Help my pyrachanus !

accidentalgardener · Apr 16, 2010

Hi people,

I have four of the above all planted in different situations and within 2 weeks all of them despite my best efforts (!) have dried out berries and very very dead leaves. Ive checked for bug infection but nothing wrong there.

Help!

Marley Farley · Apr 16, 2010

Hi AG, do you mean Pracantha ..?? If you do this might help, but they always seemed tough as old boots.. :wink: This is from the RHS site & I hope it is some help... :thumb:

Pyracantha can be grown as a free-standing shrub (or hedge), or trained against a wall or fence.
Site and soil conditions

Pyracantha is suitable for any moderately fertile garden soil in sun or partial shade, including very dry free-draining soils and heavy clays as long as they are not prone to water-logging. Berrying can be reduced in shady sites, including against north-facing walls.
Planting

If training Pyracantha along a wall or fence, plant at least 50cm (20in) out from the wall to avoid the dry area at the base.
Before planting add a bucketful of well-rotted organic matter and 70-100g per sq m (2-3oz per sq yd) of balanced general purpose fertiliser to the soil. Adding organic matter or fertiliser to the planting hole is not recommended.
Allow 1.5–3m (5-10ft) between specimen plants, but 50cm (20in) is fine between hedging plants.
Watering and feeding

Watering is required to help the plant establish in its first couple of years after planting. After this establishment period, watering is very seldom required. Wall-trained specimens may need watering every 10 days in dry spells.
Feed annually, in late winter, with 70-100g per sq m (2-3 oz per sq yd) of balanced general purpose fertiliser followed by a 5-8cm (2-3in) thick mulch of well-rotted organic matter.

Pyracantha can suffer from the diseases Pyracantha scab and fireblight. It can also be attacked by woolly aphid pests.
Lack of berries can be caused by:

Pruning too much: Wall-trained plants need an annual haircut with shears to be really neat. However this can slice off the flowers and hence berries. If berries are needed, don’t clip the entire plant - just shorten back the sideshoots in mid-summer as described above.
Poor pollination: This can occur in cold spring weather, particularly where plants are being grown in open situations exposed to strong winds, which can deter insects. It can also occur if plants flower during a wet period, when pollinating insects such as bees are not active.
Drought: This often occurs against a sunny wall in a dry border and can result in premature berry-drop even though pollination has been successful. Water thoroughly at 10-day intervals in dry conditions until the berries colour up in late summer.
Lack of feeding: Potassium (potash) encourages flowering and fruiting. Apply sulphate of potash at 30g per sq m (1oz per sq yd), tomato fertiliser, or comfrey pellets in early spring to an area extending at least 1m (3ft) beyond the branch spread.
Lack of vigour: Plants making only thin, weak, annual growth may remain without berries. Check that the growing conditions are suitable and the plant is not suffering from pest or disease affecting its vigour.
Frost: Late spring frosts can damage flowers, destroying the plant’s ability to produce fruit or berries. Flowers may appear undamaged until examined closel
Click to expand...

accidentalgardener · Apr 16, 2010

Hi MF thanks for the info, i will read up on it and hopefully manage to turn them around :D

accidentalgardener · Apr 19, 2010

3 dead :cry: but one survived :D

Marley Farley · Apr 19, 2010

Oh dear Paula that is so sad, but I think allot of people have lost some special plants too as the winter was so long & cold.. Are you going to get 3 new ones.?

accidentalgardener · Apr 26, 2010

Hiya MF :D

As i only really needed the one i shant be replacing them, its so strange because one of the ones that died was in close proximity to the one that survived

Ive pretty much planted up everything now although ive just a few minutes ago taken delivery of a plant i dont recall ordering :D

Oh well im off to find a space :D

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Help my pyrachanus !

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Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

accidentalgardener Gardener

Help with Acer die-back - do I prune it? Repot?

Hello and help, please

Help to save my Hydrangea

Help! How do I prune young Robinia?

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