I planted this Jackmanii in early summer 2004, and I need some advice, please. As you can see it is not thriving. Here are its many problems:

I cut off one leaf -that leaf had one red spider mite.

It has stunted growth, brown/black speckles on the underside of leaves, tinier specks on leaf top (these are leaf problems, nothing that can be wiped off).

The leaves have brown edges; stems and leaves are pale and I would say if I really squint and use a dissecting scope, the edges of the larger veins may be slightly greener than the leaf.

I gave it a super hole when I brought it home 3 years ago and thought this would be an ideal location for cool roots, sun to leaves. Gave it a dose of epsom salts Monday (1 TBS to 1 gallon water) and malathion yesterday. So they haven't had a chance to work yet.

Anything else I should try? Should I give this up as a bad job and yank the thing?

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

Have you been cutting it back every year?

did you plant it deeper than the nursery pot when you planted it?

Well, I have cut it back in years past, but this year I decided to leave it longer in hopes that it would reach sunlight earlier in the season and do better.

Yes, I planted it 4-6 inches deeper than originally planted, and I tilted the plant slightly toward the wall. I made a nice wide hole that I amended with Back to Nature (composted cotton burr). I added Osmocote to the hole too. In addition, it has 4-5 inches of mulch at the base. I think I have mulch too close to the stem--but could that cause this much trouble?

I forgot to mention that 2-3 weeks ago I gave it some Milorganite.

Thank you so much for reading this!

I would cut it back again, hard. That pale weak growth isn't going to do anything.

I would not fertilize or spray it again.

Was it a tiny plant to begin with?

Yes, it was small, but I don't think it was stunted the way it is now. Since the day I bought it in 2004 it has had about 8 flowers, but the main accomplishment is that its "leg" has gotten longer and it looks sicker.

Just cut it 3-4 inches above the soil?

Thank you buyorsell.

Yes, you want it to push up fresh new growth from the buried crown.

Get a new one! You are spending so much time and energy on this specimen that it is costing you more than if you were to buy another one. I know it is hard, but you will be glad you did. I got rid of five this year, I didn't dump then, just stuck them in gallon pots and will baby them for a while to see if they are salvagable. I am so glad I did as the new clems I put in are taller and have buds and some have flowered alrready.,