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Honeysuckle leaves turning yellow and falling off

Hi,

I am a novice gardening and my first attempt to grow a climber to cover a fence, a lovely honeysuckle, keeps suffering and I'm worried it will die.

It seems to be older leaves and new ones on the older branches near the middle of the plant, they are turning yellow, getting black spots and then falling off.  I've tried to spay with Fungus Fighter (after removing most of the yellow leaves) but its still progressing.  I've attached some pictures - I'm not sure if it could be something else, or if I need to do more to help it survive! I've uploaded some pictures to show the damage on the leaves. This only started when it started growing again this spring but is quite wide spread so I'm worried if it's not fixed soon it could ruin the whole plant.  These leaves actually don't look the worst, as I removed the affected ones last week and re sprayed - this is the new damage since then!

Any advice would be very welcome if you can tell what it is or what I should do!

Thanks,
Kate

 

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    I agree with Pansyface - keep the soil around the roots moist.image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Ah ok, thank you! I've also just realised I think a cat has been weeing or spraying on the bottom half off the plant. Came home today after full day of sunshine and it's wet and lots of dead leaves! Will protect it from that, and water well! Thanks!!
  • BELBEL Posts: 49

    I tend to cover the bottom of the stem with large pieces of broken pot, just as you would with a clematis.  They do not too much direct sun.  Same thing happened to me last year but sheltering the lower stem seems to have helped a lot with extra watering as well.

  • Ah ok, thank you! Shame I gave it pride of place on my south facing fence! Do you just need to protect the soil around the base of the plant or actually build up protection around the lower stems? Thanks for the help it is good to know it might just be watering and not a horrid fungus I can't get rid off!
  • AstrudleAstrudle Posts: 28

    mine was looking a little tired... the stems were loosing leaves, so I recently put manure on it and water with nitrogen feed (soaked stinging nettles) and it's doing amazingly. Maybe give that a go?

  • BELBEL Posts: 49

    I put large pieces of crocs around the base, they cover up to about 6 inches up the main stem.  At the  height of summer (if its a hot one!) I water well but try not to get the leaves wet.  Feeding it at this time of the year is a great idea, I also use nettle water twice in the season.  At the end of the flowering season they do seem to droop a bit and need a bit of a feed to keep leaves strong.  My honeysuckle is facing south east so does not boil but still needs checking as heat and rain seems to have a bad effect on the leaves.  They can be cut well back if there is a problem and they still fight to live another year.  

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Honeysuckles are woodland plants and like to have their roots cool and moist and their heads in the sunshine - if their roots are too dry they are prone to powdery mildew and the leaves fall off. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pawsey68pawsey68 Posts: 2

    Hi my honeysuckle is doing exactly the same. Its on its last chance anyway as last year got frost in the middle of the plant so  I cut it back really hard, This year it seemed to be a lot stronger until it got to a certain height now all the bottom leaves are turning yellow and brown and falling off. soon I wont have any leaves on the bottom half of the plant. I have tried feeding it with seaweed feed to see if that helps. It is not in full sun but in a light corner. Oh well we can only try!!!!

  • pawsey68pawsey68 Posts: 2

    Hi my honeysuckle is doing exactly the same. Its on its last chance anyway as last year got frost in the middle of the plant so  I cut it back really hard, This year it seemed to be a lot stronger until it got to a certain height now all the bottom leaves are turning yellow and brown and falling off. soon I wont have any leaves on the bottom half of the plant. I have tried feeding it with seaweed feed to see if that helps. It is not in full sun but in a light corner. Oh well we can only try!!!!

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Give it lots and lots of water. Keep the roots cool and moist (not soggy). Try to shade the container


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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