silverberry Elaeagnus ebbingei

moneyistooshorttomention

I've had one in my garden for a couple of months or so now - and absolutely no growth from it at all.

It was only inches tall when I planted it out - with just a few leaves. Those leaves have gone a bit yellow and with a few small holes in them and one come off. If it's relevant - I've not yet managed to get the message through to a neighbours marauding moggie that it isnt allowed in my garden and I know that one of its routes into my garden is nearby and this morning I noticed a suspicious smell in that vicinity (which I've noticed a few times and am wondering if its cat poo).

I'm still working on keeping "Blimmin' Cat" out of my garden and I dont know if its responsible for the lack of growth or I got a poor specimen or what?

How fast does this particular plant grow? Would it react badly if "Blimmin' Cat" is still at the moment going to the loo near it? Are they okay with clay soil (I thought they were)?

I've got a nasty feeling I need to buy another one of these plants and grow it in in a pot until it gets to around 2' or so tall and then replace this particular plant.

It's exactly the plant I want in that spot - so, if the only way to make it "work" there is to replace it - I'll do so however many times I have to until it "takes off".

glasgowdan

Eleagnus is a woody shrub that can take a while to establish. I wouldn't say growing it in a pot would help very much, but as with many plants like this it's the winter where it really puts down roots (if the cold doesn't kill it first).

Protect it, water, mulch the ground around it and wait and see. You could always plant another in a different spot and see how that does then transplant it here late winter if it works better.

moneyistooshorttomention

Ah - so I guess its Decision Time come the spring then as to how I think it's going to do.

When you say "protect it" - what specifically do you have in mind?

glasgowdan

Just a ring of mesh wire if there's a cat clawing at it, though I don't think a cat would show any interest in it to be honest.

Davesnave

I buy eleagnus small and keep them in pots in my nursery bed for the first year, rather than planting them straight out, but then mine have to compete with grass etc, as I use them for hedging/windbreaks.

I find they and other similar evergreen shrubs grow well like this; better than they do when just planted straight into the garden. This is probably due to the slow release fertilizer I put in my compost and the more regular watering they get. Once planted out in Year 2, they're on their own really, as I don't water the garden. By then they're about 2' high and they just romp away.