Help for BOXWOOD & RHODODENDRONS!

[chi-town-girl]

Hi Everyone

So glad to have found this board...

I have two questions. First, I have two rhododendrons planted in raised boxes in front of my garage. Neither one was covered over winter...shame on me! One of them seems to be doing well, I can see the flowers budding and the leaves greening up. The OTHER one looks pitiful. The majority of the leaves are curling up and brown, I see very little green, and it looks like it is on its deathbed. The only difference between the two is the sick one got a small amount of Miracle Grow. Did I BURN the plant?

Second, I have three green velvet boxwoods in a perennial bed created last summer. When I bought them, they were deep green and appeared healthy. But the leaves started to yellow and sometimes even appeared tinged with brown. Is this a nitrogen problem or a pest problem?

I can take pictures and provide a link to pictures if that will help in diagnosis!

Thank you for any help you can provide to this newbie!

[Newt]

Hi Chi-town-girl,

As for your rhodos, it is difficult to know what is happening without more information. I'm guessing you live in a very cold climate if you are speaking about covering them. You don't say how long ago they were planted and if the soil stays wet. Here's a site with some helpful info. See if any of this fits.
http://www.nfldgarden.homestead.com/RhodoIntro.html

Boxwoods can get root rot if they're kept too wet. They can be bothered by spider mites, root nematodes if kept too wet, or scale. They need organic matter if planted in sandy soil.

Without knowing where you are located or your hardiness zone, it would be difficult to say what is going on.

Newt

[chi-town-girl]

Thank you for your assistance. I am in zone 5 (Chicago) and these rhodos were planted last season.

My soil has very heavy clay. Both the rhodos and the boxwoods are planted in raised beds with halfway decent soil. I will try to post a picture and provide a link so you can visually see the rhodo issue.

Thanks so much for your help.

[Newt]

You are very welcome. I'm wondering how deep these raised beds are and what you used for soil as you say, "halfway decent soil." Rhodos like a soil rich in organic matter. They are shallow rooted and shouldn't be planted deeply. Do you know the name of your rhodos?

I await your link.
Newt