Laurel all berries and fallen leaves

angelashaw10079134 · October 2023

I have a row of Portuguese laurel with two individual ones that have shed most leaves yet they have so many
berries.

Does anyone know what this is and what I can do about it?

Thank you

Fairygirl · October 2023

They must be under stress of some kind if the leaves are being shed. That can be down to various things such as the soil being poorer or waterlogged in that area, competition from other plants, or a solid layer of rock/concrete/clay etc, or drought affecting them earlier in the year. The berries would already have formed which is why they'll be ok. Any further stress would see those withering though.
If you can load a photo, that ca help with advice, as well as some further info about your location and soil/climate etc.

angelashaw10079134 · October 2023

That is really helpful thank you. We are in a clay soil area and I do feed them with grow more as a fertiliser. I wonder if like you say competition from other plants as there’s a whole row of them pictures attached.

This has been the third year planted from 1.2 m size and have trimmed them to show the trunks.

We are in a kent town but not

costal

Fairygirl · October 2023

The most likely reason is lack of water during dry spells. You wouldn't have to worry about that if you lived where I do !
Feeding them won't help though. It's better to regularly mulch the border with any organic matter - compost/rotted manure/chipped bark or leaf mould [if you have it] and do that when the ground is thoroughly soaked. That helps the soil structure, and enables more moisture retention during long dry periods. Clay soil is ideal as long as it's had a bit of help to make it drain well, or retain moisture in long dry periods. That regular mulching does both jobs with clay.

If they've been a 'regular' hedge before you trimmed them, it's quite likely that the soil has been dry, because the rain doesn't get through the canopy easily enough to soak the ground. Even as standards, that canopy will shelter the soil, so unless you've had proper rain on a regular basis, it may be that the ground is a bit dry. They like plenty of moisture. Have a little poke around at the soil - if it's damp enough a couple of inches down, then it should be ok in that respect.
That one may simply have struggled while the others have flourished though. That does happen sometimes for no obvious reason ,and the others look fine. There's a little bit of vine weevil damage on the foliage, but that's rarely a problem unless the grubs have eaten through the roots at an earlier stage. If that happens, it would need replacing.

angelashaw10079134 · October 2023

That’s great advice, thank you😀
I did have all bark around the boarders but ended up losing it all when clearing the dead leaves at the base that naturally shed and also from the park trees that fell from next door last year.

So I will add fresh compost and bark and also check and sort the health due to vine weave. Do you think there is a chance that shrub could recover or how long until decide it’s no longer viable?

Fairygirl · October 2023

I'd give it until next spring/early summer and see how it is then. It should recover well enough by that time if it's just a bit dry, or the soil's a bit poorer there.
If you can add that compost etc over winter, that will certainly help in several ways.

You would know if the weevils had really affected it as they eat through the roots. The plant can look fine and then suddenly die off, or keel over. You could test it by giving it a wiggle and see if it seems well firmed in. If it starts to pull out, it may be too late.
I think it's more likely that it's just suffering a bit from competition for moisture and nutrients, as the damage is minimal, so hopefully it'll recover for you. They're pretty tough in that respect

Plantminded · October 2023

Looks like dehydration to me, as detailed by @Fairygirl. This can cause the plants to become vulnerable to powdery mildew and shot hole disease if they don’t receive adequate water during the growing season. As advised, adding plenty of organic matter to your soil will help with water retention. Adding a bark mulch when the soil is damp will also help. Keep your plants well watered if we have a dry spring and summer next year. I have struggled to keep Portuguese laurel healthy on my dry sandy soil and have had to remove two mature plants which never recovered from powdery mildew and shot hole disease after two years of trying to revive them!

angelashaw10079134 · October 2023

thank you fairy girl and plant minded 😀😀
makes me feel I’ve got something to get on and try salvage.

First time I’ve been on any forum its been so helpful thank you so much

Laurel all berries and fallen leaves

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