Ceanothus Yankee point- Help please!

I’m super new to gardening so I apologise upfront. I’ve recently planted 5 , 4ft6 plants, they’ve been in the ground a week ago and they are looking very sad. They are on a slope against a fence. They’ve lost a lot of lower leaves and are starting to yellow. I’ve heard conflicting things- over water, under water? The soil where I live in coulsdon is chalk and clay. I mixed in John inner 3 and some good compost.
I’m really puzzled.

 

Sounds to me like probably underwatering bearing in mind the weather lately.

Often the rootball dries out underground and becomes difficult rewet.

I'd dig one up and have a look, if the rootball is peat type compost once it dries out you can only really rewet by soaking.

Not sure Ceanothus likes chalk or clay for that matter, but I'm sure that is not causing the problem now after just a week.

 

Hi Pete, Thanks for your response! I’ll try and dig one up in the morning. I’m also going to get a soil test kit and see what it tells me. I really hope I don’t lose them.This is what it was like last week.

 

If as you say they’re on a slope, much of the water will just run away, I’d imagine. You’ll need to make sure the water has actually soaked them.

 

Thank you! I’ve read so many conflicting things over the internet! They don’t like slot of water, let them dry out. Now I’ve found you guys I’ll leave the net alone! We’ve just had a huge down pour so I’ll see what they do.