Camelia not looking happy

Posts

• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  May 2022

  Can we see the whole plant?
  How and where have you got it growing? Are you in a soft water area? If not, it would need rainwater. They also need good drainage, especially while establishing. 
  If it's staying potted, it'll need a proper soil based medium, not just compost. It also wouldn't have needed fed if you only got it a few months ago. It's possible it's had far too much. 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

  0
• Heartinthedirt Posts: 300

  May 2022

  Oh bugger, I think I might have been a bit too generous with the feed, thinking that was the problem! Not sure whether we're hard or soft water, but we've had so little rain we've barely got half a butt at the mo 😕. I had it in light shade, looks like I need to re-think a few things. Thanks @Fairygirl

  It's knowing what to do with things that counts - Robert Frost

  0
• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  May 2022

  It's difficult without seeing the whole thing and knowing exactly what care it's had.
  They don't need much apart from some shade and enough water, plus decent drainage. Soil refreshed each year, an occasional suitable feed, and a big enough container. Plenty of moisture late summer to help with bud formation. 
  Although they like moisture, like many shrubs, they don't like sitting in waterlogged soil though. I never really have to water pots until summer, unless it's something new, or things in tiny pots - cuttings etc. In a drier, hotter area it's important to keep an eye on anything potted so that they don't dehydrate completely.
  If it's been grown undercover, young growth can be affected by cold spells - frost, wind etc, so acclimatising would also have been important. Even bone hardy plants need that. 
  
  Always harder if it's a young plant too. 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

  1
• WAMS Posts: 1,960

  May 2022

  I didn't know they needed good drainage particularly. Thanks, fairygirl. 
  
  My smallest sickliest camellia surprised me with this bloom recently, OP, so don't give up whatever you do. Worth waiting for!
  
  
  

  1
• Heartinthedirt Posts: 300

  May 2022

  WhereAreMySecateurs said:

  I didn't know they needed good drainage particularly. Thanks, fairygirl. 
  
  My smallest sickliest camellia surprised me with this bloom recently, OP, so don't give up whatever you do. Worth waiting for!
  
  
  

  What a beauty! 

  It's knowing what to do with things that counts - Robert Frost

  0
• Robert West Posts: 241

  May 2022

  Mine looks the same as yours @Heartinthedirt
  
  Think I overfed mine. Can't be much else as I've had it a few years and it's always been fine. A week or two after feeding it the ends of most the leaves turned brown. New leaves are looking fine. I'll just have to be careful in future. 

  1
• Heartinthedirt Posts: 300

  May 2022

  @Fairygirl, could I trouble you for a bit more advise on this please? This is the Camelia in question, about 1ft tall in a plastic pot, currently in a SW position
  
  
  This Azalea is about 2 years old, in similar pot/soil/position, just finished flowering, very happy.
  
  
  
  This Rhododendron has been here since the dawn of time (or thereabouts). We're going to give it a massive chop once the nesting robins have moved out and I'm wondering whether to plant the Camelia and Azalea in the same bed? 
  
  
  Recent soil test came out as neutral, but the Rhodi has never seemed too bothered. What do you think?

  It's knowing what to do with things that counts - Robert Frost

  0