camilias/bourganvilla problems

two problems - one of my (2) garden camelias has buds - not yet opened - but the leaves are turning yellow, what is it trying to tell me? Also
my 15yr old bourganvilla which stays in the conservatory until high summer is dropping leaves all over the place. Took it in the garden just to give it a shake and it seemed settled. It's now started dropping leaves again. what does it need? I gave it a light feed using Tomorite (I use it for almost everything) about 2 weeks ago and water it when it feels dry so what do I do for it now?

 

Camellias can turn yellow if they are lacking in iron randkell. Is it in a pot or in the ground? I use /Miracle-Gro-Azalea-Camellia-%2526-Rhododendron-Liquid-Plant-Food-(180L)--- and a bit of Epsom Salts in the summer - always after rain has fallen and the soil is moist,
Jenny

 

thanks Jenny will get some pronto - plenty of rain forecast for this weekend! K.

 

Bougainvilleas will often drop their leaves after a relatively cold winter, but it'll grow new ones, just have to be patient! 'Bougies' like benign conditions without any extremes, so leaf drop is just their reaction to dislike of a change of conditions.

 

Is it growing in Acid soil? (If its in the ground then an indication that your soil is acid will be that gardens near you have Rhododenrons, Azaleas and Camelias. If its in a container then it needs to be planted with "Ericaceous compost/soil")

It should not be watered with tap water (if you are in a hard water area) Seems unlikely that it would be being watered during the winter though!

Overwatering could cause the leaves to "go off" too.

Tomorite will concentrate on providing nutrients for Flowering / Fruiting, so you might want to use something more general-purpose for things that are growing - such as Miracle-gro - and use Tomorite just before, and during, their flowering period.

 

thank you Stephen for the explanation - know the feeling, hunched shoulders is my reaction to a cold winter and change of conditions - unless it's a change to anything over 70degrees! I shall wait for their return to health. K.

 

growing in soil in the garden, the 2nd Camelia is much larger and doesn't seem to have the same problem although they are standing next to each other. can't say I have noticed Rhodos/Azaleas locally but then we are rural and not many other houses around us. Appropos watering - don't think I'll be buying bottles of Evian water for it although our water is quite hard but Jenny suggested the miracle grow so will go with that and see what happens. Many thanks to you all for help. K

 

It will add Calcium to the soil, over time, which will increase the alkalinity. Hence best to use rainwater when you can (I don't see a need to be too obsessive about it, but there again using tap water exclusively will cause a build-up of alkaline salts, over time.)