California lilac turning yellow after transplant

10 years ago

Hello , I transplanted a California lilac from the back yard to the front . Before I did it was nice and dark green. It was fine for the first week or two but now is turning yellow ? I have not watered it too much.
Thanks

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Comments (6)

jean001a
10 years ago
Likely short of water. Especially in the original rootball -- or what's left of it. Also probably in the surrounding soil.

Get some water to the rootball via a slow drip. Repeat as needed.

And rig temporary shade.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i would go far beyond lack of water being a 'likely problem' .. seeing the bone dry mounds of soil ...

the grass left isnt going to help this summer either ...

the future is all in the growth tips... all other leaves can be sacrificed ... not the best thing to do.. so we still potential life ....

but i agree... put the hose on a trickle.. and leave it there for a few hours ...

and shade will definitely help.... get on old bed sheet.. tie it on the fence.. and get some rocks to hold it out in the lawn .... artificial shade ...

in case you were to do such again ... and with the soil being that dry ... if you had trickled it at the original site.. a few days ahead.. you could have ensured the plant sucked up enough reserve water ... to help with the move ..

and.. if you left it out of the ground for any amount of time.. that didnt help either.. which is why.. next time... dig the new hole first ... which also would tell you.. how dry the soil is ... and if bone dry.. fill the hole a couple times and let it drain away ... saturating the surrounding soil .... and then saturate the root mass ....

ahhh.. live and learn.. good luck ...

ken
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scott87
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you guys I'll run a trickle with the hose
Antimidation
10 years ago
I wouldn't recommend a drip system for this type of plant....in fact i'm surprised people have offered this suggestion when the bush in question is a native Californian plant...which tolerates extreme drought. If anything, you have watered it too much over the course of the transplant. Before moving on to the possibility of it not being watered enough...check to see if water isn't pooling near the root ball by digging out from the plant about 12 inches and digging down to see if it's moist or dry.

This is a CA Lilac, it doesn't even need watering at all when established.
jean001a
10 years ago
But it needs sufficient water to become established.
With appropriate care, that requires 2 years of supplemental water.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
It is also a plant that is notorious for resenting transplanting once established. An inexpensive and fast growing plant, just get rid of it where not wanted and buy a new one for another location. These just do not move well. Period.

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California lilac turning yellow after transplant

Comments (6)

jean001a

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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scott87
Original Author

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jean001a

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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California lilac turning yellow after transplant

Comments (6)

jean001a

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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scott87Original Author

Antimidation

jean001a

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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scott87
Original Author