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Darkhorse
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« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2009, 11:03:14 AM » |
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I'm sorry, I just realized I posted this in the cultivar discussion section.  |
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2009, 12:23:58 PM » |
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I am not sure it looks kind of like salt burn to me. When I had my plants I had similar leaves.
Are you using fertilizer ?
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~Kerry~
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2009, 01:07:10 PM » |
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Yes, although I hadn't been fertilizing much over the winter. I use Miracle Grow Liquid All Purpose Plant food 12-4-8 fed once/wk or once/2wks.
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2009, 07:32:59 PM » |
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Yes, although I hadn't been fertilizing much over the winter. I use Miracle Grow Liquid All Purpose Plant food 12-4-8 fed once/wk or once/2wks.
Hmmm Lets see what Charles says because it looks like bugs but then again it looks like something else is going on. |
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~Kerry~
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Charlie
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« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2009, 10:16:33 AM » |
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Hi Darkhorse,
Don't worry about where the post is located. Every now and then Cindy will do some forum housecleaning and move things around so that they are easier to find.
I suspect two things are going on with your Voodoo Magic and the tree. First is just winter damage. A lot of hibiscus that have been outside during the winter still have old leaves on them that have been through wind and rain and cold and are just worn out and somewhat beaten up. These will soon fall off and will be quickly replaced by new green leaves. If new green growth turns yellowish you need to look at other problems. The "Yellow leaf" diagnosis page on the HVH web site is a good place to start.
Looking at the attractive pot the plant is in makes me wonder about drainage. Is there a hole in the bottom? When you water do you use enough water so that some comes out the bottom of the pot? If there is no hole or if you don't usually water heavily enough for some to come out what happens is that both fertilizer salts and mineral salts naturally in the water begin to build up in the potting mix. A brown or "burned" leaf edge is the classic sign of salt buildup in pots. You tree in particular shows this. If there is no hole in a pot it is best to take an electric drill and make several holes for water to flow out of. Similarly, if a pot is placed in a saucer and the water that collects in the saucer is allowed to be drawn back into the pot as the soil dries there will also be a gradual increase in the salt levels in the soil. Eventually the pH can be affected and the salt itself can have damaging effects on the plant and the roots.
The solution is to over water every pot from time to time, making sure at least 10 percent of the water used comes out the bottom holes and drains away entirely. This 10 percent (minimum) will carry with it a lot of the accumulated mineral and fertilizer salts and reduce the amount remaining in the pot. I would do this once a month or at least 4 times during the growing season (assuming that you are fertilizing).
Some trees, such as avocado trees, do not do well with any extra fertilizer and they show this with brown leaf edges. You could try growing it in good rich soil and using only organic sources of fertilizer in small quantities. Hibiscus on the other hand love fertilizer and only have a problem if the salt residues grow very high due to a lack of leaching with water from time to time.
Let us know how the Voodoo Magic grows this year. You can also try some selective pruning to force fresh new growth to quickly form below each pruning cut.
Charlie
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2009, 04:55:08 AM » |
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Hi Charlie, I will try flushing it with a large amount of water. The pot does have drainage, and I *think* I generally water enough that some water comes out of the bottom of the pot, but after looking at other photos of salt burn online I think it's worth a try. The soil it's in is also very old. I will keep you updated, and when it recovers, lots of pictures!! I love this plant. It's the "special" one that my cat is not allowed to eat when she goes out of the porch with me. (she, along with the other two, are the reason my plants stay outdoors for the winter!) How's my Heavy Metal coming along?  Thanks!! Jordan |
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Charlie
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« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2009, 12:26:21 PM » |
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Heavy Metal is coming along fine, but it is one of the slower growers. It makes up for it by being an excellent bloomer and an attractive, compact bush. I expect May delivery of 6 inch pots and during April for 4 inch pots.
Charlie
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2009, 12:23:30 PM » |
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An update, I flushed out all my potted plants, including my VM, with lots of water. Will keep you guys posted on the plant's recovery. So far so good, with fewer yellow leaves and no brand new yellow leaves today. The weather here in northern cali has been warming up at night as well, so I think that should help.
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #9 on: March 27, 2009, 12:42:50 PM » |
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Just ordered an Acapulco Gold and a whole bunch of care stuff. YAY!
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2009, 09:35:52 PM » |
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So... apparently it is a pest. I flushed out all my plants with water, and although this seems to have improved their health, I was able to determine the alternate problem via my baby Acapulco Gold that just came on Friday. It spent the day outside on the porch to get used to the conditions (coming in at night) and when I brought it inside I noticed two leaves had tiny slits in them, just like the slits on the VM and the tree. Now, the smaller leaf (which has a larger slit) is turning yellow and I assume it will drop off, while the larger leaf seems otherwise healthy. Needless to say the A.G. is not going out on the porch until I solve this problem. My Voodoo Magic, though, is too big to come in. The only thing I can find even close to what this looks like is leaf miners. I'm baffled, and worried!  |
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2009, 09:47:09 PM » |
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Forgot to mention, there's no evidence of bugs actually on the plant. I can't see anything other than the damage itself...  |
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2009, 10:40:10 PM » |
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Ahhh, going to cry. Could it be bacterial leaf spot or angular leaf spot? worried...  |
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Charlie
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« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2009, 08:30:53 AM » |
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Looks like this remains a mystery problem. The good news is that many hibiscus problems go away on their own as the seasons change and the change from winter to spring is one of the most significant for "curing" what ails hibiscus. Keep watching and maybe it will go away or maybe you will learn something new that can help ID the problem.
Someone mentioned leaf miners once. Those can be gotten rid of with the organic pesticide Spinosad, same one that works so well against thrips.
Charlie
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