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Category: Gardening Articles

Why is my agapanthus (African lily) not flowering?

Why is my agapanthus (African lily) not flowering?

The most common complaint I’ve come across in my 20 years as a professional gardener about their agapanthus is that the plant has masses of foliage but no flowers. Agapanthus is known to be quite a stubborn bloomer and susceptible to changes in its environment – both before and after blooming. If your agapanthus is not flowering or has very poor quality flowers or very few of them, here’s what to consider. Hardiness of the agapanthus There are deciduous agapanthus…

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Why are my agapanthus leaves turning yellow and brown?

Why are my agapanthus leaves turning yellow and brown?

The reasons for your agapanthus leaves turning yellow or brown range from nature to the plant’s environment to the care you’re giving the plant. You need to do a little detective work to determine what’s wrong with your plant. To sum it up quickly before I go into more detail further down. If they are turning yellow, the first thing to consider is iron chlorosis caused by a lack of iron in the soil. I usually use soil test kit…

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How to grow and care for agapanthus plants (African lily)

How to grow and care for agapanthus plants (African lily)

Agapanthus is also known as the African lily. It’s a sun-loving plant that adds drama to any garden, whether it’s in a border or is the centrepiece of your flower bed. It’s also a great plant for growing on pots, and unlike most plants, they do well when compact. Read my guide below to learn more about growing agagpanthis but as a general rule, they prefer a sunny sheltered position and well-drained soil. Types of agapanthus Agapanthus is a herbaceous…

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How to revive a buxus plant

How to revive a buxus plant

Buxus (box) plants are hardy specimens. Reviving them depends on what the problem is and what causes in the problem in the first place. Here are some of the most common problems and what to do about them. In addition, I discuss pruning that helps revive your buxus, no matter what’s wrong with it. Waterlogging and root rot Waterlogging of a plant usually occurs when you over-water it. Alternatively, you may be watering the plant just the right amount but…

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Why are my buxus leaves yellow?

Why are my buxus leaves yellow?

Your buxus leaves turning yellow don’t necessarily mean that your plant is in serious danger. It could be due to the plant’s natural life cycle, or how you’re watering or fertilising it. It could be an early sign of under and over-watering, which eventually turns into brown leaves, as discussed in this guide. Carry on reading to learn other reasons and more into watering below: Natural occurrence Sometimes during the colder months, the tips of your buxus leaves may turn…

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Why is my buxus going brown? Sunburn, Frost and Box Blight

Why is my buxus going brown? Sunburn, Frost and Box Blight

Your buxus may be going brown due to environmental conditions or to disease. Taking a close look at the plant helps you figure out what the problem is and how to fix it. One reason that is becoming more common is box blight but more on that further down. I’ll start with the less serious problems. If you have them in pots, the first thing to check is that there getting enough water and if they are, they are not…

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How to plant, grow and care for Buxus (box plants)

How to plant, grow and care for Buxus (box plants)

It’s very easy to plant, grow and care for buxus plants (also known as box plants). Once you’ve spent some time planting them, either in pots or in the ground, they require very little maintenance. Remembering to water them is as tough as their care gets, with just a little pruning but even thats minimal as their fairly slow growing, which is why there also perfect for topiary and small hedges. In this guide, I cover how to plant the…

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Why is my mahonia turning red?

Why is my mahonia turning red?

Your mahonia turning red is an unusual occurrence. These are hardy evergreen plants, tolerant to a wide variety of growing conditions. Some fungal diseases cause the plant to turn red in parts, but fully red leaves are rare. However, I tracked down some problems that may cause your discoloured leaves. Just be aware that in Autumn, parts of the leaves can turn purple which is a natural autumn colour of some mahonias. Variety of mahonia With over 70 varieties, some…

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Why is my mahonia not flowering?

Why is my mahonia not flowering?

Mahonia plants are easy to grow and are very tolerant of a wide range of conditions, they are about as hardy as shrubs come. It’s quite unusual that your mahonia is not flowering. However, you should check its natural life cycle and whether you’re providing the best growing conditions for it. From experience, I have noticed they sometimes won’t flower if the soil is poor draining and waterlogged. They like moist soil but not sopping wet. They also need a…

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Why has my mahonia got brown spots?

Why has my mahonia got brown spots?

The two most common reasons that your mahonia has brown spots are water stress and fungal disease. A third reason may be sunburn, or leaf scorch as it’s known in the plant world. Read on to find out about these problems and what to do about them. The most common is probably the disease rust which is brown spores on the leaves or powdery mildew but this is usually white. Diseases thats cause brown spots on mahonia leaves Two diseases…

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