Vibernum Disease/Bug/sSomethin worng

[Tubby2]

Hi all,
Along with my Sir Walter problem I have a spanking new hedge of Vibernum that I planted in the last 1-2weeks. I decided to get the more established plants seeing as tho they're in my front yard, so the 25 odd plants cost me close to $1000, so I start to worry when I see stuuf like this.. Several of them have started getting this funny colour to the leaves. I'm not sure what the cause of it is but I'm hoping someone can shed some light in the subject.
The pics below should tell the story.
Oh, and if you hadnt already guessed, I'm pretty new to this gardening business.

Cheers

[Bleedin Thumb]

Mate that looks like fertilizer burn, have you applied fertilizer to them since you planted them?

[Ivan in Oz]

Hmmm???

Have they been overLOVED?

To much fert. and this is some overspill.

If its to much to soon,
I'm thinking a GOOD watering is the way to go. AND NO Fertilizer, not yet:no:

Let them settle in to their new home first.

[Tubby2]

The nursery gave me some Dynamic lifter and told me to spread a handful around the base of the plants and water them in. So the fertilizer has not touched the leaves at all. Saying that, I would suggest that I had well and truely watered them in.

If thats all it is, I'll keep up with the water and see what happens

Cheers

[Tubby2]

I went back to the nursery that I bought these from and they said that it was not enough water. When I told them that I have been watering them every day or second day, they explained that watering with a hose for 20-30 mins doesn't cut the mustard. So I went to bunnings and installed a drip irrigation systems that cost me about 30 bucks, cheap as chips.
Lets see how this goes.

[chromis]

I went back to the nursery that I bought these from and they said that it was not enough water.

Sorry that just seems like utter crap to me. They are like the most hardiest shrubs. If it was an water issue it wouldnt be just be on a few leaves and in the centre of the leaf. The shrub would wilt first so you could see the signs of stress. Then whole leaves would brown off.

I reckon you have a fungal disease. Circlular spots in the centre of the leaves. Any purple colouring around the spots?

[chromis]

By the way! And this is only my opinion.

I don't think some plants are worth buying advanced, such as Viburnum. They grow quite quickly and often it's better when you are buying in bulk for hedges to select a medium sized plant that you can train. Big is not always better.

Spend your money on specimen trees or shrubs. That one off tree that is a few metres tall which is spectacular.

Never trust that plants you are buying have been adapted to being out in the sun. They could have come straight out of a shade house and need to be sun hardened. Dont plant in summer. Plant just in winter depending on where you live (perth is ok for this) but if it's too cold just when it starts to warm up a bit and you know your not going to get a cold snap. If you plant too late and you live in a fairly hot climate you dont give them enough time to adjust.

Never fertilize the plants until you know they have settled in. At least a month or so depending on how vigorous the plant growth is. That way the roots have had a chance to establish themselves. Never put fertilizer in the hole when you plant.

Over watering is a bad as under watering :U

[jow104]

Our viburnum shrubs over here in the UK always seem to get that bug, branches go brown and wither. I just cut them out and new growth comes along eventually.

[bugsy]

what about water burn?

does water touch the leaves when you water them?
the spots maybe where the water puddles and then burns as it dries?

just a thought

[Tubby2]

Over the last few days since I installed a watering system I have noticed that after 20mins or so of watering the lawn or garden there is a raging torrent coming from the storm water drain into the gutter.
I'm wondering if I have done a too good a job on the ag-drain behind the retaining wall and the soil is not holding any water, it seems to just go down the drain.
I've attached a couple of pics to show what I mean.

The water does touch the leaves when I water but generally only the bottom half of the leaves.
No purple colouring around the leaves either.
I'll give it another week and if I see no improvement I'll take a leaf or 2 around to a few different nursery's and see what different opinions I get.

Thanks again



I don't think some plants are worth buying advanced, such as Viburnum.

We will be selling the house within 6 months so I dont have the 12-18mnths to grow a reasonable looking hedge.