I think the pot might be the problem Bunty. Many plants in pots have struggled this year as it's been so dry and it's hard to keep some hydrated enough. It also might need re potted anyway - they really do better in the ground - as it might be a bit starved. If there are more roots in the pot than soil it makes it harder for the plant to fight off any pests and diseases. Perhaps lift it out and take a look, and if that's the case then re pot with using a soil based compost, or even some soil from the garden mixed with compost, water well and mulch
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
As long has its been growing ok it will probable be ok,the rust and mildew will be on the leaves and as the leaves will soon be dropping for the winter the problem will be gone with the leaves. Make sure you clean all the leaves away and don't put them in the compost.
if plants are hungry or under stress , they're more susceptible to problems. Start a liquid feeding regime next Spring if you can't get it into the ground.
Mines in a pot and they can do well in pots but remain quite small.
If it has become pot bound it will need potting up, you'll know when you tip it out, if there is more root than soil, pot up.
All good advise from above. Just to add if you do pot up, add a gravel mulch on the surface as this helps retain water in the compost during hot summers and mix some water retaining jelly with the fresh compost when potting up.
It's probably bone dry and starving. Willows need a lot of water. Take it out of the pot if you can and dunk the rootball in a large bucket of water and leave it there till all air bubbles subside.
Repot in a bigger pot with fresh compost and keep it moist till all teh leaves have fallen. Remove all fallen leaves from the pot.
Next spring, treat the pot to a saucer and keep it watered regularly so the compost desn't dry out. Give occasional liquid feeds especially when the new leaves start to appear.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I have a Kilmarnock Willow several years old now and living in a pot. Ithas suffered with exactly the symptoms described twice in that time and that has been towards the end of very dry summers. Both times it has come back the following spring perfectly healthy and none the worse so don't worry it will probably be fine .I am going to follow the advice given here next spring. Yellow Rust loves these dry conditions and several trees are affected particularly Sycamore,Horse Chestnut and a Poplar we have in the garden.
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I think the pot might be the problem Bunty. Many plants in pots have struggled this year as it's been so dry and it's hard to keep some hydrated enough. It also might need re potted anyway - they really do better in the ground - as it might be a bit starved. If there are more roots in the pot than soil it makes it harder for the plant to fight off any pests and diseases. Perhaps lift it out and take a look, and if that's the case then re pot with using a soil based compost, or even some soil from the garden mixed with compost, water well and mulch
As long has its been growing ok it will probable be ok,the rust and mildew will be on the leaves and as the leaves will soon be dropping for the winter the problem will be gone with the leaves. Make sure you clean all the leaves away and don't put them in the compost.
if plants are hungry or under stress , they're more susceptible to problems. Start a liquid feeding regime next Spring if you can't get it into the ground.
Mines in a pot and they can do well in pots but remain quite small.
If it has become pot bound it will need potting up, you'll know when you tip it out, if there is more root than soil, pot up.
I'd be inclined to try and salvage it
It's probably bone dry and starving. Willows need a lot of water. Take it out of the pot if you can and dunk the rootball in a large bucket of water and leave it there till all air bubbles subside.
Repot in a bigger pot with fresh compost and keep it moist till all teh leaves have fallen. Remove all fallen leaves from the pot.
Next spring, treat the pot to a saucer and keep it watered regularly so the compost desn't dry out. Give occasional liquid feeds especially when the new leaves start to appear.
I have a Kilmarnock Willow several years old now and living in a pot. Ithas suffered with exactly the symptoms described twice in that time and that has been towards the end of very dry summers. Both times it has come back the following spring perfectly healthy and none the worse so don't worry it will probably be fine .I am going to follow the advice given here next spring. Yellow Rust loves these dry conditions and several trees are affected particularly Sycamore,Horse Chestnut and a Poplar we have in the garden.