Solanum - leaf drop
Ang1e
Posts: 27
Dear all,
My Solanum was planted in a pot this year and it was very happy and continually produced lots of flowers.
I went away for a week and looks a very sorry sight now. The leaves are yellowing and dropping off.
The neighbours were watering my garden while I was away so I thought that it might be overwatering. I have since tried to water infrequently from the base.
These pictures were taken 24th Aug and there are barely any leaves left despite me giving it a feed.
We do have vine weevils in the area but there is no sign of the leaves being eaten.
Perhaps it just needs some time to recover but I just wanted to check with more knowledgeable people than I to be sure there isn't something that I have overlooked.
Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Angie
Posts
The vine weevils you need to worry about are their larvae in the ground that eat the plant roots. The adults do minimal damage to leaves.
I moved my solanum at the beginning of this year and got the same symptoms: yellow, dropping leaves. I put it down to root damage and cut back the top. It has now recovered and promises to be a monster next year.
Mine is Solanum Crispum Glasnevin. I don't think yours is, I think it might be this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum#/media/File:Lycianthes_rantonnei.jpg
I would say Solanum Crispum Glasnevin is way too large a shrub for a pot but yours may be the above so hope this is helpful.
Cloggie, I think you may be right - it does look like S. Rantonetti - a much smaller plant than the more usually seen S. Crispum 'Glasnevin'
https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=3979
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I don't know which it is but I have one in a pot and I agree, over or under watering. They usually recover well.