Several plants have just died since January. I have lost 2 Rose of Sharon and a Wisteria. One of my figs yellowed and lost all of it's leaves last month. This morning, I noticed a Japanese Loquat that has dried out. This problem seems to be very selective and destructive. The Rose of Sharon started sprouting new leaves, then they dried out after a watering and died. They broke off when bent, as if they had been dead for quite some time. The wisteria, which was growing strong for the past 5 years was rotted away at the lower trunk. The fig is slowly sprouting new leaves. Neighboring figs are unaffected.
The plants are in a small area, approxiamtely 20' in diameter. I initially thought that lime was leaching from the concrete of the pad of the house, but that wouldn't account for the growth (house was built in 2006. Plants were put in the ground that year). The soil is naturally high pH. Manure was added around the loquat and fig this year, but not around the Rose of Sharon or Wisteria. The same manure was used around the veggie garden without problems. If I didn't know better, I could swear that an herbicide was at work, but I don't use them, and other plants continue to thrive in the same area.
Any idea's? Fungus?
Wow. Rose of Sharon plants pop up like weeds in my yard. Very little stops them.
I learned last week (on this thread) that certain plants are poisoned by having a Walnut tree close by.
Do You have one?
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/qt/Black_Walnuts.htm
Just an FYI
I’m going to have to replant my apple tree.
I’ve been watching your post. I’m not an expert. I hate sudden death syndrome, and like you looking for good answers.
Just asking: How’s your drainage? Do you have clay, or rock that’s keeping the deep roots soggy?
I’ve killed a lot of stuff by over watering.
I’m in eastern NM with high heat and serious drought. Even though I’ve been watering a lot several hardy plants were burned when I applied fish fertalizer....just too hot and dry.
I’m just guessing since your plants died from the bottom up, it may be a drainage problem.
I was hoping we’d see an expert respond!
Doesn't strike me as an herbicide problem, as almost every herbicide normally available to the public kills by foliar contact and has no ground activity.
pH is definitely something that you want to monitor with tests. It is relatively inexpensive to get a complete soil test done and well worth every penny in production returns, and fewer loss of plants.
Water, the lack thereof, and heat have wreaked havoc on many things this year. I know a lady that was watering everyday, but the ground was so warm and the sun so harsh, that the plants were actually receiving far too little. I dug in the area where she had lost azalea and the soil went from dry to dryer. It is better to water less frequently, but deeply.
WestwardHo, I am tickled that you were able to use the dry farmed tomato info. If I'm not mistaken, some of the information I gathered was from an ag department of a NM university. I'm sure you could also get some good leads on varieties that are best suited to your climate. All I started with was a link on Early Girl tomatoes, and I got into the dry farming practice info.