big trouble". Stick to smaller nurserys and especially independants for quality plant material and knowledgable assistance.

There is no special treatment for whatever ails those trees. If you do keep them prune out the dead, mulch and provide regular, but not excessive watering and hope for the best. Make sure they are not planted too deeply - the root or trunk flare should be visible just at or slightly above ground level. NO fertilizer.

Kathy, I have to agree with snapple. I've seen the way they handle the trees at Lowe's and HD; believe me, there's nothing you could do that would equal the routine abuse they dish out. You shouldn't have to try to nurse them back to health; just return them and try again with trees from another source.

I'm sure you are both right. One thing I have to say for big box stores is if you get them when they first arrive, before the store has time to kill them from lack of water, etc. they at least have a one year warranty and I'm very good at keeping receipts. Nursery trees will be better I'm sure but do they have any warranty? I didn't they they did. I've been very luck with box stores when starting a new yard with low funds and tons to plant. It's only dogwoods that I've really had a problem with.

Thanks for the info and I will return these for a refund, and I'll check out the nurseries to price those too. I have one that is doing okay but the leaves are yellowing on the tips - suggestions?

Hard to say without a photo. There are a miriad of things that can cause yellowing. Over watering, iron cholorosis if the yellowing is between the veins, or even a manganese deficiency can cause yellowing. It might be planted too deeply. It could have bark damage at the base from a weed whacker or a lawnmower. It could have a borer. There are diseases too. The worst one is anthracnose, however it doesn't present with yellowing leaves. While Cornus florida tolerates soil that is modestly alkaline to modestly acidic it will not tolerate wet soils. Soil must be well drained. Anything sound like it could be the problem?
All the good nurserys here offer a 1 yr warranty.

Local nurseries around me give you a year but only if they plant them.

I've had good luck with big box trees, dogwoods in particular.
I got 5 beautifully branched 5ft tall dogwoods a few years ago from Lowes for $17 each.
I'd have bought a couple more, if I could have fit it in my little car.
They have done beautifully and are currently in beautiful full bloom in my woodland.
And of course, you can also pick up fantastic bargains at end of season.
Like the 8ft japanese maple which had lost it's tag priced at $5 next to a big sign that said 'everything 50% off'.
Sure, it was looking a little ragged, but 3-4 yrs later, I now have a beautiful Burgundy Lace JM for $2.50!
You just have to inspect their stock carefully.
I feel a little guilty, because I'd like to support the local nurseries.
But frankly, I still give them plenty of business, since Lowe's would never carry most of the plants I'm really lusting after!

There has been tons of rain but the other issues don't fit. No damage, not planted below the line it was in the pot.

GRRRRRR I'll take a picture

Shitzumom--I, too, planted a dogwood this year, and mine was very, very slow to leaf out. It finally has leaves as of about a week ago, about 2-3 months after most of the local one's did. Seems to be fine otherwise. My thought is that it's just the plant's way of dealing with the shock of transplanting, weird temps, change in conditions etc. So you might want to wait just a bit longer on the dormant one, and not return it for a week or so. It is so late, I, too, doubt it will bud out, but you never know. I'm farther south than you, so there's a chance...

Thanks for the info. I have not had any growth, no green bark and it's our state tree. I think it is time to take my trees and receipts back. I have one that has yellow tips but otherwise had growth. who knows where these trees are shipped from at the big box stores. thanks for all the input

Kathy

I hope you get full value for your return. About planting too deep: You can't depend on the soil level in the container to be the right level. You also can't count on the top of the root ball to be the correct level to plant a B&B plant either. It's very, very common for nursery growers to bury the root flare too deeply. You have to dig gently in the container to find the root flare or scrape away the soil at the top of the root ball in a B&*B to find the root flare. Always plant the root flare above ground. Otherwise, it's a definite slow death for the tree.

Good choice on the returns, Kathy, and much better luck next time-
Ruth

Great info Snapple. I never knew the root flare needed to be above ground. I need to research this. I did take 1 tree back yesterday and purchased bypass pruners with the refund. I'm going to get a nursery tree after I take the 2nd one back. I only had time to gab one tree before an appointment so I thought one at a time is better anyway.

Great info! Thank you
Kathy

Checked mine out today, and its doing fine except for a little leaf wilting during the heat of the day. Leaves look a bit lighter in color around the edges, almost as if it has chlorosis, but it is in a fairly acidic soil, so I'm hoping that's just because the leaves are new. Not sure..

I have planted several dogwoods, they do great for 2 or 3 years and then die.
that has been my experience.
Azaleas are another I have trouble with .

I also have azalea trouble. My neighbor who lives very close has nice azalea but I can't get them to grow. I put azalea plant food on the twice a year or so but they just lose leaves and won't flower. My hydrangea do great.

FrillyLily, I would think dogwoods would do fine in your area.
They do really well here.
Anthracnose can be a problem with older trees, as in other areas.
I suspect local siting or drainage issues.
But I agree azaleas can be tricky in midwestern conditions.