I have had a varigated leave camelia for a couple of years. The leaves
are always turning brownand drying up along the edges. I've tried
regular feeding with an azelea/camelia feed but to no effect. The soil
is more or less neutral, and an azelea next to it is fine. Just
wondering if there is anything I can do for it, apart from digging it out!

On Sun, 15 Aug 2021 11:54:27 +0100, "Polly@golly"
<pwllgloyw@gmail.com> wrote:

>I have had a varigated leave camelia for a couple of years. The leaves
>are always turning brownand drying up along the edges. I've tried
>regular feeding with an azelea/camelia feed but to no effect. The soil
>is more or less neutral, and an azelea next to it is fine. Just
>wondering if there is anything I can do for it, apart from digging it out!

I take it this camellia is in the soil, not in a pot.

I've a vague idea that sun scorch, particularly on the yellow parts of
variegated leaves, can be a problem. Does this camellia get full sun?
If so, it might be better in light shade.

Another possibility is too much fertiliser or other salts in the soil,
which can happen in drought conditions when there's not enough water
available to dilute the salts in the soil, or if the roots are not
well established and can't draw up enough moisture. We have had a
couple of hot dry springs these last two years.

I would lay off the feed for a season or two, mulch around the base
with a good thick layer of chipped, composted bark to keep the roots
moist and cool, make sure the plant is kept well watered when it's hot
and dry, and provide some shade if that's possible.

--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.

On 15/08/2021 16:17, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Aug 2021 11:54:27 +0100, "Polly@golly"
> <pwllgloyw@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I have had a varigated leave camelia for a couple of years. The leaves
>> are always turning brownand drying up along the edges. I've tried
>> regular feeding with an azelea/camelia feed but to no effect. The soil
>> is more or less neutral, and an azelea next to it is fine. Just
>> wondering if there is anything I can do for it, apart from digging it out!
>
> I take it this camellia is in the soil, not in a pot.
>
> I've a vague idea that sun scorch, particularly on the yellow parts of
> variegated leaves, can be a problem. Does this camellia get full sun?
> If so, it might be better in light shade.
>
> Another possibility is too much fertiliser or other salts in the soil,
> which can happen in drought conditions when there's not enough water
> available to dilute the salts in the soil, or if the roots are not
> well established and can't draw up enough moisture. We have had a
> couple of hot dry springs these last two years.
>
> I would lay off the feed for a season or two, mulch around the base
> with a good thick layer of chipped, composted bark to keep the roots
> moist and cool, make sure the plant is kept well watered when it's hot
> and dry, and provide some shade if that's possible.
>

Thanks Chris,

Yes it is in the soil, and has been for 2 years. It is adjacent to a
couple of small Azelea's which thrive OK, although I've noticed this
year black spots on the leaves.

I do not think I have over fertiised it, I only used the feed about once
a month, whereas the packet said every 2 weeks!

Sun scorch could be the problem, it is facing more or less South-West,
but I think the house shade it from the hotest part of the day, when we
get some sum, I'll check :)

On 15/08/2021 16:17, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Aug 2021 11:54:27 +0100, "Polly@golly"
> <pwllgloyw@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I have had a varigated leave camelia for a couple of years. The leaves
>> are always turning brownand drying up along the edges. I've tried
>> regular feeding with an azelea/camelia feed but to no effect. The soil
>> is more or less neutral, and an azelea next to it is fine. Just
>> wondering if there is anything I can do for it, apart from digging it out!
>
> I take it this camellia is in the soil, not in a pot.
>
> I've a vague idea that sun scorch, particularly on the yellow parts of
> variegated leaves, can be a problem. Does this camellia get full sun?
> If so, it might be better in light shade.
>
> Another possibility is too much fertiliser or other salts in the soil,
> which can happen in drought conditions when there's not enough water
> available to dilute the salts in the soil, or if the roots are not
> well established and can't draw up enough moisture. We have had a
> couple of hot dry springs these last two years.
>
> I would lay off the feed for a season or two, mulch around the base
> with a good thick layer of chipped, composted bark to keep the roots
> moist and cool, make sure the plant is kept well watered when it's hot
> and dry, and provide some shade if that's possible.
>

Thanks Chris,

Yes it is in the soil, and has been for 2 years. It is adjacent to a
couple of small Azelea's which thrive OK, although I've noticed this
year black spots on the leaves.

I do not think I have over fertiised it, I only used the feed about once
a month, whereas the packet said every 2 weeks!

Sun scorch could be the problem, it is facing more or less South-West,
but I think the house shade it from the hotest part of the day, when we
get some sum, I'll check :)

On 15/08/2021 11:54, Polly@golly wrote:
> I have had a varigated leave camelia ...

This is in no way an answer to your question but

.... I can't see the word Camelia or the flower without having this song
pop up in my head from years ago. I don't know if it's catching but
beware, before you click on the link,
https://youtu.be/NgEMxG9OHQM
Opening night, nothing new, Atlanta..
.... Oh Camelia! Take me away!

TW

On 18/08/2021 19:40, TimW wrote:
> On 15/08/2021 11:54, Polly@golly wrote:
>> I have had a varigated leave camelia ...
>
> This is in no way an answer to your question but
>
> ... I can't see the word Camelia or the flower without having this song
> pop up in my head from years ago. I don't know if it's catching but
> beware, before you click on the link,
> https://youtu.be/NgEMxG9OHQM
> Opening night, nothing new, Atlanta..
> ... Oh Camelia! Take me away!
>
> TW
badly written badly performed dull pop song

I thought it was going to be Karma 'Camelia' ...another misheard lyric.

Its a real shame that Rathergood.com cleaned up their website with all
the 'misheard lyrics' now consigned to just memory...

Simply Red's' "bunny's too tight to mention" featuring acts of
bestiality with a cute fluffy bunny...will stay with me forever.

And 'Thomas the Wank Engine'....takes some 'beating'

--
How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think.

Adolf Hitler

On 18/08/2021 21:12, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
..
> badly written badly performed dull pop song
.... acts of
> bestiality .. Wank ... 'beating'
>

o gawd, it's you.
plonk

TW