Last March I bought a house that had been on the market for 15 months; the front and back yards were in a state of neglect and likely did not get much attention before the house was up for sale, either. When I started removing dead leaves and debris from around the juniper bushes and pruned off the dead branches, I found the soil underneath was damp with white mold and the branches of the bushes snapped off--the cores were reddish-purple in the middle. Some branches that looked healthy and green at the tips were also dying at the base.
After some research I think the bushes acquired root rot due to the long period of neglect and smothered soil, coupled with the stress of last summer's drought followed by a very wet winter/spring. Over the summer I've been gradually pulling out the dead bushes when I've had time. I'm planning to have them all out in the next couple weeks.
I would like to plant new, healthy bushes this fall so the front of my house won't look quite so barren. Is there a specific soil fungicide that I can use before planting healthy bushes in the space where the last bushes rotted?
Secondly, how long would I need to wait between treating the soil and planting new bushes?
Thirdly, which bushes would be hearty enough to handle soil with questionable drainage, partial shade, and competition for root space with several large trees in the neighborhood? An evergreen would be preferable for winter color, though I'll be happy to have something other than barren empty soil in front of my house. :-)
Thanks,
Anne McKinney
