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Hebe Caledonia

GrouchGrouch Posts: 5
in Plants

Hi all, new to this forum and the gardening world, so a complete novice and I'm sure I will have many questions in the near future.

To kick off; I have a Hebe Caledonia that over the last week, to my eyes, deteriorated. Is this just an autumn thing or something more than that?

Cheers.

image

 Hebe

 

 

 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,970

    Welcome Grouch image

    Oh dear! You're right, unless it was dead when you planted it, it's certainly deteriorated since.  It should be evergreen so something is very wrong.

    A few questions so we can play detective:

    1. When did you buy and plant it?
    2. What sort of compost is in the pot?
    3. What sort of situation is it in - sun all day/shade part or most of the day?
    4. How often has it been watered and how much water each time?

     


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • GrouchGrouch Posts: 5

    It's was planted in the spring, been ok up to now.

    Planted in normal compost purchased from garden centre.

    I would say it is in shade most of the day.

    Now, this could be the smoking gun. It has been very dry here lately (Dorset) and I have not been watering that much, hardly at all. I have started watering in the last few days but fear it might be too late.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,970

    It might be too late - but on the other hand, it might rally - a lot of gardening is done with our fingers crossed!  

    The risk will be over-watering whilst trying to nudge it back into life.  I would try plunging the whole pot into a bucket/tank of water and leaving it there for a couple of hours then take it out and let it drain - put the pot on a couple of bricks (not blocking the drainage hole/s) to help it drain quickly.  Perhaps mist the whole plant with water too. 

    I'm half wondering whether to suggest cutting it right back - I'm pretty sure that Verdun is far more knowledgeable than I am regarding hebes - hopefully he'll pop in here and have a look before long image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ElusiveElusive Posts: 992

    I'm afraid it is as dead as a doornail :P

    Some Hebes can become very large and in a pot they can become quite rootbound (This is where the roots have taken over all the soil)

    Also compost on its own is not the best at holding water and once it dries out is very hard to re-wet. A suitable compost for a Hebe would probably be a John-Innes No.3

    This means that the plant will dry out VERY quickly and subsequently, if it has not been watered regularly will give up.

    Did you keep the plant label to know what variety of Hebe it is?

    Sorry if this is a bit too much info to take in :P

  • GrouchGrouch Posts: 5

    Cheers guys  image

     

    It says on the card it is a Caledonia, nothing more.

  • ElusiveElusive Posts: 992

    Hmm a Caledonia should be fine in a pot as its a Dwarf Variety.

    I would suggest that the Recent hot weather and lack of rain would contribute to its demise.

    Potted plants need a lot of water, sometimes twice a day in the middle of the summer.

     

  • GrouchGrouch Posts: 5

     

    Mattbeer87 wrote (see)

    Hmm a Caledonia should be fine in a pot as its a Dwarf Variety.

    I would suggest that the Recent hot weather and lack of rain would contribute to its demise.

    Potted plants need a lot of water, sometimes twice a day in the middle of the summer.

     

    That's where I've been going wrong then. Busy work schedule makes for bad memory.image

  • ElusiveElusive Posts: 992

    Tell me about it :P

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