How to revive struggling Griselinea?

[lcordeiro]

Hi, apologies I’m an unexperienced gardener seeking advice. 

Any idea what might have happened to my griselinea tree? The other four ones I planted next to it seem to be doing so well. My hunch is that particular spot where the dying plant is doesn’t get as much sun. Or perhaps it’s lacking specific nutrients?

Any tips on how to bring that plant to life? Or if will be easier to remove it and plant another one there? 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[JacobZ]

Hi @lcordeiro,

Thank you for your question in regard to caring for your wilting griselinia tree.

I would suggest starting by attempting to diagnose the problem. You might like to have a look at this helpful article from @Noelle, How to diagnose a sick plant, for some guidance on where to start.

At a glance, I believe the drainage will be a contributing factor. Did you have a significant rain event prior to your plant taking a turn for the worst?  

You might like to start by attempting to improve the soil quality by adding compost and gypsum. Spread your chosen products around the base of the plant and mix it in using a garden fork, being cautious not to damage the existing roots. You could also have a look at these helpful articles for some guidance on improving soil:

• How To Nourish Your Soil
   
• How To Improve Clay Soil
   
• Three Simple Steps To improve Garden Soil
   
• How To Improve Soil Organically

Allow me to tag some of our knowledgeable gardeners to see their opinions: @ChloeThomson, @HitOrMiss, @mich1972.

Let me know if you require further assistance.

Jacob

[lcordeiro]

Thanks for the links. This year has rained a lot in NZ but we also have had extremely hot days. To be fair I think that particular plant is in a location with minimal sun as well as poor drainage (to top it up that soil is pretty much clay). 

I’ll potentially look into turning that area into a garden bed and hopefully have a new plant in there to replace this one. 

thanks for your help and advice! 

[HitOrMiss]

it could be beneficial to dig deeper than you need to break up the clay a bit, maybe remove a little bit and mix in some compost, maybe mix in some gypsum. clay holds the water up higher, so if the clay is only 10-20cm down this may keep the root zone too wet, by breaking it up and adding organic matter it will help the water penetrate a bit deeper a bit easier and sit a slightly lower than the roots while the plant establishes.