I bought these two last year on sale from Lowe's/Home Depot. Fall clearance sale.

I planted them in plastic pots with either potting mix or in-ground garden soil. I don't remember. Topped off with a lot of mulch.

Remained outside through winter. On the deck with other clearance sale evergreens. Full sun. Midwest (just outside St. Louis) winter temperatures. Gathered plants together and moved against house patio door when it was stupid cold. Just a few nights as cold as 5°.

Started fading/looking dull in February maybe.

Had a hail storm recently.

Any ideas what's going on?

Please help 🙏🏼





[lightbox]2024-04-08/ChellieSmiles/4

If you planted them in in-ground garden soil, their roots are frying. Garden soil is meant to be mixed with equal parts of native soil. That would be my first concern.

Second, did you keep them watered when the temperature was really cold? Plants with well hydrated roots handle cold weather much better. In pots you have to subtract zones so if you are in zone 6, the plants should be hardy to zone 4, with protection, zone 5. Your plants are hardy to zone 5 and you protected them. So.... potting soil or water. One plant looks like it will be fine so too dry?

Thank you @lucy68 ! That makes sense. I think I remember at one point running out of one kind of mix/soil and starting to use another.

Do you think I could save it by repotting it with the appropriate mix?

I goofed up my title. It's a false cypress. 🤦🏻‍♀️

ChellieSmiles said:
I goofed up my title. It's a false cypress. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Fixed it!

ChellieSmiles said:
Do you think I could save it by repotting it with the appropriate mix?

That depends upon how much root damage there is but its worth a try.