A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Cutting back transplanted shrubs

In case it matters, I'm in the Tampa, FL area; temps currently around 70 daytime; last night down close to freezing, but usually low 50's at night.
I transplanted a 3-4' tall evergreen (I think) shrub, but its leaves turned all brown. Some of the main root (only large one that went out to the side) was lost in the process. There are now a few green leaves, that I believe are new growth, though not sure. Should I cut off the dead/brown ones, and if so, do I just cut the leaves, or the whole branches, and how much of them?
Also, planted some shillings from a nursery ... and same thing. With those, I believe they got dehydrated prior to planting. Same questions, or do I just replace?
Photos of all can be found at:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jm_jensen/album?.dir=45aa
Thanks in advance for the help.

Whew, looks bad, friend. The third plant looks totally dead.

What is the first (and second) plant? Some kind of rhododendron?

That's one of the things I don't know. It has hope, and would be the more costly to replace, too. I'm just wondering how to best help it to recover. Obviously, I'm a neophyte here.

The first two, I think I'd just wait and see on, never can tell, might drop all the needles (leaves) and then green back up. All this could just be transplant shock.

(got 3 bald trees my self waiting til spring to see how they do. )

the 3rd, looks really bad to me.

Why don't you post the first two photos in the "Mystery plants" category and tell your story. Once it can be identified, it will be easy to look up what can be done for it.

Hi JackJ,

The first plant looks a lot like a Japenese Yew. I don't remember it ever looking completely brown, though, and fear it may already have died. Someone should be able to tell you more about it if you put it in the mystery plant section.

At least I can welcome you to the site--it's great and info will be forthcoming!

Ann1

The first plant (first two photos) is, according to the former owner of our house, a portacoccus; at least that's how she pronounced it. I can't find it by searching, and only came up with the coccus spelling by searching. Her advise, as long as the few green leaves are new growth, was to simply wait it out. She advised against cutting back, as it would stimulate new growth, but as we're experiencing cold, and potentially frost, at night, it might kill off the new growth. The other plant, the shilling, she didn't look at up close, but said to just wait 'till spring and see if it comes back. She said that she's seen some plants lay dormant for a long time and then come back. The same advice against cutting back, I guess. Thanks for the responses!