Sick foxglove/fuchsia genii query

Dirty Harry

Foxglove first. This particular specimen doesn't look happy at all. For reference the second photo shows the others planted right next to it. Some yellow leaves lower down on a couple but good growth and the fresh leaves are fine. 



Next is my fuchsia, the upper leaves all have this pale yellow- almost whiteish look about them. I know genii has a yellow hint but this doesn't look right if you compare the second picture which is leaves lower down the plant.

fidgetbones

What is the stuff sprinkled around the plants? Is it fertiliser or sand?

Dirty Harry

That's just sand.

The area was very sandy initially so I added a lot of compost and manure, always the odd patch left though.

fidgetbones

They look like a nutrient deficiency. Have you tested the pH of the soil mix?  Sometimes if the soil is too acid or alkaline it can affect how a plant can take up nutrients.

Dirty Harry

If my soil tester is accurate it was slightly acidic but we're only talking 6.5 or thereabouts.

I have 2 hebes and a hardy geranium in there that seem to be doing well, the geranium especially. 

2 weeks apart-

nultyphilip224

There are numerous small healthy looking leaves on that Foxglove,..i would cut off the yellow leaves then those smaller leaves will grow much quicker and you should have a healthy looking plant,..i grow Foxgloves every year and some do tend to look as your one with the yellow leaves,..i do not know why this happens but it never harms the blooms.

Dirty Harry

Cheers I'll give it a go, nothing to lose anyway. Its growth seems to have stagnated a fair bit, especially compared to the tallest one which is getting noticeably bigger each day.

Any thoughts on the fuchsia leaves?

Lyn

Cut all that yellow off the fuchsia and keep watered.

Dirty Harry

Even if that means cutting away 80% of the plant?



If my moisture/ph meter is remotely accurate, it's certainly not dry-



Perhaps I've been over-watering it?

I've been trying to keep to roughly once or twice weekly deep waterings of the plants in this bed. The foxgloves quickly wilt when they're in need of a drink so I'd been using that as a rough guide.

Lyn

Perhaps it’s a yellow variety then,  if you’re happy with it like that, then leave it. 

Dirty Harry

Genii does have yellow-green leaves I just thought it was leaning a bit much to the yellow. The leaves in the first picture of it in my original post just don't look the best to me, a few of them are curling too.