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Clematis Hagley Hybrid - defficiency?
KarolinaW
Posts: 24
I bought this Clematis a few weeks ago. Turned out something wrong was happening to the roots, some were mushy, I'm guessing fungal thing. I cut off as much of the sick ones as possible, but possibly not all of it as the plant was quite big.
It's in the pot now, gets morning sun, about 4h.
I noticed some of them bottom leaves started to turn yellow and wilt. Some have black spots. They also have greener veins. Top leaves seem ok for now, but it's progressing.
I gave it Tomorite once, but perhaps it needs something else?
Top leaves:
It's in the pot now, gets morning sun, about 4h.
I noticed some of them bottom leaves started to turn yellow and wilt. Some have black spots. They also have greener veins. Top leaves seem ok for now, but it's progressing.
I gave it Tomorite once, but perhaps it needs something else?
Top leaves:
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However, if it was in poor condition when you got it, it would have been better to return it.
Mushy roots shouldn't be present in a healthy plant, although it's hard to determine the conditions it was in, as I can't see it, and it could have been needing potted on, or could have been in the wrong soil mix, or in it for too long etc. If that's the case, the reason for the poorer foliage is probably due to low nutrient levels, and that would sort itself if it was in decent soil.
Where did you get it?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It definitely needed repotting as the roots were all over the place. Leaves looked healthy when I got it. It had some small yellow balls just under the soil surface, maybe fertilizer?
I got in the a garden centre....not sure how can I help it now. It's in a compost and grit mix.
Could it be watering issue? I have to admit, I'm a bit afraid to water it because of these mushy roots it had, but I also know it likes moist soil.
If you mean roots were completely rotten, and you've removed those, there's a good chance it'll recover. I can't really tell what you mean by them being mushy though. A receipt should always be kept
However, if it's staying in a pot long term, it'll need more than compost. For now, that will be ok, but keep it somewhere reasonably sheltered, make sure it has adequate drainage by keeping it up off the ground, and don't go mad with the watering can. Water when it's drying out- beyond approx. the top inch or so, and bear in mind that if temps are higher, it'll dry out more rapidly, so it's best to keep it in a site without extremes of exposure until it's properly recovered.
I don't know what size of pot you have it in as I can't see it well enough, but as long as it has a decent enough layer of compost around and below it, and it isn't left in searing sun for hours, or total shade, it should come away, although it may take a while.
It should also have been planted deeper than it was in the pot it came in, and that will encourage more new shoots from below soil level. That's how the bigger flowered types grow. You can still do that
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
What do you mean by more than compost? Some top soil?
Pot is around 45cm. As the leaves were fine when I bought it, do you think it might be something else that's causing the yellow leaves?
Thank you and sorry for all the questions!
No need to apologise, but it's difficult to give accurate advice in this instance without actually seeing it in real life.
Yellowing leaves tend to suggest a deficiency of some kind, but if it's in a decent mix for now, with adequate drainage, and in a site as I described, it will probably drop those leaves, but it should come away again. It's not uncommon for any plant to shed foliage if it's under stress, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to die either. If it was being grown undercover and then went straight outside, that can cause a little bit of transplant shock, or if the root system is now very small for the amount of top growth - and there looks to be quite a bit there, some leaves will be shed to help sustain the rest of the foliage.
Clematis often have manky foliage low down for all sorts of reasons
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If a garden centre is selling a plant with dodgy roots though, it would have been better to return it. It's a bit of a learning curve for you, but these things sometimes happen. You'll make sure to get a receipt next time
Most clems are fairly tough and can recover from all sorts of damage - H. Hybrid is certainly one of those tougher types
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...