Thanks for the advice so far. PharmaChad - I have watered about twice a week using a soaker hose. Last night I watered the raised bed enough that the ground around it was soggy. I pulled up the plant to look at the root ball an hour later and it seemed to me to be dry on the inside. Here's a photo. Brady - I first noticed the browning yesterday (Thr) and I'm out in the garden every day. We had temps about 98 degrees down here on Tuesday. I watered on Monday evening, but maybe it wasn't enough. I have a ph test kit on the way from Amazon.com and I'll check as soon as it gets here. I'm thinking that the water isn't penetrating the root ball enough. The raised bed soil in the bed is getting very wet, but the root ball isn't nearly as wet. That's probably a bad sign, right?

I dug a hole close to the trunk per your suggestion and found water 1 feet deep and lots of clay soil. It didn't rain recently - it must be drainage issue. Attaching picture. I went to the local nursery and based on their suggestion did the following 1. Added root strengthening solution - assuming transplant shock 2. Home depot person suggested using Vitamin B1 solution to help with stress 3. I also added peat moss and organic compost+ manure to the top layer As far as staking goes, it is one year old - i added it after my tree fell down during a storm. Looks like i need to drain properly and improve the soil - it will be a long battle I also have a new problem - bark is splitting - not sure if i should do something about it - any ideas are welcome. Thanks for all the responses. Adding picture of bark as well.

The short day treatment needs to continue for around ten weeks....no interruptions. The temperatures should be relatively cool (60-70) or flowering could be delayed. Excess fertilization could also delay the process. By the way, the periods of darkness need to be MORE than 12 hours each and every time. Most people start the process around Oct. 1 to insure good color by Christmas week. Once the 'treatment' is over, the bracts should be showing some faint signs of color. You shouldn't be seeing a lot of new green leaves at this time, so I fear that something is off with the cycle. The flowers will show up the terminal ends of existing growth and the leaves (bracts) will color up around them. You can stop the short day treaments after ten weeks. Even 8 weeks. The bracts may not have colored up fully at that time, but they will as long as all of the conditions have been met. Don't expect the plant to turn vivid colors while still in treatment.

i reckon is still cool enough at night and probaly the soil temperature is less than 7C anyway. Ammonium sulphate is great to push on growth, however be careful with it, I ve killed many plants for overdoing it. I use coffee grounds as part of the growing media and mixed with bark to mulch the beds too, it adds organic matter and slow realise fertiliser which my plants seem to respond well to it. Just keep in mind that coffee grounds is not acidic though as many erroneously believe. I think you doing very well with your plants, and as soon the temperature rises they will green up and do great for you.