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My Camellia is looking poorly and no flowers this year at all.

len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
in Problem solving
Can someone help me with my Camellia. I had no flowerers this year and a lot of leaves turned brown and dropped off. I have been feeding regularly and giving it plenty of water. The foliage is not very shiny and leas tips are brown, I have been using a foliar spray to try and improve it. I was planed into a large pot using Ericaceous compost and given some horse poo earlier this year. I'd be grateful for any help as I do not want to loose it.

Many thanks for looking.

George


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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They aren't easy to keep in containers unless the container is a decent enough size. Watering will always be difficult because a sizeable evergreen shrub can't take up enough water to hydrate all the foliage. The foliage also prevents rainwater getting in, so even in wetter spells, they often need watered. If you live in an area that has hard water, collect rainwater for it too instead of using tapwater. 
    The lack of flowers is mainly due to a lack of water the previous year - late summer especially as that's when the new buds start forming. 
    If it's only planted in compost, that isn't enough for a shrub to thrive. It needs to be in a loam/soil based medium, and that will need refreshing every year. While rotted manure is ok to use mixed with soil, if the stuff you used wasn't well rotted, that can also be damaging to plants of any kind. 
    If it's in a sunny position, move it somewhere shadier. That will help with moisture retention as it won't dry out so quickly, and will also prevent foliage getting scorched in hot sun. They can cope with a bit of sun if they're in the ground, but it's too much for them in a pot. The ideal location for Camellias is dappled shade.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
    Very much appreciate your reply, Ok, is it OK to re-pot now ?  Do you recommend a particular Loam/soil mix.  My pot is 20" in diameter and 14" deep. Sounds like Dappled shade is where I had it and not in direct sunlight.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you look in garden centres you'll see John Innes composts which are loam based. There's one for shrubs but I can't remember which one as it's something I've never needed to use. The John Innes title is just a formula, so just check the labelling  :)
    I'd say the pot's on the small side looking at the size of the shrub. 
    Hot sun even for a few hours can affect foliage, so just try and keep it in a shadier position for this time of year anyway.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I would use JI 3 mixed 70:30 with a MPC.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Make sure you water it well through the summer - this is when the buds form for next year's flowers
    How to grow camellias / RHS Gardening
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
    punkdoc said:
    I would use JI 3 mixed 70:30 with a MPC.
    MPC ?  Multi purpose compost I guess.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    len-tikular said:
    punkdoc said:
    I would use JI 3 mixed 70:30 with a MPC.
    MPC ?  Multi purpose compost I guess.

    ✔️ 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
    I guess that's done it! re0potted in JI No3 and Multi purpose compost and I now have some new shiny smooth feeling leaves, thanks all for your support.
  • petetrish66ti6hgyPeFpetetrish66ti6hgyPeF Posts: 3
    It looks like lime induced chlororis due to watering with tap water. If you have no access to rain water add distilled white vinegar at the rate of a cup a gallon and that should green it up. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The thread is nearly two years old and the problem was  solved quite easily with all the advice given  @petetrish66ti6hgyPeF, as you can see from the OP's last post in August '21   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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