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…
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…
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…
Mahonias only require a light pruning to keep them healthy and in a good shape. Knowing when and how to prune your mahonia depends on the type of shrub that you have. The smaller border growing varieties need less pruning than the taller back-of-the border types. And both need to be pruned after flowering takes place. It’s also important to understand it’s not essential that mahonia is pruned and often do well when not pruned at all. Mahonia classes With…
Mahonias are easy to grow and they tolerate most conditions. The most probable reason that your mahonia is turning yellow is over-watering. If they are positioned in full sun, they can also turn yellow is the soil is not kept moist. However, it may also be due to a nutrition deficiency or even sunburn. Read the rest of my guide below to learn more about these causes of yellowing leaves on Mahonia shrubs. Water stress Mahonias are not pot plants…
I’m a big fan of azaleas, but I usually grow mine in pots as I think they’re perfect for pots and being a little tender in harsh winters, it makes them easier to provide them with a little winter protection. They also grow well just remember that ericaceous compost. I have successfully grown azaleas in pots for years, and they do very well. They are also a good option if the soil in your garden isn’t of the acidic type…
Azaleas are shallow-rooted plants and need some preparation to survive successfully over the winter. It’s not difficult to overwinter azaleas if you plan ahead of time what to do. In fact, in my family’s small nursery, we use to bring azalea into a cold polytunnel over winter and just keep them watered enough not to allow them to dry out totally. Not got a greenhouse or tunnel, no problem just read on to learn more. The best way to successfully…
Azaleas don’t actually need pruning. However, here’s what to do if you ever need to remove dead or diseased branches, revitalise the azalea, control your plant’s shape or tidy it up a bit. Always use a light hand when you prune azaleas and always prune straight after they have flowered. Pruning too late in the season will remove the flowering shoots that will provide next year’s flowers. Personally, I NEVER prune Azaleas after the start of July. Sterilise your cutting…
Azaleas don’t need much looking after and they are generally problem free with the exception of a few pests and diseases as discussed here. However, a shot of fertiliser in the spring sets them up for a good growing season. I also like to give them another feed as the flowers fade as I’ve found it really does help get the most out of them. When to feed azaleas I like to fertilise my azaleas both in pots and in…
Various pests and even a few diseases may be eating your azalea leaves or at least giving the appearance that they have been eating your azalea leaves. I talk about bark scales, leafminers and caterpillars here, among other pests. To find out what to do about any of these, also read my Azalea Pests and Diseases guide, as I cover even more pests and especially diseases. If you have more of an issue with your azalea leaves dropping turning yellow…