crimson barberry dieing

[grassmasterswilson]

I installed these crimson barberry's this past march. They were doing good but now have started dieing. I pulled back the mulch and stuck my finger in the dirt and everything is moist. Are they getting too much water? The other shrubs I installed are doing ok. There are 3 different groups across the front of my house and all three groups are doing the same. The get very good sun.

I'm attaching 3 pics, starting at the one last healthy shurb and getting worse. the 4th pic would be no leaves.

[Think Green]

Wilson,
If my eyes dont deceive me the top plants are yews. If you are getting too much water they will yellow out first.
The barberry isn't safe for Anthracnose. Looks like reddish margins and yellowing. Phyllosticta leaf spots. Some of these plants are doomed from the grower, however just trim out the dead and it will grow more new shoots. I have this issue with a few customers with flat shrubbery beds......watered.....and with heat.

[44DCNF]

with most transplants:
First year sleeps
Second year creeps
Third year leaps

Trim out the damage. Give them a treatment of kelp extract to boost their immunity. Back off on the watering or maybe remove mulch temporarily, to just a scant thin layer around the plants affected.

Are you sure there was not a layer of limestone or other hard inpenetrable base under the planting holes? A neighbor kept losing mugo pines being planted in the same hole by box store contractors. I replanted for him and found inches below the rootball was a thick layer of limestone gravel. I enlarged the hole and busted through and removed the limestone. The mugo has survived several years and is now flourishing.

[grassmasterswilson]

Here is a pic of what they look like after the leaves have fallen off. You can see the grey wood at the bottom and the "purple-red" stems of new growth. The purple is still green when broken off.

I don't think they are suppose to drop the leaves this early? Maybe I need to pull away the pine straw and pack some topsoil around them?

[coolluv]

Originally Posted by grassmasterswilson

Here is a pic of what they look like after the leaves have fallen off. You can see the grey wood at the bottom and the "purple-red" stems of new growth. The purple is still green when broken off.

I don't think they are suppose to drop the leaves this early? Maybe I need to pull away the pine straw and pack some topsoil around them?

Too much water. Let them dry out and they should be fine. They will recover but slowly. You should see some new leaf growth once you correct the water situation.

Dave...