I live in kentucky and I have 2 roma plants. I planted them at the end of April and they are still about 1 and 1/2 feet tall. They have started producing some tomatoes but the new stem growth is turning brown and curling up and dying. Also, the leafs are starting to get spots. In the pics you should be able to see. I have been fertilizing about every 6 weeks with a 9-12-12 and my other plants seem to be doing okay. Can you please help. Do I need to be using miracle grow. The past several years we had a problem with blight but I have treated the garden with a fungacide as recommended by someone. Any advice would be wonderful. Image link:

"but well established trees... when we rule out recent transplant ... meaning the root mass is not fully re-established ... should not suffer any long term problem from one season of drought .. its just part of the natural cycle ..." Not necessarily. Depends on how severe and long lasting the drought is. Even though much of the PNW is a recurring summer drought area, this year was a bit over the top. A seriously low winter mountain snowpack resulted in reduced groundwater availability and significantly lower levels in streams and rivers - to the point where various species of fish are threatened as are salmon spawning runs. On top of that, most of the PNW had a long, very dry and extremely hot (for us) summer. What that means is even native plants accustomed to our normally dry summers are suffering. It is patently obvious by the many deciduous trees already coloring and dropping foliage, a good 6 weeks before normal. And by the extensive flagging showing up on WRC's - earlier and much heavier than normal. Along one stretch of highway near where I live, young Doug firs (10-15 y.o.) are dead or dying, the foliage completely brown. And local ecologists predict we may not see the full effect on the larger and older trees for several years. Severe drought is an enormous stressor on trees and often the effects are not immediately visible. The OP's photos clearly indicate trees, established or not, that are suffering from our extended lack of water. Especially when planted in a cultivated garden (as opposed to growing wild), young trees may be permanently damaged by a severe drought if not watered adequately to compensate. Even larger, more mature drought tolerant species (or species that are tolerant to "normal" seasonal drought) can suffer long term negative effects if the drought is longer or worse than normal and not relieved by natural or man-provided irrigation. Mike, I see nothing in those photos to indicate any Chamaecyparis. The lighter coloring on the branch tips might just be some new growth prompted by some recent watering or one of the WRC cultivars that offers some lighter, golden coloration.

Thanks, we'll have to think about whether to cut back and hope it regrows vs getting something else in there sooner. We're definitely paying attention to long-term sizes and not just what things look like today. >"never forget.. foundation plantings are planted to hide the foundation. NOT ON THE FOUNDATION .." Agree entirely! That holly is only 1 foot off the now house because we cut it back -- the holly and other shrubs were fully pressed up against the house itself. A large cypress-y thing was even half-way up the dining room windows, pressed against the glass. Every single foot of exposed foundation around the entire house had plants in direct contact, at least during the growing season. A 20 foot-tall willow tree was planted less than two feet from the foundation, a large hawthorn tree was basically laying on top of the whole garage roof, and vines were starting to pull the electrical and cableTV wires off the house!!! Rose bushes impinged on the driveway so badly that the passenger doors of cars were inaccessible. What's odd is that the previous owner, a 60-something single man, wasn't neglectful or an invalid in general, in most ways he was decent with maintaining the house. But he apparently loved the feel of living in a jungle, totally overgrown everywhere. The interior was full huge ferns and the like.

Do you have the rose in potting soil or garden soil? Roses in pots should be in potting mix. Garden soil is too "heavy" for a plant in a pot. Are the roots growing out of the bottom of the pot? If so, you may need to move it to a bigger pot. If you just recently repotted the rose, and used new potting mix, the plant shouldn't need any fertilizer for a couple of months. Adding Miracle Grow can be too much for the rose. I also would not add any compost either. Has the temperature recently risen lately and it is hot where you are located? You might want to move the plant where it gets some shade in the afternoon. We are going to be 108--109 for the next week or so, so some afternoon shade for the plants may be in order at my house. I would re-pot the rose in some nice new potting soil and keep it in the shade for a couple of days so it won't go shocky on you. See if that helps.