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Disease???

edev08edev08 Posts: 56
All summer long my Veronica Spicata 'Ulster Blue Dwarf' plant has had dark spots on the leaves all summer. Is it diseased? If not, what is happening?
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,052
    Hi @edev08 - do you have a photo? That can help with advice.
    Have you checked to see if it's a feature of the plant? Sometimes, leaves are marked - spotted orchids, some oxalis etc.
    If it's happened when all was fine before, a pic will help  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • edev08edev08 Posts: 56
    I'm afraid I have no photo @Fairygirl
    It was fine last summer with no spots - how it's meant to be and self sown ones in its pot have go the spots now.
    Help!
    Thanks

    Edward
    Grow wildflowers in your garden
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,052
    Have you refreshed the soil it's in? Anything in a pot permanently needs that each year to keep it fresh.
    Most veronicas need a light, free draining soil too - I wonder if it's a bit waterlogged?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,024
    A lot of herbaceous plants have been stressed by the weather this year.  I have plants with leaf spots (fungal disease, I imagine) which have never had the problem before.  I'm hoping they'll never have it again...   :)

    Clearing up and destroying the leaves as they fall, maybe removing the worst affected ones now, should make it less likely that the fungal spores will overwinter.  Fingers crossed for next year!
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,052
    That's a good point @Liriodendron.
    Certainly wise to destroy any diseased or badly damaged foliage, although most veronicas are evergreens, so that might be trickier. Or have I got that mixed up with something else?

    I don't grow those now, as they don't really like my conditions, but many plants with insufficient airflow are also inclined to get all sorts of problems. 
    Have you got it among lots of other plants @edev08?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,024
    I think some are and some aren't, @Fairygirl, but you may be right that this is an evergreen one... can't remember...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • edev08edev08 Posts: 56
    It isn't an evergreen one - I pulled all the diseased bits of and it flowered for 2 months profusely.
    It got soil changed last November - I do itbit once every two years buts it still gets fed weekly.
    It is in a cluster of pots.

    Some of the plant had finished flowering  and died naturally for the winter so the died back bits have been cut the base but the live bits haven't - I think the self-sown ones will have lots of airflow. We'll see.

    Thanks @Liriodendron and @Fairygirl.

    Edward
    Grow wildflowers in your garden
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,052
    I think it would be better to change the soil each spring, or towards the end of winter, when plants are starting to grow. 
    Feeding weekly is a lot too - for any plant other than annuals later in the season. If you refresh the soil in spring, that should be plenty of food for a Veronica for the season.
    At most, a small amount of a slow release food would do, which it can access if needed later on.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • edev08edev08 Posts: 56
     :) 
    Grow wildflowers in your garden
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