Trying to figure out if it is root rot or not enough wather...........?

Question

I planted a row of 10 Canadian Hemlocks (Tsuga Canadensis) this past late April. I am in Tennessee where the temperatures have been records this past week getting up to 106 degrees today. I have been holding the hose over around the bottom of each full flow for 120 seconds each every other day. This afternoon they really started to look faded and some of the needles on the outside were brown, but not many. they , to me , look like they were thirsty, but i also know it maybe the opposite in fact , since they were planted in clay soil but i did mix nice topsoil and peatmoss with it, but they still have they clay at the very bottom. The faded needles are on the outside only , inside they are still very green.

Just what is your opinion?

Lack of water or beginnings of root rot?

would the fading begin on the inside if it was the making of root rot?

Also , forgot to add that we have had this extreme heat for over a week, been dry

why?

Thanks very much for your answer!

Answer 1

Canadian Hemlock definitely does not tolerate poorly drained soils or wet sites. It often has chlorotic/sunscorched foliage or dieback when placed under urban stress conditions (especially full sun, drought, poor soils, heat, and/or salt spray).

You should have left a water ring around the circumference of the hole you dug for the trees and fill it with mulch to help retain the moisture and keep the root zone cool. It is better to water once a week and water deeply, than to water frequently for just a few minutes. However, you don't want it to dry out between waterings so that's where the mulch can be helpful. You might also try using some of the gels during the hot days that can help retain moisture levels in the soil without adding a lot of water.

Answer 2

Possibly it's just too hot for them since they are not fully established yet. My woody bushes all died in the heat here this year. Sounds like our summers are both hot. I think Hemlocks like it where it is cooler. But they might have done better if you had planted them early enough to establish a good root system before the heat started.