Knowledgebase
Dying? Soft touch Japanese holly #877291
Asked July 15, 2024, 12:22 PM EDT
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
The degree of damage to the one yellowing shrub suggests it will not recover, but you can wait and see how it fares if you want. For all of them, monitor them for watering needs during this ongoing drought, feeling the soil around five inches deep and watering well if it's become somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. The nearby petunia and alyssum plants look good and would likely be starting to yellow or die back if the ground were too wet, so overwatering isn't a strong suspect in this case. While Thielaviopsis is called a "root rot," it can arise in cases when overwatering wasn't a factor.
Depending on how long the hollies have been in this location, either the yellowing plant is failing to establish or root health might have been a chronic issue for this individual. If they were installed in the past 2-3 years, were the roots well-loosened upon planting?
Miri