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Unhealthy hebe

Peanuts3Peanuts3 Posts: 759

I bought 3 hebe in October and planted them outside the kitchen.  In a little flowerbed next to the house. 

They are looking awful.  Any ideas what has gone wrong ? 

image

 not sure the photo will work, lets see.

 

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    After the frosts you can cut them back, look awful for a while but feed after pruning and they'll come back. Actually, think I'd move them, they're obviously in a frost pocket, hebe's like a bit of sun.

  • Peanuts3Peanuts3 Posts: 759

    Verdun, interesting that you query planting them out in October.  This is when I saw them in flower at the garden centre.  Why are they selling plants that shouldn't be planted out then.  When I say October it was end of september, beginning of Oct.

    Hmm, all part of that learning curve I guess. image

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    I am not that convinced that that looks like frost damage. The bed is next to a house and concrete paving so must have some sparing from the worst of the winter. I wonder if the area has poor drainage or some sort of root damage as the middle of the plants and the lower leaves look the most damaged. Tender new growth is what is normally affected first by frosts.

  • Peanuts3Peanuts3 Posts: 759

    it is against the kitchen, so warm most the time I'd have thought.  My only thought is maybe not enough sun over the winter It faces south east, so not sure its gettig any sun.  Will move them.  It is sandy soil, so I'm thinking drainage not an issue.

    Its a tough place to find something to plant there. 

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    As you said the area is pretty much frost free and the Hellebore seem to like it we can whittle it down to drought, animal urine or disease. I would check what the die back is like when you lift them - anything diseased should be pruned off.

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