Anyone have recurring chlorosis?

last year

last modified: last year

Have noticed chlorosis on some plants every year mostly on David Austin roses, camellias and clematis. Initial spring growth always OK. Oddly no chlorosis on hybrid teas. Severe chlorosis on Hydrangeas - leaves became almost like glass towards end of season and one died. So I read all I could find on chlorosis. I have exclusively Interveinal chlorosis which is caused by iron or magnesium deficiency (or other nutrients) but it's rare for these to be lacking in soil so it's almost always a ph problem (can be root damage also). To try and save my hydrangeas I applied sulfur and it did help the leaves but flowers had little color. I read in Western gardening book that if water is high ph sulfur will not help much although i found that large amounts do help.

I bought so many soil test kits and my soil tests at about 7.5 ph, not ideal but not the kiss of death either. Finally, I remembered that I have very hard water, water co says ph 8.0 and I tested it at 8.0 also. I have a reverse osmosis water filter so I started watering the hydrangeas from that source and it seems now they are normal.

It's not practical to apply large amounts of sulfur because of high cost but I drink lots of coffee so I'm thinking I should apply that. For the hydrangeas I'll keep watering from the filter because they are so sensitive and I only have 3 but the chlorosis for the other plants is minor to moderate so it may help.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
last year
Where are you located?
dianela7analabama
last year
last modified: last year
you can use fertilizer for acid loving plants in all your plants and it should help. Diane has done that and her roses are the best. Also watch garden answer youtube channel, her soil is alkaline and she uses chelated iron. Sorry I cant help more my soil is very acidic
Related Professionals
Richmond Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Topeka Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Clarksburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fall River Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Elmira Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Aberdeen Landscape Contractors · Meridian Landscape Contractors · Oklahoma City Landscape Contractors · Worthington Landscape Contractors · Elmira Landscape Contractors · Knoxville Home Builders · Newport News Home Builders · South Bend Home Builders · Manchester Home Builders · Oxnard Home Builders
Diane Brakefield
last year
Yes, Dianela. I use Lilly Miller Organic Granular fertilizer for acid love plants. My soil is alkaline, and occasional a rose doesn't like it and shows some chlorosis. Mainly the guilty rose is a hybrid musk, Ballerina, which I've read doesn't like alkaline soil. All my roses get this fertilize and they seem to love it. I only use it once a year, plus occasionally throw a bit on all my plants. Many years ago, I added Ironite to my roses;soil. This was at my previous home, and I had a rose that hated our soil. That was The Fairy, and I could never really rid my six Fairies of their chlorosis. The Fairy really hated the Idaho climate and soil, and it was the first rose I grew. I'm surprised I continued rose growing after putting up with that rose. Good luck. Oh, I garden in SW Idaho in the semi arid desert outside Boise. Diane
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
Have you had a professional soil test done to check the iron levels? It's an odd list of plants, to put it mildly.
Moses, Pitt PA, cold W & hot-humid S, z6
last year
last modified: last year
Anything that has been chlorotic for me has turned around excellently with weekly feedings of Miracle-Gro Plant Food for Acid Loving Plants. Liquid feed 1 tablespoon per gallon of water every two weeks, or better yet, 1/2 tablespoon per gallon of water every week. Measure carefully, no more, no less. Never liquid feed dry plants. Plain water first, then liquid feed a bit later. Do this all growing season long if necessary.

You will be amazed at the turn around of your chlorotic plants.

My Earth Angel was a chronic chlorotic mess, but greened up wonderfully when I gave it the above treatment.

Moses.
Kittysrosegarden
last year
I agree on using a fertilizer firvacud loving olants-hydrangeas suchvas Hollyto e. The water filter sounds good, too. Amending soil is goid, too. I use a lot of irganic raised bed soul & spagnum peat moss in my hydrangea beds. I have 15+ hydrangeas -all do fine. I bring in soil & peat moss-so they receive new soil.
NollieSpainZ9
last year
I have alkaline soil, which causes some chlorosis, but it’s only when I run out of collected rainwater and have to resort to using very alkaline well water that plants start to really suffer with bad chlorosis, I dig in and mulch with acid compost and use acid feed, which is enough for most roses, especially the ones with thick, dark leaves. However, I do need to use chelated iron regularly on Austin roses and one or two others with paler/finer foliage.
alexh1000
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thanks all, have been using the Holly Tone beginning last year but it uses sulfur which is a fairly weak acidifier from what I have read (fine for alkaline soil but alkaline water seems to magnify the problem). I forgot to mention I rescued the Hydrangea by using Fertilome which is an acid + iron liquid. At the time I did not realize my water was alkaline so I bought it for the iron but it did clear the problem very fast. Apparently nurseries use it for rapid results but I did not really want to use this on lots of plants as I have to order it. I do have a big bag of iron and have tried that for years and it did not help which is probably more evidence that ph is the issue.

So I looked at the Miracle Grow for acid loving plants label and it does not use sulfur (which does not really matter as long as it works), I saw boric acid in the list so I think that the best bet for convenience as its a fertilizer also.

It is very discouraging because I get terrific spring blooms in heavy rain years (Zone 9) but my reblooms for roses are weak and the color is drained from the flowers because of the water.

BTW, for years I used those capsule based ph kits. I then found test strips made for gardeners which have an expanded scale. Works very well, my water tests ph 8 and water from my filter is 6.5. My soil always tests about 7 probably because you use distilled water for the test as of course goal is to test soil. Thats why it never hit me over the head that its my water. Partly what made me realize it was I was watching Monty Don's gardening show and several times I saw recommendations to water some plants with rain water. The strips are from garden tutor.