Viburnum rhytidophyllum disaster

[Bjerreby]

Trying to establish a cool, leafy sitting area in my garden, I last year planted 3 Viburnum rhytidophyllum (leatherleaf viburnum).

The bushes were about 1 m tall and looked fine at the nursery where I bought them. I got them home, took them out of the pots and saw good sized root clumps. I dug holes exactly as it says in my RHS encyclopedia of gardening, and planted them out.

The bushes have just not thrived, and there has been no growth at all since planting. This spring, the leaves have just hung, and despite occasional watering, I could see it was pointless.

I pulled all 3 up yesterday afternoon and carried out a post mortem.

First I noticed the main stems were very dry and woody. Then I chopped the root clumps in half to examine them, and I think I found the cause of death there....

The bushes had been cultivated with their roots in a plastic net held together by a heavy elastic band. It was impossible to see this net when I planted them out, but in the meantime, the main root shoots found it impossible to spread, and simply formed a woody ball surrounded by a good number of short, thin roots.

No wonder the plants failed.........the nurseryman garrotted them!  >:(

Well, that does it for me. No more paying for quick fixes. I shall find a nice bush somewhere and ask politely if I may take cuttings.

[Bjerreby]

[Palustris]

A reputable nursery would have replaced the shrubs for you. When one of the trees we planted here failed, Bridgemere Garden Centre replaced it with a much better specimen without any comment other than an apology.

[Bjerreby]

A reputable nursery would have replaced the shrubs for you. When one of the trees we planted here failed, Bridgemere Garden Centre replaced it with a much better specimen without any comment other than an apology.

Ah! But you live in the UK! It is a little different here in Denmark!

[Unwashed]

Hi Bjerreby

I've had this problem with container-grown.  If you have a choice, I've found bare-rooted to establish much better.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've also had poor results with container grown shrubs. I'd be very hesitant about buying shrubs that size as well, quite apart from any price considerations. Small, bare-rooted plants (so I can see that they've got decent roots) often establish much faster.

[PurpleHeather]

Take them back and tell them what you told us.

They should have given instructions about this.

If you do not get satisfaction then go to the citizens advice.

There is too much of this, 'oh dear I did it wrong' from gardeners. The responsibility is with the retailer.........That is actually law.

[THE MASTER]

i can read into this ..

you buy a plant and you put it in and it last for a while . little do you know or check that it has been tricked in to lasting for a while and a death centance has been put on it . hence the laccky bands

ok so put yourself in most gardeners position . the plant lasted for a while but just would not take off . . yes i agrea somtime they do go wrong . but when you find evedence of a plant that has been (i will use these words littly0 sabotarged) fettled with so that the unknowing goes out and buys another .. that is wrong very wrong

now the question is do you get another from the same place . if i was you i would , but i would pull the root ball aprt and see if the was any of the same sh** .

trading standards . seem to spring to ming if thats so

[Bjerreby]

Well, I had a paddy yesterday, and pulled  up six more shrubs I bought from the same dealer,     3 Cornus alba "Sibirica" and 3 Viburnum tinus. These were not thriving either. Their roots were not garrotted in quite the same way, but the clumps were just like a ball of string. No way would they ever thrive.

Fortunately, one of the Viburnum tinus had a few healthy looking shoots, so I have taken cuttings. I know it will take time to establish the shrubs this way, but at least I will get healthy plants.