Actually folks, while we're on the topic of daphne, please could those of you who are growing it successfully tell me something about the conditions before I plant mine out? ie. soil pH and type, position in relation to sun and other plants. I need to do a soil test here, but I suspect it may be alkaline if anything. Very free draining. So maybe I should bulk up with organic matter, and maybe ericaceous? What do you guys think?
BB2 - i can only tell you where mine is - i didn't plant ityself, it was here when we came - but it is thriving. It is in acid soil, woodland edge, so partial shade. Rhs website gives more details - but i know it resents pruning, so try and pick somewhere where you won't need to cut it back. Also nice to have it somewhere you walk past lots in the winter, so you get a blast of the perfume every day
I don't think it needs ericaceous but a bit of light and leafy and not exposed to full sun or wind. The one I visit regularly has all this and is enormous in a fairly short time
So that's what the poor, sickly looking this is trying to do its best to be gorgeous being covered over and strangled almost by the cherry laurel tree that makes up my property border. It had the most beautiful flowers last year that I noticed by accident whilst working on cutting back the tree line. Just heavenly but I didnt have a clue what it was. I hope it flowers again this year but I noticed the other day when I was cutting back some ill looking cherry laurel that it looks very, very poorly indeed, the leaves are all mottled and brown. Can anyone let me know what's best to do? Just rid it of all unhealthy looking leaves and hope it recovers? Bearing in mind that the tree guy came recently and cut the tree line back rather too severely if you ask me and so a lot of this plant became a casualty. What's left is quite difficult to get to and I don't know where it starts and ends because of all the trees.
Difficult one Heather. I think I'd clear around and give it space for a start. Don't overdo any feeding, the shock might finish it off. A nice composty mulch to see it through the summer perhaps
Thanks Nut, I'll try that, I did cut some area away around it the other day as it was being so strangled, so I'll take a bit more away if I can, bearing in mind what the tree guy left behind which isn't much in some places and I want to keep the privacy (landlady might also take umbridge if great big holes keep appearing in her trees!) and just give it some serious TLC and see if it recovers. I have plenty of mulch right now too so I'll give it a healthy portion of that, cut off some of the worst affected leaves and see how it goes. Fingers crossed.
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We are very acid - but it always loses a few leaves at this time of year - makes room for the new ones coming after the flowers
Actually folks, while we're on the topic of daphne, please could those of you who are growing it successfully tell me something about the conditions before I plant mine out? ie. soil pH and type, position in relation to sun and other plants. I need to do a soil test here, but I suspect it may be alkaline if anything. Very free draining. So maybe I should bulk up with organic matter, and maybe ericaceous? What do you guys think?
I don't think it needs ericaceous but a bit of light and leafy and not exposed to full sun or wind. The one I visit regularly has all this and is enormous in a fairly short time
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks - it is looking like the raised beds in the garden then, where is it sheltered and I can keep an eye on it and enjoy the scent!
So that's what the poor, sickly looking this is trying to do its best to be gorgeous being covered over and strangled almost by the cherry laurel tree that makes up my property border. It had the most beautiful flowers last year that I noticed by accident whilst working on cutting back the tree line. Just heavenly but I didnt have a clue what it was. I hope it flowers again this year but I noticed the other day when I was cutting back some ill looking cherry laurel that it looks very, very poorly indeed, the leaves are all mottled and brown. Can anyone let me know what's best to do? Just rid it of all unhealthy looking leaves and hope it recovers? Bearing in mind that the tree guy came recently and cut the tree line back rather too severely if you ask me and so a lot of this plant became a casualty. What's left is quite difficult to get to and I don't know where it starts and ends because of all the trees.
Difficult one Heather. I think I'd clear around and give it space for a start. Don't overdo any feeding, the shock might finish it off. A nice composty mulch to see it through the summer perhaps
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks Nut, I'll try that, I did cut some area away around it the other day as it was being so strangled, so I'll take a bit more away if I can, bearing in mind what the tree guy left behind which isn't much in some places and I want to keep the privacy (landlady might also take umbridge if great big holes keep appearing in her trees!) and just give it some serious TLC and see if it recovers. I have plenty of mulch right now too so I'll give it a healthy portion of that, cut off some of the worst affected leaves and see how it goes. Fingers crossed.