Camellia problems

I have a camellia which has hardly grown in the 11 years since it's been planted. It just sits there, doesn't flower much. The soil is somewhat acid, I believe. (Leicester, which is mostly acid but not very, I think.)

My friend has a big potted camellia - we freshly potted it last autumn in a nice big pot with acidic compost. It has some decent flowers on, but hardly a profusion, and the whole thing has a bit of a yellow look to it.

Any ideas as to why they're so lacklustre?

 

Hi Madahhlia

Are the Camellias fed and if so, how often and with what?

Also, which direction are they facing?

Do they ever get a layer of mulch or (for your one) compost added to the surrounding soil?

What sort of soil do you have, eg is it clay, is it free draining, etc?

Does your Camellia have a good root system (ie has it spread out a fair distance from the plant or is it still relatively contained)?

Would it be possible to post some pics of both plants please?

Just trying to get a bit more info so that people can try and pinpoint the problems

 

I have 3 in one of my clients gardens ...

the buds are big, brown and crisped .... no flowers this year, the cold was too much over winter

leaves are still green though

 

I'm tending to think too dry.
They like moisture, quite often late summer can be dry, when the buds are forming.

Yellow leaves are a sign of alkaline conditions or possibly starvation.

But my bet would be not enough moisture.

 

Hi, I have a few Camellia's both in pots and in ground. I used to have mediocre results from mine until I increased watering, used a commercial Camellia feed, and started using plenty of mulch. I also remove flowers once they are past their best or if they fail to open fully. They are certainly plants that respond well to a little TLC.
Gazania

 

Hi Loofah, that's interesting. Should we not feed Camellia's after July then ? Is it a case of once they have finished flowering and putting on some new growth they don't need feed ?
Gazania

 

I guess what Loofah means is that if you would feed later in the year the new resulting growth would not be hardy enough for the winter (leaves to young and soft)

 

Gotcha, thanks loveweeds, that makes sense. Good bit of info.
Gazania

 

If it is going to turn out to be very dry this year, I must make regular notes on the calender to water the camellias and azaleas regularly. The trouble is, they don't show signs of morbid distress until it's too late do they.
namaste Jenny

 

Hi Jenny, just had a look at my local 10 day weather forecast, from today until next Sunday here it is, showers, showers, rain, showers, showers, showers, showers, showers, showers. BUT, wait for it, the Monday after next, cloudy !!!
Gazania

 

Thanks, folks, just got back from my (damp) sojourn in the Lake District. No water shortage there today!

My camellia has never been fed or mulched that I can remember. I haven't checked the root spread as I don't dig near it much as nothing can be planted too close. It certainly went very short of water last summer as did everything else in my garden - lots of stuff wilted through August, though not the camellia, of course, being leathery.

So, few obvious starting points there, water, feed, mulch.

I'll buy a box of camellia feed and share it with my pal.