Q. Two out of my 3 bottle
brush bushes look dry and yellowish. The first 2 years they were fine. Does it
mean they are not watered enough?
brush bushes look dry and yellowish. The first 2 years they were fine. Does it
mean they are not watered enough?
 |
| Bottlebrush flowering |
 |
| Bottlebrush after Winter cold damage |
 |
| Bottlebrush with yellowing due to iron chlorosis |
A. Many plants in general,
including bottlebrush, can be damaged if watered either too often or not watered
frequently enough. If you are going to error about watering, it is better to
give plants too much water than water them too often. But I think the problems
iron, not water.
including bottlebrush, can be damaged if watered either too often or not watered
frequently enough. If you are going to error about watering, it is better to
give plants too much water than water them too often. But I think the problems
iron, not water.
Right
now water plants like this once or maybe twice each week at the most. Yellowing
of the leaves can also happen because of real low winter temperatures.
Similarly, it can also happen if the soil is not improved or covered in rock
mulch.
now water plants like this once or maybe twice each week at the most. Yellowing
of the leaves can also happen because of real low winter temperatures.
Similarly, it can also happen if the soil is not improved or covered in rock
mulch.
Bottlebrush
don’t like rock mulch at all and if they are planted in rock mulch they
frequently turn yellow in 3 to 5 years. If they get yellow enough, the leaves
begin to turn brown and scorch. This is what I think happened to your plants.
don’t like rock mulch at all and if they are planted in rock mulch they
frequently turn yellow in 3 to 5 years. If they get yellow enough, the leaves
begin to turn brown and scorch. This is what I think happened to your plants.
Purchase
an iron fertilizer and apply it to the soil above the roots now and water it in.
The best iron fertilizer contains the letters EDDHA on the label or in the
ingredients. EDDHA iron chelate is an important for iron product to use in
desert soils.
an iron fertilizer and apply it to the soil above the roots now and water it in.
The best iron fertilizer contains the letters EDDHA on the label or in the
ingredients. EDDHA iron chelate is an important for iron product to use in
desert soils.
Iron
applied to the soil will only improve the green color of new growth. The older
leaves which are yellow can only be improved with an iron fertilizer solution
sprayed on the leaves. Spray this solution in one week intervals until you get
a dark green color.
applied to the soil will only improve the green color of new growth. The older
leaves which are yellow can only be improved with an iron fertilizer solution
sprayed on the leaves. Spray this solution in one week intervals until you get
a dark green color.
If
these are growing in rock mulch, buy good quality compost, not a soil mix, and
spread it around each of the plants and water it in. Apply around one to one
half cubic foot of compost to the base of these plants and water it in, even in
rock mulch.
these are growing in rock mulch, buy good quality compost, not a soil mix, and
spread it around each of the plants and water it in. Apply around one to one
half cubic foot of compost to the base of these plants and water it in, even in
rock mulch.