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Old 17-07-2008, 09:43 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Charlie Pridham[_2_] Charlie Pridham[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2007
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Default A Buxus Problem, and a Pelargonium problem :-(

In article ,
says...

Hello, I am hoping someone can give me some advice about my poor
plants!

My first problem is my Buxus. It's in a pot, shaped into a ball. This
year it has hardly grown any new leaves at all, and now the tips of the
previous season's growth are paling. (There were a couple of stems
that died back last season, which I cut out, in horror that it was
blight - but apart from that it seems fine). I gave it some slow
release plant food a few weeks ago. I really hope it just needs a
needs a certain nutrient?

My second problem is my pelargoniums. They are in a window box, and I
have had them for about 5 years (they flower right through the winter,
as I have a very sheltered garden). Until recently, the only 'care' I
gave them was a very occasional waterering. Feeling I had been
negligent, a month ago (when they were bushy and in bloom), I gave them
plant food, fertiliser and twice-weekly watering. But within a
fortnight, the leaves started turning yellow at the edges, and then
went completely brown. I took all the yellow leaves off (which sadly
was about three quarters of them) in case it was fungal, and sprayed
Fungus Fighter. There doesn't seem to be anything distinctive on the
yellow leaves themselves - I can't see mould, for example. They are
still putting on new leaves (which are tiny?), but the remaining leaves
are turning yellow now. I'm thinking perhaps they have root rot? Is
there anything I can do?!

Many thanks in advance for any help!




--
ZoeM

5 years in a pot, I would be surprised if vine weevils have not found
their way in by now (and it would be worth treating the box as well) may
be too late to rescue the pelargoniums but you should really be repotting
more often than that
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea