topic Re: Gardening advice in Community Spirit

Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 04:41:05 GMT

Hi 🙂

I have a row of gardenias and they have been there for about 14 years but just recently the leaves have started to change white.

Can anyone help?

TIA

Re: Gardening advice

creative*crisis — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 05:00:13 GMT

Gardenias like a high ph soil get a testing kit to check as they may need iron added to the soil around them

Re: Gardening advice

lloydslights — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 05:04:47 GMT

With the recent humidity and wet weather lately, it is possible that it is powdery mildew. Particularly as you mentioned white leaves.

The mature plants may not be getting enough air flow around them.

I am hoping this info will be of help to you.

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/plant_pests/shrubs/hgic2058.html

DEB

Re: Gardening advice

kadesnana — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 06:16:21 GMT

Epson salts either dissolved in water or sprinkled around the base of the shrubs and watered in well will produce really green leaves - They love the magnesium as does cameilas & azaelas.

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 06:33:10 GMT

Actually I was just looking at them again and there seems to be milky stuff on them??

Thanks guys for your suggestions.

Re: Gardening advice

***super_nova*** — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 06:36:53 GMT

Can you post picture?

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:09:21 GMT

I'll go get one now.

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:35:39 GMT

Re: Gardening advice

creative*crisis — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:46:52 GMT

I suggest you take some of the leaves both white and the green ones with the the white splotches on them in to your nearest nursery , they should be able to tell you what the problem is.

Re: Gardening advice

lloydslights — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:56:17 GMT

Wow, crystal, I've never seen anything like that before.

Saw the white spotting, thought mealybugs. But........

The white leaves (even though are beautiful in themselves) might suggest nematodes.

As has been put by creative, take samples to Swanes horticulturalist, is a good idea.

Please let us know the outcome.

DEB

Re: Gardening advice

creative*crisis — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 08:01:20 GMT

I've never seen anything like that before either , the yellowing could be a deficiency , the white leaves are striking but unfortunately probably not a good sign.

I too would be interested in knowing what the problem is.

Re: Gardening advice

***super_nova*** — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 08:07:14 GMT

The pale yellow/white leaves is deficiency; in lemons easily fixed by application of epsom salts, not sure about gardenia.

The white blotches I never seen before. Would it wipe off with a tissue or is it in the leaf? If you take leave into a nursery make sure you put it in a zip lock bag; the nursery would not be happy if you bring some strange disease in.

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 08:09:06 GMT

Swanes yes!!!!

I'll take a sample there tomorrow.

Thank you all so much I really appreciate it.

I'll let you know when I get the results.

And you're right, the white leaves look quite pretty but just not right.

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 08:10:33 GMT

Nova the white splottes are milky.

And thanks for the idea of the ziplock too.

Re: Gardening advice

***super_nova*** — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 09:49:13 GMT

@crystal**flake wrote:
Nova the white splottes are milky.

can you hose them off?

Re: Gardening advice

2011.narelle — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 10:37:11 GMT

Do you have a Frangipani overhanging the Garenia? If they have any cuts or snaps they will leak a milky sap over whatever is below.

Looks like a serious deficiency in the soil.Usually if it's Nitrogen,there will be yellowed veining in the leaves but I've never seen white leaves before/

Re: Gardening advice

imastawka — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 11:03:08 GMT

Fig trees have a milky sap like that too

Re: Gardening advice

lionrose.7 — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 11:15:07 GMT

To me it looks like some sort of bug in the root system of your tree, sucking the life out of the plant.

Nursey may be able to tell you.

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 11:25:26 GMT

They seem to wash off.

Re: Gardening advice

crystal**flake — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 11:26:13 GMT

I dont have anything hanging over them, they are on their own.