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Kalmia Latifolia/mountain laurel wilting

sam.w.i.walkersam.w.i.walker Posts: 1
in Problem solving
Hi, any help would be much appreciated on the above. Picture shows the leaves wilting and browning etc. They were bought in ‘clearance’ end of the summer. They haven’t improved much yet haven’t died! Thanks for any advice. Sam. 

Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Were the leaves yellow when you bought it?  Kalmia is a lime-hating plant, so if your soil isn't acid, it won't thrive.  But if you do have acid soil (and can grow rhododendrons successfully, for instance) it will be some other cause, which hopefully someone else can suggest...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Assuming your soil is neutral to acid and not alkaline then it could just be hungry and, in particular, short of iron and magnesium which can be fixed with a foliar feed.

    Mix 5l of soft tap or rain water with a tablespoon/15ml of Epsom salts and pour over the foliage using the spray nozzle on your watering can.   That will fix magnesium.   You can buy liquid feeds for ericaceous plants in good garden centres or DIY stores and mix according to the instructions.  Pour that over the leaves too and that will fix iron.  I would give hese two feeds 2 or 3 times over the next 3 or 4 months as well as a mulch of ericaceous compost.

    If your soil is alkaline then you'll need to dig up the plant and put it in a large enough pot with ericaceous compost and water it henceforth with rainwater.   Lime or calcium in the soil or water lock up iron and magnesium in a way that prevents them being absorbed by the plant roots of plants like kalmia, skimmia, rhodos and azaleas and some heathers.  The above feeds will help it recover once potted up.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Plenty of good advice so far. All shrubs need good watering in their early years. Based on your comments, you will have planted them in warm dry weather, and they will need constant attention very early on. Consistent deep watering will always help shrubs settle in more. Young shrubs planted in full sun will also suffer more if the watering is inconsistent, especially some evergreen shrubs that prefer a dappled shaded position. 
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