By Tiger1234
Hampshire,
United Kingdom 
Hello everyone, been out in the garden for the first time this week for some time! Just noticed my first casualty. My forest flame has lost half it's leaves and the remaining ones are covered in brown speckles. I know they love acid-rich soil. It is growing next to a lovely camelia which loves similar conditions, what's caused this problem?
29 Jan, 2011
Answers
Ours are looking very sad and draggled but they will perk up with spring.
29 Jan, 2011
Thanks for the response. Bamboo would a light prune now help, or should i wait till spring?
29 Jan, 2011
Nooo, don't prune now, worst thing you can do - if you feel the need to tidy it a bit, wait till end of March, preferably April, to give it a chance to grow. You can pull off any dead leaves though.
29 Jan, 2011
Got it Bamboo, what about feeding now or will that promote growth too soon, it just looks as though it needs some T L C!
29 Jan, 2011
No, nothing should be fed now - feed in March or April, depending how warm it is, but if its in the ground, it won't even need much of that, just a handful of Growmore or Vitax or similar raked in at the base. Patience Tiger, just stop looking at it, lol, give it time to recover - and winter's not over yet, don't forget...
29 Jan, 2011
Wise words as ever!! Seems like this winter doesn't want to end, itching to get back outside - COME ON SPRING!!!!
29 Jan, 2011
Tiger, Bamboo is right things just need to be left alone right now. The more we interfere the more damage we may do. I know at least some of those sad leaves on our pieris will recover - just as the rhododendrons do.
29 Jan, 2011
Regards Moon growe and good luck with your pieris!
29 Jan, 2011
Many of the 'acid lovers' are such because they are woodlanders, fed by a gentle rain of leaves which make acid leaf mould, and afforded some frost protection by the overhead canopy. We just give them ericaceous compost, stick 'em wherever, and say 'Get on with it'. This last cold spell has got to many plants which aren't in their perfect spot. Worthy
29 Jan, 2011
Hi Worthy, that is why I don't worry they are in the right position in the right conditions... They will sulk for a bit but then come through.
How folk who live in the south of England cope I am not
sure...
29 Jan, 2011
Cope with what, Moon Grower?
30 Jan, 2011
Growing the like of Pieris and other ericaceous shrubs.
30 Jan, 2011
Oh I see - I grow them in this part of London, we're more or less neutral leaning toward acid, and they do fine.
30 Jan, 2011
I guess your plants are used to extreme cold Moon grower, our plants down here are like us, shivering and in desperate need of some warm sun! lol!!!!
30 Jan, 2011
Look on the bright side though - less lily beetle around this summer, lol
30 Jan, 2011
Excessive cold probably - quite a lot of evergreens look similar, and some have even dropped their leaves. Wait and see what the regrowth is like in Spring.
29 Jan, 2011