Chris Hogg wrote in message
...
On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 08:36:48 GMT, "Derrick Bateman"
wrote:


"Derrick Bateman" wrote in message
...
I was given the above standard Salix about 3/4 years ago and planted
it
in
my front garden. As the soil is chalky and very free draining I dug a
large
hole and planted it in a proprietary shrub compost.

Instead of growing into a large plant as the books say and as others
round
here have, the flower stems have become smaller and fewer and as of
today
the few pathetic remnants that appeared this year appear to have died
off.
There is still life in it though because suckers frequently appear on
the
stem. However the bark seems to have peeled off in places.

I understand that this plant needs lots of water which I have tried to
give
it but I admit to not watering through the winter, could this be the
problem? All advice appreciated.

Derrick

Just realised the name spelled wrong and subject did not explain the
problem.



The RHS encyclo says willows dislike shallow chalk soils.
The wrong plant in the wrong place?


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

........ also, if there is a lot of sucker growth on the standard part of the
stem, this growth is taking energy from the cultivated crown. Is there any
damage to the graft (the point where the crown is grafted to the stem (the
'crown' is the pretty bit you bought the plant for))? .. if so, this could
explain the poor performance of the crown while the sucker growth is still
strong.

As Chris implies, if the plant is in the wrong soil, it will never grow very
well. I have seen this small tree grown well in a pot, and I suggest this
is your next course of action. Make sure the tree is staked, as windage can
rupture the graft.

Spider