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Mahonia leaves turning brown

tiptonnictiptonnic Posts: 26
in Problem solving

Hi 

we have a large well established Mahonia in the garden that has started turning brown in the past week weeks, any idea of possible causes (and of course treatments)

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,631

    I had a 2 metre high and wide mahonia Charity which was cut back badly 2 winters ago.  All the foliage turned brown and I thought it was a complete goner.   I cut back all its stems to very low down witha view to digging it out once the spring bulbs around it had finished but it put out new shoots and is now a couple of feet high again.

    Leave yours anoher month and then prune back to new foliage shoots.  Give it a  slow release fertiliser now, such as blood, fish and bone plus a liquid tonic of rose, tomato or seaweed to give it a boost.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • tiptonnictiptonnic Posts: 26

    thanks both

    I'll remove effected leaves and wait and see 

    fingers crossed

  • tiptonnictiptonnic Posts: 26

    Well time for an update I guess, the Mahonia had a very heavy leaf drop compared to other years, but then has gone on to thrive during the summer, pretty much all on it's own. Nice to have a happy ending image

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,631

    Thanks for letting us know.  It's such a nice feeling when a plant recovers.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • tiptonnictiptonnic Posts: 26

    Yeah, I'm thinking about taking some cuttings to have a couple of backup plants image

    Although I've never done this before so will be a new challenge.

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