In article ,
says...
On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:41:17 +0000, Simmo
wrote:


Hello all,

I planted about 20 Escalonias in order to form a hedge around 2 sides of
my garden. When I first planted them they were a healthy dark green with
small white flowers but over time they have become less 'green' and have
had no flowers for some time now .. It appears that the soil which they
are in is lacking nutrients and I have been told to get some tomato feed
to give to the plants to help them.

I am just wondering if this is the answer and if so, how much and how
regularly should I feed the plants ? As hedges go it is currently in a
pretty sorry state as the plants have grown but are not very dense. They
are currently about 2'6" tall. I am assuming that I need to trim them
back a fair bit to try to encourage more growth at the base as well as
feeding them ?

Not being a gardening type I was wondering if anyone could offer any
advice please ..

Thanks very much ..

Dave.

While I agree with what Sacha and Dave Hill have said about being
patient, feeding etc., in Cornwall in the last few years there was/is
a disease of escallonias that was causing a lot of concern. The leaves
would go black, shrivel and drop off, the only sign of life would be
the green shoot at the tips of the twigs, they didn't flower and
looked very bare and generally unhealthy. I ripped out two hedges
because of it, and I know others who did the same.

But don't assume yours have got the same problem just yet. Give them a
feed with a general purpose fertiliser, either liquid or granular
(e.g. Phostrogen or Growmore), and see if they respond, before hauling
them out.


I have removed all the Escallonia, it just looks dreadful all the time
now, used to be a good coastal hedging plant, sadly like the broad leaved
Hebes we can't grow it anymore due to disease
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea