Wisteria leaf discoloured

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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

And this is what I used...
Image


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

Is it good?


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

Hello friends I’m now starting to be seriously worried...
Could my wisteria be sick???? What should I do?
I repotted this tree last spring, the soil mix is diatomite, coco coir and pine orchiata bark the 2-3 mm.

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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

Noone? :(


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by MJL »

Hey Pureheart,

I hope it all turns out ok.

I’m not horticulturalist so hard for me to add anything to the advice provided by others in this thread - I’d say it’s nutrient related. Perhaps cut off a leaf or too and head to your local nursery. They should be able to provide a diagnosis. It could be that the feed is just taking a while to work?

Fingers crossed. Also as a matter of course, I generally bang some slow release fertiliser into my mix when I repot too. Perhaps trying this next time too.

Cheers,

Mark


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

MJL wrote:Hey Pureheart,

I hope it all turns out ok.

I’m not horticulturalist so hard for me to add anything to the advice provided by others in this thread - I’d say it’s nutrient related. Perhaps cut off a leaf or too and head to your local nursery. They should be able to provide a diagnosis. It could be that the feed is just taking a while to work?

Fingers crossed. Also as a matter of course, I generally bang some slow release fertiliser into my mix when I repot too. Perhaps trying this next time too.

Cheers,

Mark


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Thanks Mark, yes I forgot to say that in my mix I always add slow release fertiliser (usually the 6 month type) I really hope everything is ok I already lost 3 trees this summer... and I love this wisteria... by the way do you like the pot is in?


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by MikeK »

I'm not a horticulturalist so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I agree with comments previously about a nutrient deficiency

I've dealt with Iron Chlorosis/Iron Deficiency in my garden plants many, many times and it looks a lot like this. I regularly see it with all my Banksias & Grevilleas, occasionally with Camelias (last time was just before Christmas), others less often. I'm at the point where the natives get an annual treatment, it happens so often

In each case, I've treated it with Iron Chelates. I use this one: Manutec Iron Chelate made to the instructions on the pack (highly doubt the brand matters though ... it was just the cheapest one they had)

It might take a couple of applications 2-4 weeks apart. You can also give it a a try as a foliar spray in addition to drenching the soil for faster action on visible leaves (do the drenching as well though)

Probably worth testing the Ph of your mix ... apparently an alkaline soil is more likely to cause this issue

Google "Iron Chlorosis" for more info ... it's very common and there's lots of info and photo's out there
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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by TimS »

If you have been fertilising and there has been no change then it's worth doing a Ph test of the soil. Depending on the Ph different nutrients will be available or unavailable for the tree to take up. Your soil would have to be abnormal in Ph to present issues to wisteria but i think we're at the point now that it needs to be done. Ph is only one little piece of the puzzle though and doesn't always give you answers as to why something is wrong. For now though you want to make sure you at least see a Ph between 6-7, preferably more towards 6.

Also it is quite a substantial plant, and while wisteria are able to tolerate poor soils, they are very hungry indeed. I see you have been using some kind of pelletised fertiliser by the plastic containers on the soil. I would be also using liquid feed every 2 weeks through growing season for a tree that puts on as much growth as wisteria do.

When was the last time you repotted it? If the soil has broken down and is holding too much moisture it could also present in these symptoms, and extra watering to combat it would continue the symptoms. I don't know if you watered it right before taking the photo, of it's just the photo that makes it look like that, but the soil looks almost slick like it has algae growing on the surface. If that is the case it is far too wet and needs to be dried back immediately.

I would be inclined to do the following:
A: Test ph of soil
B: Dig down and see how much moisture there is in the soil, and inspect if the soil has broken down and isn't allowing air penetration. If it is very wet then back off watering for now. Perhaps put a wooden chopstick in the soil and only water it once there is no water on the chopstick.
C: For now move the tree into a position that is more shaded from hot sun for now until you can get to the bottom of what is going on. Limit the stress on it.
D: Do a repot and full soil change in winter if the soil is more than 2 years old. I would be inclined to put it into a bigger pot as well in winter to let it spread its roots out and have more room to breathe until it recovers. Again this is a substantial tree and thus needs more space for roots.

All mine struggled through summer so you are certainly not alone. It's just getting to the bottom of why yours is not perking up.
Last edited by TimS on March 11th, 2019, 9:56 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by Akhi »

I am trying to grow up a wisteria and while its charged ahead with lots of new growth and looks healthy, its leaf colour is similar too. Maybe there is nothing to worry and it’s just more sun or something


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by MJL »

pureheart wrote:
Thanks Mark, yes I forgot to say that in my mix I always add slow release fertiliser (usually the 6 month type) I really hope everything is ok I already lost 3 trees this summer... and I love this wisteria... by the way do you like the pot is in?

Hey Pureheart,

It not easy to see the pot but yes, it does look nice. I am not sure the colour compliments the upside down orange bin! :-) On the topic of that device ... what is it? Is it keeping the tree upright?

And who made the pot?


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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by KIRKY »

Definitely looks hungry. Where abouts in Melbourne are you? Also what is the size of the pot? Wisteria can never get enough food or water over their growing period. As I can only see a bit of the left side of the pot it looks small for the size of the plant. I wouldn’t expect you to see too much change in the leaf as they are starting to shut down and will soon be discarding them at the moment Wisteria’s are mainly focusing on nutrients for flowering come spring. I am only feeding up for flowers at this time of year. If you want lots of lush green growth any of your pallet feeds will do the trick during next years growing period. :imo: not much to worry about at this time of year.
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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

MJL wrote:
pureheart wrote:
Thanks Mark, yes I forgot to say that in my mix I always add slow release fertiliser (usually the 6 month type) I really hope everything is ok I already lost 3 trees this summer... and I love this wisteria... by the way do you like the pot is in?

Hey Pureheart,

It not easy to see the pot but yes, it does look nice. I am not sure the colour compliments the upside down orange bin! :-) On the topic of that device ... what is it? Is it keeping the tree upright?

And who made the pot?


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HaHaHa yes the orange pot was to lift the tree that was crashing down.... I can't remember but I think the pot is from https://www.murrumbungstudioceramics.com.au
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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

Ok I went to check the tree today and I discovered that some roots I cut at repotting time have killed a side of the tree.....
As per picture I decided I was going to do a ground layer to fix the root base I never liked it and discovered some of the wood was rotter or dead... :palm: :palm: :palm: :palm:

So I decided to transplant and air layer the tree and start over... Hopefully I did the air layer correctly (this is my first one) and at the right time of the year... I don't even know if Wisteria put roots easily or not... I guess this is how you learn the hard way!!!

What do you think? Did I do the right thing? Any opinion is very welcome!

Thanks
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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by Beano »

Bit late in the season for a layer as it’s going to get cold soon and shed its leaves. No leaves = no active root development. It would have been better not to prune it back at the same time as the layer was put on, as more leaves = quicker root development.

It’s done now, hopefully it’ll do something for you but you might have to wait until spring/summer to find out if there’s enough roots to separate it.
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Re: Wisteria leaf discoloured

Post by pureheart »

Beano wrote:Bit late in the season for a layer as it’s going to get cold soon and shed its leaves. No leaves = no active root development. It would have been better not to prune it back at the same time as the layer was put on, as more leaves = quicker root development.

It’s done now, hopefully it’ll do something for you but you might have to wait until spring/summer to find out if there’s enough roots to separate it.
Thanks Beano, I couldn’t wait and the prune back was done just because the branches were annoy me while working on the tree... I didn’t know that more leaves meant quicker root development... but I do now!


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