How to Revive a Daphne Carol Mackie

Daphne "Carol Mackie" plants (Daphne burkwoodii “Carol Mackie”) are attractive deciduous shrubs boasting variegated foliage and showy, fragrant, pink spring flowers. The plants will grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8 but are not for beginning gardeners or the faint of heart. Although beautiful when they thrive, daphne plants are known to be temperamental and sometimes die quickly and seemingly without reason. It is best to plant these shrubs in a partially shaded area with a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.5 and then leave them alone as much as possible. If one of your plants starts to look stressed or loses vigor, you can and should make an attempt to save it. Be aware that your efforts may go unrewarded.

Trowel or shovel
Compost
Soil pH test kit
Wood ash or sphagnum peat (optional)
Pruning shears

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a hole several inches deep next to the daphne to check the moisture level of the soil. The soil should be damp to the touch but not soggy. If the soil feels dry and crumbly the plant needs to be watered more often. Water less frequently if water oozes out of the soil when you squeeze it between your fingers. Your daphne's watering needs may change with temperature and rainfall conditions.
- 2
  Pull any weeds that have sprouted around the plant as they can compete with the "Carol Mackie" daphne for soil nutrients.
- 3
  Stop fertilizing your daphnes as soon as you notice they are having a problem. Daphnes are sensitive to chemicals and should only be fertilized with a thin layer of compost in the spring.
- 4
  Test the pH in the soil around the plant. Daphnes prefer soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. To raise soil pH, spread a thin layer of wood ash on top of the soil. Apply a 1- or 2-inch layer of sphagnum peat moss to the soil to lower the pH.
- 5
  Prune away any portions of the "Carol Mackie" daphne that are affected by cankers, blights, rots or other infections. Blights cause discoloration of leaves and twigs while cankers create brown, dead spots on the plant which can be raised or sunken. Rots create mushy brown and black areas on the plant. These diseases often cannot be cured and the only way to manage infections is to remove them. Keeping the area around the shrub free of fallen leaves and other debris minimizes the risk of infection.

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