This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
BOX TREES
pinkpeony
Posts: 107
Posted this earlier on wrong forum so here goes again!
About 10 days ago, I re-potted two smallish pyramid box trees to larger containers; there is now some browning to the leaves and they fall quite easily , is this to be expected? I added fish blood and bone to the new compost, did I do the wrong thing? What should I use as fertiliser? Also as the new containers are 'front of house' can I use gravel/horticultural grit on top of the compost?
As always your advice would be appreciated.
Many thanks
0
Posts
Hi pp, don't worry where you post, someone picks it up eventually.
I wouldn't expect repotting to affect the plants much. The only thing that crosses my mind is; If you repotted because they were pot bound, are they still pot bound and dry in the middle of new compost and can't break out into it.
I can't see fish blood etc having any adverse effects and certainly not that quickly unless you sprinkled it on the leaves? No, I thought not
Grit is fine on top of compost
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi Pinkpeony, it sounds like you have done everything right, assuming you also watered them regularly without overdoing it?
The issue may very well be due to the disease box blight which is now extremely common and, if so, there's little you can do about it unfortunately. Have a look at this RHS link to see if the symptoms match:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=96
Thanks Nutcutlet and Bob for your replies. I checked the RHS link and it doesn't look like box blight; they were pot bound and I teased out the root ball a little before re-potting, mixing just a small handful of FBB into the new compost and I've watered regularly. It's reassuring to know that I got it right 'cos I'm still learning.
They've been moved to their new location this afternoon and I will keep a close eye on them over the new few days; don't want to lose them. Perhaps they just didn't like the disturbance. Thank you once again.
Sometimes mal-treatment before the plants come into our possession can reveal itself a bit later on. If they'd been allowed to dry out for a while at the GC the effects could be showing now - sounds like they're getting the right treatment now so hopefully they'll make a good recovery
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.