sarcococca yellowing

i have many sarcococcas in my garden (i need to find out variety), but a large amount have turned yellow, lost leaves and some died.
they are planted in neutral to slight clay soil (7 to 6), free draining but have irrigation that works, i've fed them with epsom salts and miracle grow as folia feeds monthly but still yellow . my tracheospernum is showing signs of yellowing too is lime chlorosis the cause? even though my garden is neutral.

 

I planted a sarcoccas confusa in a garden a few weeks back .... it was the last one left at B&Q .... top section of the shrub had lighter leaves

I tried the epsom salts as a foilar feed aswell as using it as a soil drench .... it still looks the same, but has not got worse

I now use a seaweed/fish foilar feed once a week, but still dont see any difference ... they need to be planted is semi shade to do best

 

Try sequested iron if you think the soil is alkaline.
None of these treatments work immediately, especially as root growth is not moving much just yet.
I'm not a great believer in foliar feeds etc. on plants with shiny hard leaves.
They dont take things in through the leaves as well as soft leaved plants.

 

thats why there are things called wetting agents

the foiliar feed i use also has Yucca extract

 

Its a well know fact that evergreens with tough shiny leaves dont absorb things as easily as soft leaved plants, wetting agents might help but its not that easy.
They have tough shiny leaves for a reason, to stop water loss, break down the waxy coating and the plant will probably shed its leaves.

What exactly is Yucca extract supposed to do?

 

science has advanced ....

here is one product (works well with things like palms, and does not damage them)

http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/products/wet_betty/wet_betty_product_information.php

Yucca is another, and is used as a wetting agent that is now included in many foliar feeds ... in simple terms, it makes the foliar feed sticky, which then sticks to the leaves and is absorbed by the plant

many high end foiliar feeds now include this

in the old days, people tried stuff like dishwasing liquid which was not 100% effective

 

*dim* do you actually buy this stuff?

 

I have'nt bought wet betty yet, as I have not needed to buy it ... but it sounds nice and the picture looks good .... I have read on several forums that people who have used it in hydroponics growing say that it works extremely well

i currently use advanced nutrients iguana juice as a foliar feed (seaweed/fish/70 minerals etc etc) .... it has yucca extract that acts as a a wetting agent .... I have had excellent results with this product and I will continue to use foliar feeding on a regular basis

 

Do you have problems growing things by normal means?

I mean plants have been growing for millions of years without "wet Betty", this is the internet equivalent of all those small adds you used to get at the back of Sunday papers.

 

... trouble is ... I can't remember whether I bought them hoping to see "Wet Betty", "Wet Becky" or maybe even "Wet Botty" !!

 

Wouldn't it be a hoot if the thing that makes plant grow like stink turns out, after all these years, to be ... Snake Oil !!

 

yea ... it's way too boring ....

I prefer drugging the lawns with fertilizers and making them dark green, and feeding plants nutrients which turn them into giants .... I have a few that I am nursing at present (T-Rex, Ricicnus, Musa and Alocasia mayan mask)

 

my plants are established but in the 2 yrs i've been here they have looked sick and got worst since even though i've carefully fed them