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Salvia ‘Amistad’ root problem

Essie21Essie21 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Noticed one of my salvia ‘Amistad’ plants was looking sick (mainly stunted growth) so pulled it up to find an enormous swollen root. I thought only brassicas suffered from clubroot… or am I dealing with something entirely different? The soil is pretty nutrient deficient and free draining (which I believe salvias prefer?) and was mulched with a layer of strulch in the driest months. The plant was located near a eucalyptus tree with a very open canopy and faced south so I can’t imagine it was for want of sunlight. I’m wondering whether with the dry conditions we’ve been experiencing the tree is perhaps sucking up all of the available moisture and compromising the health of even the most drought tolerant plants (although other plants seem fine, excepting the echinaceas which also appear to be stunted). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I can't remember what the root of my Amistad looked like, but I do know that the roots of Salvia Patens are almost like dahlia tubers.
    I'd suspect the eucalyptus is sucking all the nutrients and water out of the ground.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That’s what they’re like,  not sure why it has a cut through the centre though.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Here’s a photo of mine,  you need to have a stalk on it,  like dahlias, if you want to propagate from it. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Essie21Essie21 Posts: 2
    Oh wow. Thank you. I did not realise its root system looked like that. I have never examined it that closely before. Ha! Learn something new every day. :) 
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Thanks from me too @Lyn
     
    I have moved ours but it was not that big at the time, in a pot so did not need to look or disturb.
    It was our first and only so far of this type.
    I think I read about them but your really good photo has made it "stick" now, so thanks.
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