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Plants not thriving.

mickbrearsmickbrears Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Three years ago I built a wall to retain a sloping border. The same soil was utilised and every year it is planted with summer bedding. One half thrives but the plants on the other half are very weak and nowhere near as prolific,it receives the same amount of sun along its entire length.Thanks for any advice/suggestions. 

Posts

  • ERICS MUMERICS MUM Posts: 627
    Is the depth of soil the same all along ?  Tough roots from nearby plants, perhaps from behind the wall, taking up the water needed by fine roots ?
    you could feed the poorer half with a liquid tomato food to stimulate growth & flower for a “quick” pick me up.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    In your first and third photos there's a shrub or tree planted on the other side of the wall. Is this the section that doesn't flower so well ? 
    If so, it may be that is what is taking up soil and nutrients to the detriment of the bedding.

    It does look very colourful  :)
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    Good call @AnniD. Something like that is maybe all it would take to make a difference.
    I have to say @mickbrears it's quite a show. Absolutely lovely! 😍
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Sometimes it depends on what was there before the house and garden. If the garden was formerly a site on which salt or oil leached into the soil then that can affect the plants for a long time afterwards.
  • mickbrearsmickbrears Posts: 3
    Thanks for the comments. I never really considered the shrub behind the wall it's a Budlia, are they known as heavy feeders ? 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Good question @mickbrears.
    They are certainly tough plants, growing along railway lines etc with very little soil. I don't think l've ever watered one in my own garden (except when newly planted), they just seem to survive. 
    That may be because they're extracting what moisture there is to the detriment of anything else growing nearby, but l honestly couldn't say that for sure.
    Hopefully another forum member can confirm, or say l'm talking nonsense  :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited August 2023
    The wild buddleias aren't like the cultivated ones, as they don't prolifically seed around in the same way. They get big and hefty, especially in decent soil. It'll certainly be drawing up a fair bit of moisture. 
    There's a buddleia in a later pic, but the one in the first and third pic looks more like a lilac or similar. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • mickbrearsmickbrears Posts: 3
    Sorry my mistake yes it is a Lilac tree. 
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