I planted 5 purple leaf sand cherries in April that were very healthy. 2 months later the new growth fell off, the leaves curled and the plant looked like it needed water but it didn't. Now I have had no new growth since then and the plants look like they are dying. I have sprayed with insecticide and fertilized. Nothing has helped. Can anyone help me diagnose what is wrong? Thanks.
If not lack of water probably something like bacterial canker or brown rot, up here this plant is quite apt to blight off in summer, as are flowering almonds. Since you are in a hot area it might even have been fireblight, I suppose--while I have not heard of this occurring on purpleleaf sandcherry (Prunus x cistena) specifically it does afflict many related plants. Spraying insecticides or fertilizing in the hope that it may happen to address an unidentified problem is unlikely to hit the target, as you have discovered. Insecticides will have no effect on a bacterial or fungal problem. Fertilizer could help a blighted plant grow back from damage, but probably only if there is a nutrient deficiency in the soil and the product used addresses that particular deficiency.
Thank you for the response and info. I will check on the problems you addressed. They could be the source of my sick plants. It's a good place to start.
Hi Afghan, Great advice, especially about spraying insecticides and using fertilizers before you know what the problem is. You could further stress an already stressed tree. Also consider that your trees may be planted too deeply, they might have been rootbound when planted and can't take up water, too much mulch or not enough water. Here's some helpful sites you can check. http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/trees/f1147w.htm http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/planting/rootgrowth.htm http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07833.html#post http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx http://www.mdvaden.com/watering.shtml http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1298/ Newt