Lavatera Barnsley

[debbiem]

Has anyone got one of these? And is anything happening to it yet, sprouting, budding, anything? I pruned mine a few weeks ago as per the book and apart from a tiny green 'sprout', I mean miniscule, it's still completely bare.

[sweetleaf]

Have you watered it Mrs B?

We havent had any decent rain for weeks it may just be waiting for moisture . I wouldnt worry too much, when it starts it will grow so fast you might want it to slow down. I had to remove mine because it threatened to take over no matter how hard or often it was pruned, ;D

[debbiem]

Thanks Sweetleaf - it's been Growmored and Miraclegrow'd and watered - I cannot wait for it to do a bit of taking over. It's probably now spoilt to death and holding out for more attention.

[sweetleaf]

Is it in shade then........ Mine was in full sun most of the day

[debbiem]

Partial shade I would say but in the same area as a Lavatera Burgundy Wine and Olbia Rosea Tree Mallow. Come to think of it, the Burgundy Wine wasn't up to much last year either, but the Tree Mallow cheerfully flowered its way through almost the whole year, and at least the Burgundy Wine had some leaves on it and still has. They all get full sun for some of the day. They are all about a year old - maybe the wind's got to them?

[debbiem]

Or maybe they should be moved somewhere a bit sunnier? It's out of the question for the Tree Mallow, it's enormous!
It can't hurt moving it now while it's apparently dormant can it?

[Sleepy]

debbiem said:

Partial shade I would say but in the same area as a Lavatera Burgundy Wine and Olbia Rosea Tree Mallow. Come to think of it, the Burgundy Wine wasn't up to much last year either, but the Tree Mallow cheerfully flowered its way through almost the whole year, and at least the Burgundy Wine had some leaves on it and still has. They all get full sun for some of the day. They are all about a year old - maybe the wind's got to them?

Or something has chomped the roots - or they have their feet in wet ground and have rotted.

[debbiem]

Definitely not wet ground, and everything around it's up and coming. It stands out as being very stark and 'stickish'.

[sweetleaf]

It will be a case of wait and see then Mrs B! I believe it will be ok

They can take a bit of wind if they are getting enough moisture, so I wouldnt worry,but its been a very dry spring hasnt it?

[debbiem]

VERY! And the flower bed gets more than it's fair share of those 'cold drying winds' But it's watered religiously.
It's that tiny sprig of green on the base of one of the stems that gives me hope.
Thanks!

[sweetleaf]

Or perhaps the Tree Mallow is getting all the moisture? They are very good at getting rid of the competition

[debbiem]

Good point Sweetleaf- it's huge, but I still don't think moisture's the problem. When we moved here the soil was outrageous, stony, sandy, full of builder's rubble, ugh, but in the year we've been here we've done what we can to sort it - it'll take much more improving before it's right. But even so, the Barnsley thrived and flowered last year despite it's surroundings. I can't help thinking back to me pruning it being the problem. Mallows are funny things aren't they. You can prune them and they die or prune them and you think they've died and back they come. You can move them and they bounce back or you can move them and they die......... we had it all.

[The witch]

debbiem said:

Or maybe they should be moved somewhere a bit sunnier? It's out of the question for the Tree Mallow, it's enormous!
It can't hurt moving it now while it's apparently dormant can it?

I wouldn't move it now Debbie if it has started to produce sprouts/new growth or whatever you want to call it, then it's not dormant.

[4pygmies]

I think these plants are very temperamental actually. I had a lovely Lavatera Barnsley (bought from Barnsley in honour of Geoff) and it did really well until I slightly pruned it - very slightly, where upon it died.........last year my bog standard Lavatera died for no apparent reason. And the one I have in my wild hedge has struggled for years. I've given up with them now. They are fab when in full bloom though.

[debbiem]

You'd think, since they are one of the easiest plants on the planet to grow from cuttings, and because they grow like fury when they're on form, that they'd be right toughies, but temperamental is definitely the word to describe them 4P. '

[debbiem]

Well I'll admit now, I did dig it up and put it in a pot. The one sprig browned and died BUT there was a tiny leaf growing off one of the roots. A couple of months later and I now have a healthy plant again, don't know what it's problem was at the time though.

[4pygmies]

Well, that's good isn't it? Mrs B saves a life! May it live long and prosper now.

[debbiem]

Thanks 4P - maybe it's become immune now to whatever complaint it was suffering with.

[4pygmies]

It was just sulking I expect and now it's had some TLC it'll be fine. Those Lavatera are sooo childish.

[debbiem]

This one's on its final warning - it grows a few inches, looks really promising, gets nice and bushy then wilts and flops over. But there's always some small young strong leaves pushing through the compost in the pot ready to take over, but then the same thing happens, again and again.
Come to think of it, my massive Tree Mallow even with all its flowers and height, has wilted badly in the middle of it with leaves all scrappy and brown( bit like the Ugly Duckling song!) - maybe it's something they do naturally?

[sweetleaf]

Vine Weevil? Sounds familiar to me....sorry.

[debbiem]

Thanks Sweetleaf, I'll look into that - ooo weevils, lucky us.
We did think, with the Tree Mallow, that it was wind damage, as some of the middle branches were getting broken in the wind. But I think something else is afoot, there's more to it than that so thanks for that.

[4pygmies]

It might be a pan of hard ground which stops it growing any further as well, Debbie. How deep did you dig when you planted it? If you didn't dig down to break up the sub soil, once the roots have reached it they have nowhere to draw up nutrients.

[debbiem]

Thanks 4P, that sounds very possible too - I bought the Tree Mallow from eBay and it was very small. It was one of the first plants I put in here and the soil was desperately rubbly, sandy and bad. I do throw the occasional handful of Growmore in there but while the rest of the border's been getting fed and manure and compost added to it the bit under the Mallow always loses out and there's so much growth there.
Maybe it could do with being cut right back and replanted in the Winter.
The Barnsley though, is still in a pot. I dug it up because it looked so poorly/dead and it's been getting TLC galore.

[4pygmies]

I should ditch it then! It's never going to do anything but ail......