My plants are ailing...... :(

11 years ago

I am struggling with my DRs at the moment, it's always a bad time of the year for them, but it's the only time when we can go on holiday due to work commitments I have. We have been away for the whole of Nov and my plants have suffered badly this time. They were in full leaf and green when we went but now they have lost a lot of leaves and one is almost completely yellow. Our houseminder decided to water them far more than I asked (once in 4 weeks I requested) and things are not looking too good at the moment. On our return, they were sitting in saucers of water, aaaaaargh! I sat them for ages on pads of kitchen paper to help soak out the excess water and spent an hour or so plucking shrivelled leaves from them to make them look (and me feel) better. I just hope the yellow one is going dormant and not dying as it's caudex is not rock hard like it used to be. I guess I should have said NO water at all. Have lost 2 of the smallest ones already through rot, one was a somalense and another an arabicum, sigh. Seems like I will be on ebayUK come the new year, yet again. In the meantime, it's fingers tightly crossed for my DR's.
Gill from the UK.

Comments (8)

kodom087 z9a
11 years ago
Sorry to hear about the mistreatment of your DR's. Hope some are able to be saved.

Kirk
karyn1
11 years ago
Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you will be able to save them.
Related Professionals
Benbrook Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lakewood Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Sand Springs Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Newcastle Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Burlington Landscape Contractors · Tempe Landscape Contractors · Fort Atkinson Landscape Contractors · Fort Wayne Landscape Contractors · Galveston Landscape Contractors · North Ridgeville Landscape Contractors · Santa Maria Landscape Contractors · Secaucus Landscape Contractors · Goldenrod Landscape Contractors · Golden Valley Landscape Contractors · Norridge Landscape Contractors
Marie Tran
11 years ago
Oh Gill, I hope they are doing better for you. Hope the winter past without any more problem.
Marie
ssk22 Ohio 5b
11 years ago
Gill,
So sorry to hear about your babies. I know how you pampered them.hope they bouce back for you. A month on holiday, wow....I get a week here.
Good luck...
Sharon
Tracy33183
11 years ago
Oh Gill,
I'm so sorry.. DRs are fighters but they need you more than ever. Good luck!
Tracy
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement guys and gals. I will keep you up to speed with their progress, or not, as the case may be.
Yes, we were fortunate to get away for the whole of Nov as I have family in Australia and we try to go over every 3 yrs or so. This time we went to Singapore, Darwin, Perth and Hong Kong and had a great time. I saw DR's in a multitude of shapes and sizes in the biodomes at Singapores recently opened 'Gardens by the Bay' and lots of plumerias (some of you may know I used to (try) to grow these also!!) in Darwin the size of houses. They were planted as roadside trees and hedges, amazing! I have approx 2200 pics to vet and upload so I'll get round to posting some pics for you to see soon.
Gill from the UK.
rcharles_gw (Canada)
11 years ago
That sounds so wonderful Gill. Doesn't it just make you green with envy that we cannot have them as you see in those climates. As a friend said to me. " those in there climates may be saying the same thing about plants that they would have a hard time growing in there climate."
It is true, but it sometimes does not help.
I am supposed to be getting some seed. If i have surplus I will let you know and if you would like some I can send you some. Hoping I get them.
Promised Karyn some.
Rick
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
Original Author
11 years ago
Rick, firstly I send aplologies for not responding earlier than this but I missed checking my thread till today. Secondly, thanks for the possible offer of a seed or two....see how it goes, no worries. (see I'm speaking in 'Australian' now, lol!) I find folks here are extraordinarily generous, often offering to share/swap with others not even in their own country...like me.
I checked to see where you were from, Canada I see, so guess your conditions maybe similar to mine?
Yes, I agree, I do envy those with more tropical climates who can grow such exotica, and as you rightly say, the reverse is also true! I guess it's the same with a lot of things in life as we often strive to be different and individuals in some way or another. We often crave for the opposite of the norm, folks with straight hair curl it while those with curly hair want it straightened!! Crazy eh?
OK, I'm off to get those pics sorted out now!
Regards, Gill from the UK.