camellia gone brown and stiff

krisskross

Is there anyway of resurrecting my poor camellia? It had been fine with dark green glossy leaves. Over the last week the leaves have gone brown and curly. I tried sonme erinaceous plant food but I think it is probably too far gone. i have no idea what has made it so poorly. It is quite young and has not flowered.

I'mcomingbackasaman

It's usually underwatering or overwatering that kills plants.

Merlot

I know this will sound really daft, but how often do you water the plants and shrubs, I mean in all seasons, and when would I feed them, I have a camellia, and I noticed a flower bud on it this morning, I have had it 18 months and its the first time its flowered, I'm so excited, I have it against a brick wall with some gravel over, just because its the only place I had when I bought it, should I leave it there or should I move it, cause its not meant to be in the alpine bed...I usually just shove things anywhere. but my OH says this camellia looks out of place.

I'mcomingbackasaman

In gardening magazines/books I've read plants are mainly watered and fed in the growing season. If the camilia is budding then you must be doing something right where it is.

Merlot

I have never done anything to it, not even fed it, I couldn't believe it when I went out this morning for my coffee on the patio and I saw the flower bud..it really has made my weekend...sad, I know, I getting into this gardening thing, but I am no more than a good weeder at the moment.

so, your basically saying , if it ain't broke then don't fix it! (just leave it where it is, I mean).

I have some tomato feed in the garage, and I don't even have tomatos, could I use this to feed
the Camellia, and if so, should I feed it tomorrow.

Sorry Op for hijacking your thread, I can't answer your question cause I'm a newbie gardener. (very new, about 10 days!)

I'mcomingbackasaman

Just found this website about garden plants.
www.pikenursery.com/stories

part of it says for growing camelias:
Maintenance
Establishing a root system that is not subject to stress (i.e. soil too wet or too dry) is the best way to get your plant off to a great start. Regular waterings, even during the winter is helpful. A light pruning to shape the plant should occur immediately after blooming. February is the month to apply a dormant oil spray to prevent tea scale and fungus, followed by an application of Azalea-Camellia fertilizer in mid-spring, after danger of frost has passed.

Churchmouse

krisskross wrote: »

Is there anyway of resurrecting my poor camellia? It had been fine with dark green glossy leaves. Over the last week the leaves have gone brown and curly. I tried sonme erinaceous plant food but I think it is probably too far gone. i have no idea what has made it so poorly. It is quite young and has not flowered.

I had a camellia for 6 years in a pot. It flowered every year, looked beautifully healthy, was fed and watered at the correct times, and then last September, over the course of 3 days died To see it turn brown, dried up and crisp, I'd have sworn it had been poisoned, if I hadn't known that was an impossibility. Think it's just one of those things. Very upsetting ( especially as mine was a gift from my sis-in-law who died 4 years ago) but essentially just bad luck.)

Try scraping away some of the bark, if it's green underneath, you may resurrect it, if it's hard, dry, brown dead stuff, then sorry, you've no chance.

Merlot

Thanks, your a star, I'm off to the garden centre again tomorrow, I look out for the fertilizer, I am sure I'll get followed round by the security guard if he sees me 2moz, I have been everyday for a week!

I'mcomingbackasaman

Churchmouse wrote: »

Try scraping away some of the bark, if it's green underneath, you may resurrect it, if it's hard, dry, brown dead stuff, then sorry, you've no chance.[/quote

Yep brown hard and dry definitely sounds like its dead to me to. Kriskros You'll have to take a trip to the garden centre tomorrow and buy yerself a live one.:p

peter_the_piper

I suggest that you do not plant it in the same hole as there could be some sort of contamination. Worth digging a new hole nearby and using that. On the new plant make sure that the roots are not overfilling the pot, if so tease out gently some of the as sometimes the roots ""remember"" to go round in a circle and forget to go outwards.