Advice for poorly Daphne please

Discussion in 'NEW Gardeners !' started by ChiveTalking, Friday at 8:41 PM.

  1. ChiveTalking

    ChiveTalking Apprentice Gardener

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    Hello, I am hoping for some advice with my Daphne please. It is the Perfume Princess and unfortunately suffered from frost damage earlier this year. There are two main stems from the base and the left side of the shrub is still relatively healthy, but the right hand side has suffered. Is there any hope for recovery and anything I could do to prevent further decline? or should I just accept that it is not going to come back? This raised border faces North and is shared with other shrubs, such a shame as it had been well established and would be flowering away now. Thank you :help:
     
  2. Pete8

    Pete8 Super Gardener

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    I think I'd leave it for now and wait to see if any new growth begins on the damaged stems.
    It may just be the foliage that's taken a hit, so give it a month and see if there's any sign of new shoots on those stems.
    If not then those stems may have died.
    You can check if stems are still living by just scraping a tiny bit of the bark skin with a fingernail. If there's any hint of green where you scratch, then it's alive.

    If all that fails, then remove the dead stems and cross your fingers.

    I have a Tangutica that has grown way too fast over the years and I've successfully hacked bits off it to try and keep it under control.
    They're supposed to very sensitive to pruning, but it doesn't seem to bother mine.
     
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    • ChiveTalking

      ChiveTalking Apprentice Gardener

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      Good Morning & thank you @Pete8 for your help, I will try a scratch test to see if the damaged stems are still green underneath and if so wait to see if it rallies a bit in time. Interesting to hear how your Tangutica has responded to some pruning, I was wondering whether to try cutting mine back but I’ll wait before making any decisions, it’s just looking such a sorry sight and right at the front of the border :sad: Fingers crossed it is not all lost.
       
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