What common mistakes kill low-maintenance shrubs?
Written by
Michael Sullivan
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Even low-care bushes can die of avoidable blunders. The most common blunders are poor watering, poor soil selection, and feeling apathetic towards visiting wildlife. A lot of the dying boxwoods and junipers I've saved are because people make these (often) simple corrections, saving owners potentially thousands of dollars in replacement costs.
Overwatering & Drainage
- Root rot kills faster than drought: wait until top 2 inches of soil dry
- Heavy clay needs 30% perlite/grit amendment
- Use moisture meters in humid zones (5-8)
USDA Zone Mismatches
- Camellias die in Zone 5 winters without protection
- Check nursery tags against USDA maps before buying
- Microclimates matter (avoid south walls in hot zones)
Pruning Overkill
- Never remove >33% of growth annually
- Lilacs pruned after July lose next year's blooms
- Use hand shears instead of hedge trimmers
Soil Sabotage
- Test pH: azaleas need 5.5, lavender thrives at 7.0
- Amend clay with compost before planting
- Avoid fresh manure, burns roots
The holly hedge of a client suffered tremendously from daily waterings with a sprinkler. When we changed to watering just once a week and added drainage trenches, new growth appeared in about 45 days. Test soil moisture with a screwdriver: resistance means hold off on watering; arm penetration means to water.
In high-risk areas, protection from deer is absolute. In Zones 6-8, I spray viburnum with egg-based repellent monthly. If the pressure is extreme, an 8-foot fence can be installed. A neighbor lost 15 azaleas in a year before doing the above.
Pruning shears transmit diseases. Disinfect all tools with 70% rubbing alcohol after each use. I recently saved a boxwood collection from blight by replacing shared tools with color-coded shears. I color-coded them, red for diseased or suspected diseases and green for healthy plants.
Read the full article: 10 Low Maintenance Shrubs for Effortless Landscapes
