1998 Iowa Turfgrass Research Report
10 Reasons for Landscape Plant Failure
Jeff Iles
#1 Improper Site Selection - Most landscape plants have specific environmental and spatial requirements that must be met if they are to have long and functional lives. Questions to ask before plants are installed include, (1) will trees and shrubs outgrow the space allocated to them, and (2) will they thrive given the unique environmental conditions present on the site (sun, shade, wind, etc.)?
#2 Poor Soil Drainage - Roots, responsible for water and mineral element uptake, energy storage, the synthesis of important organic compounds, and plant anchorage, require oxygen to function. But heavy clay, waterlogged soils are frequently oxygen deficient which can lead to poor growth and even death.
#3 Lack of Winter/Summer Hardiness - A plant's ability to tolerate both high and low temperatures must be a prime consideration when selecting it for a given region.
#4 Planting Problems - Planting too deep, either intentionally or unintentionally, can cause landscape plants to die within months of installation, or lead to other chronic problems (girdling roots, stem or trunk rots, etc.) that significantly shorten their lives.
#5 Improper Watering - Watering is the most important task for owners of newly planted trees and shrubs, but proper frequency and amount needed will vary according to area rainfall, moisture-holding capacity of the soil, and the site's drainage characteristics. Too much water, particularly if the planting area is poorly drained, can easily kill trees.
#6 Mechanical Injury - For trees and other landscape plants to perform as they were intended, they must be afforded protection from all forms of "people pressure." Wounds to trunks and branches administered by vehicles, bicycles, hot charcoal, lawn mowers, and string-trimmers can injure plants directly, and/or predispose them to secondary attack by insects and disease-causing pathogens.
#7 Problem Plants - Plants poorly adapted to a region, and those with serious insect and disease problems should be avoided.
#8 Construction Injury - As landscape plants mature, they attain a rather delicate balance with their surrounding environment. In fact, woody plants grow best in an environment of minimal change. Unfortunately, our urban, suburban, and even rural landscapes are places where drastic changes occur with regularity. Construction activities like driveway and sidewalk installation, grade changes, road widening, and utility trenching in the vicinity of trees and shrubs can cause substantial root injury, and in some cases, death.
#9 Animals - Deer, rabbits, voles, horses, and dogs top the list of animals that cause problems for landscape plants. Because repellents are often ineffective, high value plants should be protected with fencing to prevent injury.
#10 Well-intentioned
Maintenance Practices - Remember, anything you wrap
around the trunk or stem of a plant can cause problems if it
is not inspected regularly.
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ISU Horticulture:Publications:1998 Turfgrass Report | College of Agriculture |