whats your base soil type ... as to texture and drainage???

and how do you plant them ...???

do you fert at planting ...

do you bare root them??

ken

I don't know about how your pH is effecting these plants as I find they both grow well in my area with soil acid enough to grow native blueberries, but I would look at sun and water. For the first year shrubs need regular water since the roots aren't too developed, while at the same time don't like saturated soil. If your native soil doesn't drain well (the term silt, while it has a technical definition, means a lot of different things to different folks) it may be creating a bucket effect where the potting soil is always saturated. Ken's question about bare-rooting relates to that, since changes in texture from the potting soil it was grown in to the native soil may impede drainage or the ability of the roots to grow easily from one medium to the other. Some potting soil can hold too much water, and if it is peat-based, once it dries out, it is difficult to rewet.

If your part sun situation includes mid-day and afternoon sun in a hot situation, this may also be part of the problem since in my experience both of these plants are woodland to woodland edge plants and grow in dappled shade or a bright shade such as on the north side of a building.

I would plant them in mostly shade with well drained but evenly moist soil and a light layer of mulch that doesn't touch the stem. I find that I have really good luck with fall planting as the soil is still warm for good root growth, but the plant is experiencing less water stress due to cooler air temperatures and eventually leaf drop. Don't fertilize.

One other possibility is voles. If you have them, they eat plant roots, so the plants have a tough time surviving.

The first time, I had a corylopsis spicata in a semi- shady environment in an area that grew grass/weeds which I had cleared out. It didn't return. My witch hazel I put on the west side of my house which sounds extreme except that the sun was blocked by an oak tree.The leaves began to brown, so I thought the soil was too compacted; I moved it in the fall to an area near an ancient ash tree. I put a new corylopsis on the east side of this ash (afternoon shade) and the wtich hazel on the west (overhanging ash branches provide shade). These plants had been grown and leafed out in quart pots. The soil has organic matter (rotted wood) and drains well and I did put some peat based mix in with the soil to make it a little more acidic. I did not water once the weather became more wintry and we had a lot of snow cover that lasted. Voles, yes but no trails around these plants. They just look like grey sticks. I have woods surrounding me across the street as it is a country environmment but these aren't planted in native woodsy humus situation. I'm not sure these are native to my PA area. The only place I've seen witch hazels or corylopsis actually growing were in the high woodland shade at Brookside Gardens in Montgomery County, MD. I'm kind of wondering if it is a particular type of plant community situation/mycorrhizae that is required and why they are the only plant I can't seem to grow. (I do grow blueberries, but I put peat in when I planted and use sulfur to keep my soil within their preferred range. ) I never fertilize when transplanting shrubs or trees. It may be a watering situation, but it was fall and they were going dormant.

My experience with Winterhazel is that they are adaptable and carefree. If you want bloom, the more sun the better. The best collection that I know of is at the Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore PA, in full sun.
Since you are planting from quarts I assume you are getting them mailorder, right? Spend a little bit more money this time and go with a larger plant from your local retailer, they are only available this time of year.
Here's Buttercup Winterhazel nr a local church, believe me it gets no special attention.
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