Did you expose the rootflare of the rubra before planting the rootball at grade? If not, I suggest doing so and then report back with your findings.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rootflare

Oh goodness. Just when you think you have done everything. No place anywhere, extensions included, mention looking for the root flare!

Well, it is a 1.75" trunk with a pretty small but heavy rootball so I cannot imagine the flare being too deep. I also imagine that 99% of homeowners plant their dogwoods/trees much more careless than I ever would and most of those trees do just fine. I really shutter at the thought of digging into the rootball. I heard that could be bad.

Uugh!

It could be worse if you don't! Just take your time and do so carefully right around the trunk. I use a flat tip screwdriver. Go slow and easy so you don't gouge the trunk.

"Cleveland pear"

Yuck...reported as an invasive species in areas near you (but not in your state yet)

"Am I alright planting the rubra this late in spring?"

It's summer now and isn't the best time to plant a tree, but, if you start with healthy stock and keep a close eye out on soil moisture, you can maximize it's chances of survival.

"The rootball is at the level of the surrounding soil and is more claylike than my yard, which is more sandy loam. It feels moist an inch down. I did not do a percolation test myself, but I cannot imagine having drainage problems in sandy loam."

A clay rootball surrounded by sandy loam is not the best combination for drainage. Whether it will be a problem in your case will depend on a variety of things. I would definitely have planted it a little high if possible. Keep an eye a finger out for too much moisture in your rootball.

"The tree bark of the rubra has a lot of areas with some yellow like substance. I am a rookie,but i suspect maybe yellow lichen. Is that ok?"

If it's lichen, it won't be any problem. Have you got a pic of it?

Wow, you guys/gals are intense. It is a wonder any trees survive when people buy from the nurseries and garden centers.

I like the Cleveland pears, but I can see how others don't. They are seemingly everywhere. That said, I am not gonna rip it out of the ground now.

It's technically not summer...but real close. It sure feels like spring here in Massachusetts. Cool and wet.

Therenis absolutely nothing I can do about a rootball versus my soil. Unless I am wrong. What can I do about the soil the tree as grown in?

I know I am new, and I am sure you're trying to help, but you guys are painting a very gloomy picture and I feel like my rubra has no chance 3 days in the ground.

Is it "normal" to expect some wilting of leaves in a newly planted tree? I assume it needs some time to settle in.

I am doing my best!

"It's technically not summer...but real close."

Wikipedia - "Unofficially, the U.S. summer season is commonly regarded as beginning on Memorial Day weekend in May and ending on Labor Day weekend in September."

It's June 15 here, how about up there? (-;

"Therenis absolutely nothing I can do about a rootball versus my soil. Unless I am wrong."

Sorry, but you are definitely wrong. Drainage FROM your rootball TO the surrounding soil, AND, FROM the surrounding soil TO your rootball is determined by the relative difference in pore size between the type soils. You may want to do a little reading about the technical side of drainage (and especially perched water table details). It may seem straight-forward, but many people fail to really understand it correctly, and it's an extremely important factor in growing plants.

"What can I do about the soil the tree as grown in?"

Planting "high" (above grade), as mentioned previously is one way to compensate for poor drainage. Another way is to bare-root the entire tree before planting (many experts are recommending this highly these days). You may not have to do anything if there isn't significant difference in soil types. Multiple factors are involved, so it's not necessarily a "go/no-go" situation (although it could be). That's why I said that you should closely monitor soil moisture. That will be the easiest way to determine if there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

"...you guys are painting a very gloomy picture and I feel like my rubra has no chance 3 days in the ground...Is it "normal" to expect some wilting of leaves in a newly planted tree? I assume it needs some time to settle in."

We are only telling you things you should look for and things that might help you to improve either this planting or future plantings. None of what we have said (and I think I can speak for Whaas too) is meant to say your tree is doomed. If we knew your tree was a goner, we'd tell you. A little wilting may be normal. A lot may represent a problem. It's certainly too early to say you have a problem. But, that doesn't mean evaluating the situation isn't a good idea.

OK, I see that summer isn't necessarily summer. Some consider summer as starting on the summer solstice. No matter whether it's late spring or early summer, it's still past the optimal time to plant a tree. But, people plant trees all year long (in some locations, at least) and still have them survive, with proper aftercare. Healthy stock to start with and proper watering (including drainage issues) are probably the two most critical factors for short-term survival. Other factors (proper root preparation, etc) have increasing significance as time goes one.

Thanks. Great help actually. All I know is that I planted a bunch of trees recently and they are all looking great...except that the dogwoods seem to be more fussy. Even the cloud 9, which I dumped in the ground before reading anything, looks happy. But, the leaves wilt then rebound like a child with a fussy attitude. Lol. It is supposed to be a slow grower, but it looks like it has widened in a couple of months. Real nice looking and strong.

I have not watered the rubra since day 1 because it rained. I just checked and knuckle deep the rootball is moist. My own soil is a little looser, but still moist as well . I assume not to water??? The leaves are nice and green, but smaller than the cloud 9 and a little curled. Again, I assume because it sat most of the spring in the lot of a nursery. Thoughts?

Thanks to all!

...oh, do you think it will flower next spring or is it too stressed from all of this and planting time?

I suspect the tree has a better chance with clay soil around the root ball and being placed in sandy loam than vice-versa. Unless it's sitting in a gully, the drainage should be pretty sharp as the root hairs start to invade the new soil.

Dogwoods are actually understory trees. IOW in the wild, you'll find them establishing in a more gentle situation than out in full sun, standing solitary. I see plenty survive as a specimen tree, but you just expect it to be a little more stressful and you might expect more wilting initially.

