How big is big?? One gallon or five gallon???

The bigger the plant's root system, the more likelihood it will have survived.

I highly recommend checking new plantings daily (or more often in hot weather), both visually and by poking a finger into the soil. That way, you will catch any problems before they get out of control. Drip-irrigation requires more maintenance and can be tricky to get just right. But, worth it in my opinion. Just check often, especially when there are new plantings depending on it.

Get your watering problem corrected, and be looking for new leaf growth on your camellia. This may take a while--maybe until cool weather sets in in the fall. But give it a chance! And, NO fertilizing now--fertilizer makes a plant thirsty. Wait until cooler weather and until you see new growth, at least.

Hope this helps.

Becky

Aimeekitty- Drip irrigation can be tricky, especially if you're a new gardener. There's a lot to be said for going around the garden at least a few days a week (maybe Wednesday and Saturday?) and checking on everything. Pull some weeds, check your water amounts, see if you need to deadhead anything...in a word, become friends with your garden. It's wonderful to have a beautiful garden, but what makes it special is the time you put into caring for it.

I love going out in the morning or evening and watering, pulling a few weeds, talking to my plants (yes, I do that...but you don't have to...LOL) and seeing the birds, bees and butterflies, etc. that visit the garden.

As for the camilia, it might come back, but if not, get another one. Mistakes are how we learn, and your garden will be the better for it :)

Thanks you guys. It was probably a 5 gallon, pretty large plant. (maybe about 4 feet or more tall?) Some of the branches I clipped are still green inside, so I'm hoping it can recover.

Should I just keep checking the soil every few days, and when it gets totally dried out, water it again? Because I know camellias can rot if you give them too much water, and the clay really doesn't drain that well.

I go around every few days to check on plants and weed and take photos of blooms, etc...

but my big mistake was not sticking a screwdriver into the ground near the camellia. I should have done that immediately when it started wilting. The clay is so hard here that you can't really stick your finger in the ground without assistance. But when I checked it this morning as a last ditch effort,... the ground was totally hard, even though I'd supposedly watered it for an hour the previous day (ie, it shouldn't have been so hard after being watered that recently...)

:) I definitely talk to the plants. My grandma used to talk to herself while she cleaned... so I don't mind having inherited her disease.

AimeeK did you improve your soil before you planted? It really is remarkable how well things grow with so much less effort if you do that especially with your hard clay. And after that top dress with something organic. It does absolute wonders.

Gardening is a huge learning curve - sometimes you just have take stock of what you've learned and cut your losses as learning opportunities. You get so much better at it as you go on. And there is joy in getting better... :)

I haven't replaced the whole lot, but I do dig big holes and typically replace about half of the dirt with manure, better soil, etc. With the camellia, I planted it according to what the nursery said and used camellia/azalea potting soil mixed in with the clay.

I know it'll take me years to really know what I'm doing (at least) but I sure would love to stop killing the big plants at least. haha....

I avoid killing big plants by starting with small plants. If I don't kill them they get big. :)

As a practical matter, you can try several small plants for the price of a big one. Some will do better than others and you will have some experience to use when adding to the garden. Also, a plant or two to trade is the most economical way to get some variety. :)

Aimeekitty, I know it's difficult when plants don't do well for whatever reason, but even experienced gardeners sometimes lose plants. I came close several times to throwing out a spirea I had transplanted this year but it's finally coming back. Won't look great til next year but at least it's saved me a few dollars for a new one.

I have heavy clay soil also and it's really important to amend when you plant. I always remind myself to make a $20 hole for a $10 plant! I think the figures used to be lower on that saying but with inflation... ;-D This year I bot 2 big bales of good potting soil and some peat moss to mix in each hole with the clay soil. Nursery plants are used to potting soil so I think it makes it easier for the roots to spread. Anyone with access to good topsoil might use that but I don't trust it around here. I also use diluted alfalfa tea for every plant as I think it helps avoid root shock and is a good balanced fertilizer that won't burn roots as synthetic fertilizers can. If you use manure it should be well rotted or can really harm the roots.

What I've sometimes done with some plants that weren't doing well was to pot them in a large pot with good potting soil after removing most of the soil from the roots. Sometimes the soil that growers use is baaaad IMO. It's also easy to tell when they need water.

Best of luck with your camellia, a plant I know nothing about.

I really find it amazing that the great majority of plants prefer "well drained, loamy soil" or the like, on the tags at least, when such a large portion of the US lives in clay soil. How can so much of the earth have clay soil but so many of the plants prefer non-clay soil? LOL it's an eternal mystery.

I despise clay soil. To even be able to dig it up and amend it...you have to get the day just right...not too wet, not too dry...and it is a lot more backbreaking than my new house where the soil is sandy.

Thanks luckygal!

ljpother, I think I'm going to do more of that (ie getting smaller plants and trying one or two before getting 10, etc...) It's very tempting to get an large plant so that the garden looks more established.... and it's tempting to get 10 plants so that there's some unity and fill in the gaps, but I totally understand what you're saying. I think that's good advice.
Like I bought two yarrow. they're doing great, so I'm going to get more.

krycek - I KNOW!! AGH! It's a serious workout for me to dig holes! I have to get out the pick axe. Because it's not just clay, it's got big rocks in it! At least the rocks are pretty and I put them around my garden... but wow.
I try and wait until I do my weekly soak of the ground and then do my digging and weeding after that so that the grounds a bit softer.

thanks for talking to me, you guys are really sweet.

Don't despair of your drip system, or your clay! I have both.

Where do you live? I have heavy CA clay and 90+summer heat. My camellias need full shade with only a little morning sun. Nothing past 10am or the leaves burn. My soil is alkaline and camellias like acidic soil, so it's a constant battle. When I plant camellias and hydrangeas I amend my soil two ways. I use about 1/3 native soil, 1/3 of a product named Amend (at Home Depot) that lightens clay and 1/3 Acid Planting mix. I've found this gets the plants off to a great start. All the fertilizing I do of them is with acid food. Also, in the winter I add sulphur and water it in well.

For my soil, Amend has been a great find. It's pretty cheap, has gypsum already in it (great clay buster) and lots of plant material (looks a bit like pine needles but not really). The combination of plant matter and gypsum really works on the drainage.

I have everything in my yard on drip. During the summer months, I walk around every Saturday while the drip is on. I make sure that all drippers are actually dripping. I also use the flag drippers that let you take the end off and clean them out if they clog. I suggest you get a good book from the library on drip systems and study up. I never need to call a professional on mine -- the only thing I can't do myself is the initial hookup to the sprinkler system and timer. I run all the lines, add and repair the drippers, etc. If I can do it, so can you.

Enjoy. I bet your camellia recovers since you can see green.

Debbie

Thanks Debbie! I got some iron, but I haven't put it around the camellia yet. I'll take notes on those you suggested and give it a shot.

The camellias (there are two, one large one that is dying, and one small one that is mostly fine.)... they're both shaded by the house most of the day. They might get a little sun in the afternoon, but not much and only certain times of the year.

I definitely need to know more about my drip system. Right now, since it's a new house and it's still under warranty, they have to come fix it for me (no charge) but that's going to run out soon and I'll need to know how to keep it from failing.