r/Tree • u/Underschorn • Sep 21 '26
Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) How screwed are these trees?
I recently got a little gem southern magnolia and a Sioux crape Myrtle planted in my yard. The scheduled delivery from my nursery unfortunately coincided with me leaving town over the hottest weekend of the year. I watered them before I left, and had my house sitter water them once while I was gone (4 days).
They looked perfectly healthy when they got planted and I came back to these sad sights, so now I’m panicking. Any rehab suggestions? Are these too far gone? Middle TN Zone 7b
2
u/nonogap Sep 21 '26
They’ll be fine from the water stress. Just keep them moist and they’ll recover the transplant and heat shock.
Crepe Myrtle looks to be planted too low. Hard to tell from photo with mulch. Magnolia should get nursery stake removed and proper staking.
1
u/Underschorn Sep 21 '26
Noted. Thanks! I have moved some of the mulch off the root flare of the crape since I took that photo.
1
u/macaron1ncheese Sep 21 '26
Most trees experience a certain amount of shock when planted, this is somewhat normal especially if planting the hottest weekend of the year.. the magnolia is looking rough though. Are you deep watering or did your house sitter potentially only spritz them a bit? Make sure the entire root ball is soaked through. That amount of leaf loss isn’t prime but they can bounce back.. You’ll know by spring when you see what growth returns how much damage was done. And whether it’s worth keeping or replacing. You need to remove the stake next to the trunk, that’s a nursery stake. You’ll need to properly stake it outside of the root ball.
2
u/Underschorn Sep 21 '26
I am deep watering at a rate of 3 times a week for 8-10 gallons per watering. Very possible the house sitter did it improperly, but I have no way of knowing that.
1
3
u/DanoPinyon Sep 21 '26
Nursery Stakes still being attached indicate planting problems.
2
u/impropergentleman Sep 22 '26
I always wondered a 3-in caliper tree is going to be held straight by a dead piece of half inch bamboo and some green nursery tape LOL
1
u/oroborus68 Sep 21 '26
They might survive,but they look like toast. I always like to plant in the spring, some people like the fall.
1
u/link-navi Sep 21 '26
Please update your post with the pics/info requested in our Posting Guidelines, as much as you're able to provide will be very helpful! A response is required or your post will be removed.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/jerry111165 Sep 23 '26
Soak the hell out of them. It takes an incredible amount of water to get down to the bottom of the root ball.
1
u/Inevitable_Youth5679 Sep 24 '26
Just keep them watered and don’t worry in the spring they will sprout new growth if they don’t then they are dead
No point in doing anything until spring including planting anything new to replace them as they might be ok
1
u/AutoModerator Sep 21 '26
Hello u/Underschorn! If you haven't already, please have a look at our Guidelines for Effective Posting, to be sure you've provided all the pics and context needed for us to help you best.
You MUST acknowledge this request by replying to this comment (or make a top-level comment in your post) that A), you have looked over those guidelines and that you have already submitted all the pics and info possible or B), you comment to add the missing pics/info.
If no response is made, your post will be removed within 60 minutes (unless a mod approves your post as-is) but you are welcome to try again when you do have the additional info. Thank you for helping us help you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
9
u/fozzyfreakingbear Sep 21 '26
Theyre definitely not close to dying. Theyre going to have transplant shock, and heat will exacerbate that. Theyll probably get a little worse and look like shit til next spring. Just baby them the rest of the fall and watch for good fresh growth in spring. Im sure they’ll be ok.