The situation I see occuring would be that the original rootball shall probably retain moisture longer than the surrounding soil. This might make watering just a little trickier until the tree becomes established because it's going to be difficult making sure the surrounding planting area is moist enough, without making the rootball continually saturated. No, there wasn't a heck of a lot you could do about that, aside from buying a speciman grown on and then B&B'd in your particular locale.

I think the only thing you mentioned I'd be concerned about was " Small leaves, but I suspect that is from sitting balled and burlapped at the nursery". Sometimes we have our heart set on on a particular tree/plant etc. so much we take less than optimum stock. Did you release the burlap enough to actually inspect the roots?

"I assume not to water?"

I wouldn't water until the soil surface starts drying out a little. As long as the rootball and surrounding soil are moist, adding more water isn't going to help. And, supplying too much water can definitely hurt (root rot).
_________________________

"The situation I see occur(r)ing......making the rootball continually saturated."

Exactly.

"No, there wasn't a heck of a lot you could do about that..."

As above, plant high or bare-root.

"Did you release the burlap enough to actually inspect the roots?"

Let's hope the burlap was completely, or at least mostly, removed during planting.

some pics

Here is a link that might be useful: Pic 1

close-up of mulch

Here is a link that might be useful: mulch

Billydoo, yea gardenweb is one of the rougher forums I belong to. No mercy here! Lol.

Welcome aboard.

In the second picture I believe I see a rootflare. Do I see thst the planting hole is below ground level? Like the grass is higher?

Everything looks perfect.

Nice job planting. The flare is dead on. Don't do anything and hope that the rootball has enough root mass to continue its' survival.

Best Regards,

Dax

thanks! i try. LOL.

i did indeed remove all of the burlap around the rootball...i cut it. it was very heavy in the ground so i left burlap just below the ball, and maybe a few inches of string. 85-90% of the burlap is gone.

does it look healthy 3-4 days in the ground? i will try and post a close-up photo of the leaves.

ok here is a close-up of the leaves. planted 4 days ago. watered on that day and not since because it has rained. soil moist to the knuckle as of last night.

thoughts?

thanks! again, do you think it will flower next spring? fruit this fall?

Here is a link that might be useful: LEAVES PHOTO

Your trees "appears" to be planted too low. But it could be an illusion with the grass and angle of the pic.

Take a level and push it down in the grass. The root flare should be level or above the soil (not the grass per say). You will be the only one to sell for sure. If its maybe an 1" too low your ok, anything more I'd pry it up if possible.

The leaves look fine. Typically they fold a bit in the sun and they do droop.

I have multiple species of Cornus (chinensis hybrid, kousa, mas, florida hybird and alternifolia) and they all look the same.

Nice tree by the way!

Thanks. I think it is an illusion. I was very specific about the depth and even had my wife lie on her side with head on the grass to confirm it was at the level of the surrounding soil!

The leaves are small, but again, I think it has t do with it sitting burlapped at the nursery until I bought it this week.

I need to take a pic of the cloud 9 later today.

Boy, dogwoods are fussy! And we still have not even discussed borers and anthracnose!

Are dogwood trees way more fussy / problematic than dogwood bushes? Cause the bushes are pretty tough and tolerant.

Jamie

I didn't see the yellow like substance, but, if you google lichen and it looks like what you see, I wouldn't worry about it.

Leaving the burlap and string at the bottom of the hole isn't a problem.

It's not about shrub v tree, but about different species. Cornus florida is more finicky than most other dogwood species. Many believe its "beauty" makes it worth the extra problems. Disease resistant cultivars exist and are becoming more popular. Unfortunately one that's highly resistant to both dogwood anthracnose AND powdery mildew hasn't yet been introduced into the trade (that I've heard of, at least).

here is a shot of planting height

Here is a link that might be useful: PLANTING HEIGHT PHOTO

here is a shot of the soil 3 feet from the rootball (under mulch) 4 days after planting. It rained 2 days ago.

PH 6.0

Here is a link that might be useful: SOIL PHOTO

I planted this Cloud 9 Dogwood about 2 months ago. It only had a few bracts/flowers.

Here is a link that might be useful: CLOUD 9 DOGWOOD

yellow lichen???

Here is a link that might be useful: yellow gunk!

Yellow looks like some kind of lichen - no worries. I can't see what's happening at the trunk of the Cloud 9 but that is a heck of a mulch hump ya got goin' on around it. LOL

Nice trees!

Ha! yea, i have about 4" of mulch there, but the skinny trunk makes for an interesting photo.

those tiny leaves on the rubra...i hope they get bigger soon and show me the tree is happy in the soil and full of vigor. and i hope it flowers next spring!

To answer your question about flowering:

You will see flower bud clusters that form, this year, and will look distinctly different from a bud. If you don't see them, then no flowers! ;-)

Have a good one.

Dax

i guess only time will tell. i have done everything i could except plant right at the beginning of spring.

soil is slightly acidic at 6.0, moist, and appears to be well-drained in my own perc test. root flare exposed. sunny spot with some late afternoon shade. mulched nicely and ready to grow! let's hope. thanks everyone!!!

Mother nature dropped like 2-3 inches of rain on this new tree...and she did it over 3 days the night after I watered deeply. Is there anything I can do about this massive over-watering situation or just leave things alone and hope for the best?

One watering plus three days of rain shouldn't really be a problem. As long as things drain well and start to dry out normally after the rain, your tree should be fine. Just think of the watering as one extra day of rain. Four days of rain shouldn't be that far out of the norm.

thanks for soothing my OCD-Dogwood fears. ;-)