Was it a bare-root plant, or container/balled & burlap? If the latter two, stick your finger down into the root ball an inch or so from the trunk and see if the root ball is dry. If it is, I would say leave a hose trickling on it for a while, until it feels wet [if that is wrong, I hope someone pipes up].

I planted one of these a couple of years ago and it looked just as dreadful after a couple of days, but it got its roots going and is now enormous and healthy - don't give up yet (and the sugar water thing sounds like bushwa to me).

Do NOT water w/sugar water as that actually DE-hydrates the plant! Worse than not watering.

DO water it often. I'd do it at least every 3-4 days (if it doesn't rain) as it's hard to over-water red-osier dogwood. Whether it will make it, dunno, but even if it
loses all leaves don't give up. Here's mine from a twig stuck in the
ground in spring and watered often for 1st yr or two:

Closeup of berries:

Did you absolutely drench it after planting? When first planted it is essentially like a bunch of cut flowers and needs a lot of water until the roots settle in.

Give it some shade to reduce transplant shock. A sheet fastened over a large stretch of the fence corner, or a tall lawn chair set where the back will provide some shade will help.

I brought this one in from a wet area at the end of April, just as it was breaking bud. It took a long time to finally (partially) leaf out. I still water it twice a week during this warm spell as the leaves will wilt if I let it go too long. Of coarse my sandy loam percolates through faster than you clay so you'll have to get to know for yourself how often to water.

Rabbits ate the new suckers off of it the first night, that's why you see the cage around it. :-)

Thank you all for your advice. I didn't see it get planted, so I'm not sure if it's bare or in that burlap on the roots. I did scoop back the rocks and put my finger in the dirt and it was actually pretty wet, but I'm not sure if that's the top or the root area. I don't know what I am doing. *blush* I have it shaded with the umbrella, and it was cooler and overcast today so hopefully it got a break. I have a drip system (or something) on it so it's getting watered in the wee morning, for about 8 minutes. So I watered it again this evening. I don't want to over water it though either, right?

So the consensus is to (water more and) be patient, as the landscaper said?

I do have one other question... IF the leaves all dry out, crumble and fall off, will the shrub die? Don't they all come off during winter anyway (as shown in the picture by Bill above)?

I had three 15 gallon trees and a bunch of little plants put in too and they all seem to be mostly okay. My six May Night Meadow Sage plants are struggling badly too. I think these plants are just not all getting enough water for the beginning of their new life in my yard, I think....

I have no experience watering in clay soil but at this point in time, all of your plants roots are pretty much inside the root ball, so that is where your plant is doing all of it's water uptake. So this is the area most important to keep moist.

The soil that the root ball is composed of is key and would determine how long it takes for water to permeate all the way to the bottom. If it's native clay, Initially it may be best to use a slow soaker style of watering, for a long enough period of time (maybe several hours for clay) to make sure everything gets soaked thoroughly. I don't know what to tell you on how you should check to make sure everything is initially soaked all the way down. Someone with more experience with clay soils can chime in about that.

If it's some type of potting mix from the nursery, that's easier, you should almost be able to watch the water soak away as you apply it. A couple gallons should do it then. :)

You won't have to worry about watering a dogwood too much at this stage as they thrive in areas that have wet soils and even standing water for at least part of the year. Mine was growing in a mucky clay loam right next to the swamp.

If the leaves do fall off, it's not the first time transplant shock has claimed the leaves but it doesn't kill the plant. It will re-bud and send out more leaves after a few weeks.

Make rhe sugar water at whatever concentration is recommended. Pour it over ice, add some gin and a sqeeze of lemon. Take it out to your hammock and sip, repeat treatment if necessary. Oh and don't worry about your plant - it is going to be fine. These things come with a stick; the only way to kill them is to beat them to death!

:-)

Sara

Well put, Sara!

Just wanted to update:

My Red Osier came out okay, hope the one tresring planted recovered also. I plan to prune it down next spring so it I can get better shape out of it.

Looks good, Bill!