Leaves quickly yellowing and dying back

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I have a small potted rose, 'Felicia', from Annie's Annuals. It's been in its original 4" pot for the last two months. Recently we had temps in the low 90s and the rose has been in full sun all day. I've been watering it once a day and fertilizing it once a week (Miracle Grow 24-8-16). The yellowing started three days ago and is quickly moving from the bottom towards the top. This morning I removed it from its 4" pot, flushed its soil with clean water (flush out excess salts from fertilizer), and repotted it in a good potting soil.

Any idea what may be happening? Will it survive?

Featured Answer

strawchicago z5

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I see salt damage: brown edge

I see too acidic (from ammonium fertilizer): upper leaves curl up

I see heat-stress and irregular watering (sometimes too wet & sometimes too dry): yellowing of lowest leaves.

Felicia takes partial shade well. Tiny own-roots do best in partial shade, rather than blasting full-sun.

Moving it to partial shade with new potting soil will solve the salt-damage and too acidic from chemical fertilizer.

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Comments (8)

rosecanadian
5 years ago
Are you intending on planting it in the ground? It's too small of a pot to keep a rose bush in. Someone will help you better than I can. But, my recommendation is to either up pot it or plant it in the ground. :)
ladybug A 9a Houston area
5 years ago
Was it putting out new growth before you fertilized? I generally just water and wait until I see new growth. Hopefully others can chime in with some advice.
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ladybug A 9a Houston area
5 years ago
Agree with Staw, move to part shade and don't fertilize for now.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
too small a pot. in full sun.. gets real hot .. roots dont like to be hot ... set the pot.. so the pot is behind something so the pot is never in the sun .... but the plant is ... big rock.. whatever ...

so the roots are stressed ... and you keep applying fert.. and maybe burning the already stressed roots ... creating more stress ...

and just to be safe.. use the fert at 50% recommended solution ...

with heat in that range already.. it may not be best to stress it more.. by planting it in the ground.. unless you can find a few cool or rainy days .. and then shade it for a week or so ... just too much more stress ...

if you decide to keep it potted until fall planting season ... put it in a bigger pot ... with media ... pot and all ... so the bigger pot will take the heat of the day.. while the inner pot can stay cooler ..plus it wont tip over in wind.. if it starts growing with vigor ..

its always best. to include big city location.. in this case.. so we can predict weather patterns ....

and keep in mind.. its a plant.. not a child .. it doesnt need to be fed constantly .. unless you water such.. that you wash all the prior fert out of the pot every time you water.. and if you have the noted salt buildup.. thats not how you are watering ...

ken
Diane Brakefield
5 years ago
Too much fertilizer and not enough pot. Diane
middlepath
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
zone 9b--San Francisco Bay Area

Thanks everyone, very much appreciate your generous comments. In hindsight I haven't been very mindful towards the potted roses (Annie's, ARE, High Country) I received this spring but will do better. I moved 'Felicia' to an area with dappled shade and will cut back on fertilizing for now. It was sending out new growth until this yellowing/browning started happening. Given it's been so stressed, I won't move forward with planting it in the ground for now.
rosecanadian
5 years ago
I hope it does well for you. :) :)