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Old 15-02-2007, 10:08 AM posted to aus.gardens
Sandra Bodycoat Sandra Bodycoat is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2006
Posts: 57
Default Distressed cordylines & flax

Thanks, for all your words, I will have to feed them more.
cheers
Sandra
"GOW" wrote in message
...

"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
...
Hi
I have distressed cordylines & flax, they are watered there 2 days a week
& are mulched, so why are there leaves browning & some of the smaller
ones look like there dying.
I should mention I am in Perth WA, as well I have noticed that mine
aren't the only ones doing it.
cheers
Sandra

Hi Sandra,

Given that gardening here on pure sand eliminates drainage as the problem
so my first guess is water and or nutrient stress.
Give them a good dose of granular wetting agent, some slow release
fertiliser and a big drink. Make sure your normal watering is not just
wetting the mulch as often happens when sprays are used instead of
drippers (everything looks wet but there isn't much actually soaking down
to the plant roots).
Related to this also is that our sandy soil has almost zero nutrient
content and the organic mulches we use drag out whatever nitrogen there
was as they breakdown so you plants may simply be starving, the slow
release feed will fix this.

Second guess would be sunburn if they are new plants. Nurseries raise a
lot of plants under cover so that they look fantastic and lush in the shop
but when we get them home and plant into full WA sun they burn until they
harden up. I think that keeping the water and food up to them as above
will get them through this stage as well.

Lastly I would guess that it is due to daylight saving which seems to be
the cause of all ills in WA society. Maybe they are just pooped by having
to cope with the extra hour of sunshine so they should recover when we
turn the clocks back. ;-)

Good luck, they are tuff plants once established so I am sure yours will
come good.

Cheers Col