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My whole border seems to have a problem

becky.derbyshirebecky.derbyshire Posts: 21
in Problem solving
Hi- we built in this raised border three years ago and thus far everything seems to have done well in it. However suddenly I’m noticing a number of plants struggling (including my jasmine beside it and not in said border). The only plants still looking really really happy are my lavender,
climbing rose, alliums and my aqueligia. Some
plants are looking like they’re wilting, some are discoloured and some
aren’t flowering when they should. I’m so worried something is going to destroy my whole border this year please help!




Posts

  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    Maybe the result of cold dry weather. How much water have you been giving?
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    I’d also suspect weather and water. Particularly if lavender is the one doing well, as it likes drier more free draining conditions.
  • WonkyWombleWonkyWomble Posts: 4,541
    I agree,  I've been having to water my garden regularly.  The wind has been very drying and a lot of my less established plants don't have their roots deep enough yet. 
  • becky.derbyshirebecky.derbyshire Posts: 21
    Thank you! Truth is apart from feeding plants I’ve not really been watering them 🙈 I’m still in my early gardening years and I’d always been told apart from high summer there’s not much point in watering borders, just to keep an eye on your pots! I did give the hydrangea a good soak yesterday so I’d have though it would have picked up after that?

    Do I need to soak everything to pick them back up or do I go slow and steady?
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Always give a good soaking when you water, otherwise it may only go down a few inches and this forces plants to root near the surface.  Raised beds have to be watered when it has been dry for a couple of weeks as they lose more water (because of a larger surface area) than soil in the ground.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    edited April 2021
    Normally you wouldn’t but if you’re in the UK it’s been very dry March/April compared to usual years. Also, raised beds drain quicker than normal beds.

    Its hard to say exactly what to do, but a thorough soak once a weeks tends to be better than a little bit everyday.  And the lavender won’t need as much as the rest.
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    We've not had rain for weeks, so it will take time for the bed to get back up to normal levels of moisture. The Trachelospermum (jasmine) will also need soaking at the same time. I have been watering mine for the last couple of weeks.
  • becky.derbyshirebecky.derbyshire Posts: 21
    Thank you! You’ve all been so helpful! 
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