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Phlox issue?

gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
in Problem solving
Good evening all

So I’ve noticed that my phlox leaves keep turning brown and dying but they have still flowered and look as if they still have buds on. They are in pots with John innes no 2. 

Any ideas?


Posts

  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    Bump
  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    Can anyone save me here? 🤣 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I would say plant it out in the garden, they’re a big plant, likes to spread, and cut that long trunk off,  I don’t think they are suited to grow as tree shapes.
    it will shoot out from bottom then.
    It looks like it’s just starved.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    Hi Lyn thanks for the reply. Someone at a garden centre said it could be too much sun? Is this possible for a phlox? So you think it’s best if I cut the long stem back down to the base?
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    edited July 2020
    It looks like liquid damage. Do you water it over-head when the sun is out? I agree with Lyn, the plant is left to grow tall and not natural. They should have been cut down a lot earlier. I suspect, you had a small plant and let it just grow. Best planted out and cut all the way down to let them rejuvenate. That way, they will have a lot more space to spread out. 
  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    Hi Borderline, so would it be better to cut all of the plant down to the ground? What about position? Are they fussy about exposed areas to a degree? Full sun all day? Many thanks :)
  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    With regards to watering I water it at the base in the afternoons. 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    edited July 2020
    I would cut it all down. The leaves are not going to recover from that. You may lose this year's flowers, but I think the plant needs to settle in and form more roots. Come next year, they should come back a lot better.

    I would not plant that in full sun. Somewhere with no more than 5 hours of sun in high summer. The leaves may have just started to rot from rain and wind damage. Even in the border, lower leaves can start to die off as the plant matures over the season.
  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    It has flowered quite well this year though, which is what confuses me. I will try and find a space where it can have some shade. 
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