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It's me again, being a novice I seem to have questions all the time - here goes
I have a newly planted [3 weeks] Euonymus Cascade,
it needs watering every day or it wilts but in 3 weeks time I am going away for 10 days I don't have anyone I can ask to water it for me -what can I do?
[it was bare rooted and is about 2ft tall]
It now has a couple of flower buds but is supposed to be winter flowering.




Answers

 

Bare root plants are always best planted in autumn, or they have trouble getting enough water while they settle in, as you've discovered. Hopefully, after another 3 weeks it may have put out some decent water seeking roots - in the meantime, you haven't said how much water you're giving it, but the best thing to do is to give it around 6 litres every time, which will hopefully extend the period between waterings. You want the soil beneath the plant to be wet so that the roots go down - if you're only watering a bit every day, this just wets the surface, and the roots will come up and wait for you to come along and give them some water.

If you can't get anyone to come and water in that 3 weeks, there's not much you can do other than hope the weather here isn't too hot or too dry. I'd certainly suggest you give it a thorough soaking for at least 3 days before you go, then mulch over the top, 3 inches deep, and a foot wide all round with something or other (bark chips, composted manure, garden compost, whatever). This will help keep the soil moist. Don't, though, pile the mulch against the main trunk, leave that clear about half inch all round.I wouldn't worry about the flowering now - it was obviously prepared to flower, but didn't get planted in time for winter.

30 Apr, 2014

 

We bought an automatic watering system from hoselock. It is easy to set up and it will water your plants up to 4 times a day between 5 to 15 minutes

30 Apr, 2014

 

I had a plastic gadget which screwed onto an empty plastic drinks bottle which you sank into the ground beside the plant. It drip watered and worked quite well. I think it came from the £1 shop or the likes. I came with more than one gadget so you could use a couple.

30 Apr, 2014

 

Nijiiann - I can't have automatic watering system as I don't have an outside tap.
Cammomile - I will look out for the plastic thing but I tried this last year for my indoor plants and either the nozzle got bunged up or all the water gushed out in one go - but will try again, don't think even a 2 litre bottle dripping would be enough though.
Bamboo - I have been giving it a 2 gallon can of water every other day, it is mulched but only with gravel

1 May, 2014

 

Gravel's better than nothing, but organic mulches tend to hold more water... and I'm glad to hear you're watering it well!

1 May, 2014

 

Would surrounding it with a plastic sheet help or do more harm than good?

1 May, 2014

 

I don't know if plastic would help, but it would be ripped off by the foxes the first night - as was the black fabric I originally put under slate and gravel, they just dug it up and ripped it to pieces. [the squirrels had a go too]

1 May, 2014

 

Time to invest in an outdoor tap!

1 May, 2014

 

Can't have an outside tap - I live in a first floor flat and my garden is detached.
I have tried various different ways around this but so far there doesn't seem to be a solution.

2 May, 2014

 

Oh I can understand now. What a shame you can't ask a neighbour.

2 May, 2014

 

Yes it is a shame, I live in a very small cul-de-sac [banjo]
and my neighbours are all even older than me with varying levels of disability.

2 May, 2014

 

Perhaps in three weeks it will have grown enough new roots to survive...

2 May, 2014

 

Hope so

3 May, 2014

How do I say thanks?

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