Sick Camelia

Hiya folks.

You know the sort of thing, yellow leaves, little or no growth. Whilst my soil is acidic, I think it's actually too acidic for acid lovers. The Camelia is around 3ft tall, and has been steadily getting worse over the last couple of years. What I've done with my Rhododendrons is to pot them into a large pot in Ericaceous compost, and then burying the pot in the ground. This seems to work quite well, and they are flourishing. So, my thought is that I could do the same with this Camelia. The problem though as I see it, is do I dig it up and get rid of as much soil off the rootball as I can? Should I try to retain a certain amount of soil? I imagine that whatever I do, it's going to knock back the plant, yes? Is it even worth bothering with? Naturally, I'd like to save the plant, but I don't want to waste my time on a lost cause.

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Freddy if its too acid for Rhodos and Camellias are you actually able to grow anything other than bracken and a bit of heather.

Surely it must be another problem.

Does it get dry??

 

Hiya Pete.

See, that's just it. The closer to the house I try to grow things, the more difficult it becomes. I've taken readings using both electronic meters and test kits. The meter indicated a level of 5.5, and yes, I know they are said to be unreliable. The test kit was inconclusive. I've tried several kits, and always the same problem, very difficult to determine what the reading was. I am pretty sure though that my soil is acidic, given other factors. Someone posted an online service whereby you just put in your location, and it indicated the soil type in your area. Also, stingers do very well here. There are quite a few plants in my garden that frankly, don't look fully healthy.

As for being too dry, I don't think it's that.

You say about Bracken and Heather, well, I've never planted those, but Ferns seem to grow VERY well here. Do they like it acidic?

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Quite a few ferns like acid conditions, but not all.
Stinging nettles are usually are a sign of fertile soil, not sure they like acid.

Have you tried watering your Camelia with sequestrene to see if it greens up?
It might be worth a try before doing anything drastic.

If it works then the plants are short of iron, which usually happens on alkaline soil.
Just an idea bearing in mind they should be doing well.

 

Hiya Pete, thanks for that.

I'll try out the feed as you suggest. Here's the link regarding soil types-relevant weeds...http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/understand-your-soil-indicator-plants.41097/

I recall from somewhere that if the soil is extreme in either direction, that it prevents plants taking up any nutrient, so I'm not confident that adding the relevant feed will work. But as I said, I'll give it a go

Cheers...Freddy.

 

fist thing to do, is take a ph test

it does not help guessing

once you have this info, you can assess the problem and treat it accordingly (there are many foilar feeds that can sort any probs in a matter of days when correctly applied)

 

Hiya *dim*

A PH test? Did you not read what I wrote?

 

long day ... sorry ... your 1st post stated:

Whilst my soil is acidic, I think it's actually too acidic for acid lovers.

try giving it a regular foliar feed with a product called advanved nutrients iguana grow juice

(its a combination of Fish meal, Yucca extract, Kelp meal, Alfalfa extract, Brewers yeast, Fulvic acid, High Phosperous bat guano, High Nitrogen bat Guano, Krill meal and humic acid) .... results are overnight

costs £20 per 1 litre, but you only use 4ml diluted in 1 litre of water .... so you get 250 litres of liquid fertilizer for £20

very good stuff

if that does not work, then there is something drastically wrong ..... such as too much water .... too much sun etc

a ph of 5.5 is perfect for camelias .... they thrive in a ph of 4.5 to 5.5 .... read this link:

http://msucares.com/pubs/infosheets/is0372.pdf

 

Ok, thanks for that *dim*

So, should I go for Pete's suggestion for using "sequestrene", or *dim's* suggestion of "advanced nutrients iguana grow juice"?

 

don't take my advice as next I will be telling you to top dress with worm humus, volcanic rock dust and brew your own compost tea



take the cheaper route and take it step by step

post pics of the camelias showing the yellow leaves as it may give us a better idea ... (example: if the lower leaves show yellowing, it could be a lack of Nitrogen .... etc etc)

and read this .... it may help with identifying what the problem is

http://www.advancednutrients.com/articles.php?articleID=41

 

and on this site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2008/01/08/camellia_feature.shtml

quote:

Simone Bonner asks...

We moved a pink camellia from a pot (kept in the back garden) to the ground in the front garden about 2 years ago. At first it was ok but gradually over time the leaves have faded to almost yellow and this year has produced only two blooms - the first since moving it. What can be done to return it to its former glory?
Bill replies...

The yellowing of your camellia leaves Simone is a classic symptom of Lime Chlorosis. Too much lime in your soil is blocking the uptake of iron to your Camellia plant which in turn is causing the leaves to yellow. Short term you will need to feed your plant with an ericacious/acid fertiliser and you will also need to apply a dressing of ferrous sulphate fertiliser to the soil to replenish the iron.

 

Hubble bubble toil and trouble.

I'm sure *dim* is turning into a witch

 

I use Vitax Seaweed fertilizer with Sequestered Iron as a foliar spray on my Rhodos and Camellias. Maxicrop also do a similar one.

 

Ok, just for *dim*

 

EEK! ... that does look a bit rough

If I told you waht to do, I'd be guessing .... but I would start off with something that has high nitrogen (such as the blue granular Miracle grow powder (water soluble) that is used for lawns)

http://www.lovethegarden.com/product-details/miracle-gro-water-soluble-lawn-food

but use half the dosage recomended for starters .... has an NPK of 36-6-6

wait a week and see what happens