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Potentilla Flowers Shrivelled
ommthree
Posts: 314
Hello All,
I bought a potentilla "Red Ace" this spring and am growing it in a pot. It was nothing bus sticks when I bought it, but the leaves soon started to arrive, and now it looks in decent shape, though the leaves are smaller than I expected.
Buds started to form, but when they opened there was nothing but a little tattered bit of petal. I think I under watered, because a few of the leaves went brown at the same time. I've upped my watering schedule, but even buds opening now are just the same withered nothing. I can't see any insects on there, or any other obvious problems.
Does anybody have any idea what's going on?
Thanks a lot!
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I've never tried growing a potentilla in a pot omm. I think that might be the issue - it needs to be in open ground. Not sure, but if it's in a pot it would probably need to be quite a big one for it to get a decent root system and support for the top growth.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
ommthree - I've never grown them in pots but the ones I have in the garden are in ordinary soil which is quite poor and dry unless it rains. They do well in these conditions but mine are a yellow and maybe do well in quite poor soil in the sun. I don't know anything about red ones or potentilla in pots.
I'd slip it out of the pot and have a look at the roots, see if there's anything going on there.
That might be it omm. If it's small it won't be ready to flower and perform for a while yet. We're supposed to be good at patience aren't we!
I have a couple of white potentillas bought last autumn in 6/7" pots. One is planted out but the other will have to wait till later in the year so I've potted it on for now. Both have flowered but I don't expect the potted one to do as well until it gets into it's final spot. . Perhaps Red Ace might be a little fussier than the standard white/yellow varieties - it's not one I've grown before. I'm sure it will be fine once it gets a bit more sturdy
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Potentilla's all like free draining soil in full sun. They never do well in pots, unless treated like lavender, with very, very good drainage. They do take a while to establish especially if bought small. So don't expect miracles too soon. But once they get to about 18 inches then you start to see the potential. I usually disbud small young plants so that the plant can concentrate on developing a good root system and when planting use bonemeal or rootgrow to give them a good start.
omm
It's funny you saying that Dave - as that's often the recommendation, yet here (in Scotland) I've had them growing in various gardens in quite a lot of shade and often in very unhospitable wet soggy soil. There's an established one in next door's garden which borders my front path - gets very little sun apart from later in the day - and I had to cut loads of it away just the other day as it's right across the path! They're very forgiving shrubs - so they're really useful for tricky spaces.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...