Shrub help - is this normal at this time of the year?
Simone_in_Wiltshire
Posts: 937
Hello Gardeners
My garden is coming nicely out of winter, which wasn't harsh this time. Hardly any storm and if so then only at the end with storm Eunice.
I had planted a Philadelphus microphyllus, which was approximately 40 cm high last year. Over the winter, I checked the stage of all the shrubs that I had bought and the Philadelphus had a few red/brown side shoots which seem to get new buds. Suddenly two weeks ago, over night without any reason, all the dark brown side shoots were broken like somebody had clipped them off. Now, I can't see any bud on it, and the plant is back to the grey looking main part, and looks like it is dried out.
There was another type of Philadelphus at the local garden centre last weekend, and I saw that this plant had also clipped off side shoots.
Is this normal for Philadelphus plants?
I would leave it in the bed just to see what happens, but I thought it might be that our garden is too windy for a sensitive plant if the branches break so easily.
The second plant in question is a Caryopteris "Pink Perfection". I bought it with green leaves, but the green leaves turned brown and are still brown. They are not dried out, it is the leave colour that changed.
Is this normal for Caryopteris "Pink Perfection" in April? The images I found in the internet show only green leaves.
As dovefromabove recommended, I had cut back the Caryopteris on Monday after the frost was gone.
Many thanks in advance.
PS: I could add images as soon as it gets light outside.
My garden is coming nicely out of winter, which wasn't harsh this time. Hardly any storm and if so then only at the end with storm Eunice.
I had planted a Philadelphus microphyllus, which was approximately 40 cm high last year. Over the winter, I checked the stage of all the shrubs that I had bought and the Philadelphus had a few red/brown side shoots which seem to get new buds. Suddenly two weeks ago, over night without any reason, all the dark brown side shoots were broken like somebody had clipped them off. Now, I can't see any bud on it, and the plant is back to the grey looking main part, and looks like it is dried out.
There was another type of Philadelphus at the local garden centre last weekend, and I saw that this plant had also clipped off side shoots.
Is this normal for Philadelphus plants?
I would leave it in the bed just to see what happens, but I thought it might be that our garden is too windy for a sensitive plant if the branches break so easily.
The second plant in question is a Caryopteris "Pink Perfection". I bought it with green leaves, but the green leaves turned brown and are still brown. They are not dried out, it is the leave colour that changed.
Is this normal for Caryopteris "Pink Perfection" in April? The images I found in the internet show only green leaves.
As dovefromabove recommended, I had cut back the Caryopteris on Monday after the frost was gone.
Many thanks in advance.
PS: I could add images as soon as it gets light outside.
I ♥ my garden.
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In the sticks near Peterborough
Wind wouldn't normally affect the branches of Philadelphus unless they were already stressed in some way. I never have any damage like that on mine and it's very windy here a lot of the time. Birds or squirrels can break finer branches if they're landing on them, but it would be unlikely for anything big to be on your shrub when it's so small.
I don't grow Caryopteris so can't help with that, but someone else will, I'm sure.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I ♥ my garden.
I ♥ my garden.
In the sticks near Peterborough
but the leaves look weird. I was glad when I saw this morning new leaves.
I ♥ my garden.
In the sticks near Peterborough