Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Newly Planted Choisya Ternata Dying?

gemmalawton01gemmalawton01 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
I bought and planted 2x Choisya Ternata plants on 15th May in a border within the garden, but forgot to frequently water them so they can establish roots. From what I remember we did have some rain, and I have water a couple of times within the next 2 months. As of now the plants are turning from green/yellow to a more brown/pale yellow in some spots with leaves falling off. And lots of leaves have white/brown marks on them, as well as chunks bitten out. I’m worried the plants are dying but not sure what I can do to help save them! 

Is there anything I can do?

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    they're not dead yet. A good watering ( a couple of cans) a week is better than a daily sprinkle


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Water them!  Any shrub planted in spring or summer needs frequent watering thru dry spells and those  also are stuck up against a fence with paving on the other side so even generous rainfall won't be adequate as not much will reach them.

    Give each plant a 10litre drink, poured slowly so it soaks in and doesn't run off.   Repeat every couple of days in dry spells and every 5 to 7 days if you have decent rain.

    Come autumn, give them a generous mulch of soil conditioner such as well-rotted compost or manure and in spring give them a generous handful of slow release fertiliser for roses or tomatoes as this will help with plant health and flowering.
    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
  • gemmalawton01gemmalawton01 Posts: 3
    edited July 2022
    @Obelixx, I was worried the spots might be related to a fungus or maybe root rot, as when I have watered the plants I’ve used a lot. And the soil doesn’t have the greatest drainage (the border it’s planted in has bricks at the bottom from when the house was built). Do you still think the plants are looking this way due to under-watering or could it be something else?
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    How deep is the soil they're in?  They're going to want to grow into quite large shrubs so will need a decent root run.   Did you improve the soil before planting?  They may be hungry and, if drainage is poor, they could well be rotting at the roots.

    Tricky, as over and underwatering both make plants limp and floppy and weakens the foliage.
    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
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    When you say the border has bricks at the bottom, do you mean it's built on top of paving? That could mean the plants don't have a deep enough root run, as well as maybe affecting the drainage.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • gemmalawton01gemmalawton01 Posts: 3
    @Obelixx I would say the border is about 1 foot (12 inch) deep. It was an already established border with conifers and another large plant in there from the previous home owners, so I didn’t improve or change the soil that was already in there. I basically planted in the Choisya plants in place of another one that I removed a few months earlier. However I have also noticed the conifer trees had become a lot more brown over the past 6 months or so. I’m not sure what has caused these issues
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    12" is shallower than any pot in which you'd try and grow a shrub or dwarf conifer.   It might do for a very small shrub that needs growing on but I would never plant one in less than 60cms/2' high and wide.

    If, indeed, you have a brick base in there then the roots of any shrub or tree will quickly hit an impenetrable barrier restricting growth and also limiting drainage not to mention the availability of nutrients.   

    I suggest you transplant your choisyas to a deeper soil or a decent pot and filled with John Innes no 2 type loam compost mixed with upto a quarter MPC for moisture retention.  Water well before lifting and after transplanting to minimise root damage and promote new root growth.  Keep sheltered from strong sun and winds while they recover.

    You'll have to come up with a plan B for filling that bit of soil.
    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
Sign In or Register to comment.