Lithospermium prob?

I have a small lithospermium in my rockery, it never looks really healthy but a recent soil test revealled the ground to be quite alkaline (7.8) as i understand the plant likes quite acid soil I added some suphate of Iron around the roots about two weeks ago. At first it perked up but now some of the leaves have turned a dark red and the flower buds seem to be drooping and look to well. This is the plant.

any ideas on what to do?

 

I should mention that the convulvus Cneorum next to isn't fairing too well either

 

I think you have overdone the iron treatment Antheus. Take them out of the rockery and pot them up in standard compost for a while. (Ericacious of course)

 

I agree, with John, Antheus, give them a holiday for a couple of weeks until you sort the PH out. The best thing to use is Flowers of Sulphur. You can get it from the chemists. Use it gently, checking the PH until you`ve brought it down to about neutral or just under. Obvously, you need to wait for the S of I to leach out a bit first, or you will get false readings.

 

Cheers thanks for that i'll sort them out tomorow.
The soil is very heavy (clay) here that things either thrive or don't. I am gradually working on it we have a local stables that give us free (well rotted) manure and I have been working that in over the past two years but in many areas of the garden you can still model little figures out of the soil!

 

Antheus, it all comes down to perseverance and patience. You will win in the end.

 

For a quick fix you could use sequestrene or chelated iron.
Seen to remember reading that ordinary sulphate of iron wont work as the chalkyness stops the plant absorbing it.
Not being a chemist I'm probably talking rubbish but I think in chelated form it works.
I've tried sulphur, and I have no doubt it probably works, but its a bit long term I think.
No remedy is permanent, you will always need to reapply from time to time.

 

Flowers of Sulphur should permanently change the PH, Pete, that`s why I suggested Antheus go gently with it. F of S is not the same as the yellow or green sulphur you get in garden centres.

 

I've used it David, and also the chips that are designed to last longer.
My personal view is that if your surrounding soil is chalky, then that will always domenate.

Sulphur will work for a while, a few years perhaps but you wont change what you have permanently, I dont think.

 

Then why do we bother trying? Let`s all give up and go home.

 

I thought you was at home David. :D

I bother trying to change my soil, Always have done, to me thats what gardening is all about.
Making things grow, in places they would not, without my help.
Anything that naturally wants to grow here is a weed, but I keep some of them. :D

 

You mean to tell me that you grow the plants you love in conditions that they would not normally tolerate? Bull****. :D

 

No, I've never used any of that mate, cant get it in large enough quantities.
Tend to use "Rooster" :D

 

Thinking I ought to rein in on the s of I I had been applying it to the rhodies and azalias (which seem to be doing fine) but I hadn't really thought about the consequences of overdose.
Michele says I am too much of a tinkerer