Gardening Thread

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tdgeek

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#231864 17-Mar-2018 08:23

First question

I have a few metres of Agapanthus along a fence. A month or so ago I noticed the leaves look a bit droopy. Not a lot, but noticeable. I now see some have very slight yellowing.

Here in ChCh its been a hot summer but we have also had heavy falls of rain.

I dont know if the state of these is due to being dry, or waterlogged. That area doesnt drain well, and the last heavy rain from Gita left it flooded. Over the summer I have run the fence irrigation that has 3 outlets inside these plants.

I dont want to water them if they are too damp underfoot, or let them dry out if they in fact need a drink?

Any ideas?

FineWine

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#1978955 17-Mar-2018 09:36

Agapanthus leaves yellow

Though in my garden (Tauranga) yellowing leaves is due to lack of iron which I am slowly fixing with Yates Leaf Greener Iron Chelate which I just spray onto the leaves of affected plants but you can, using watering can, apply into the leaves & soil.

Good Luck

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

kiwi_64

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#1978988 17-Mar-2018 12:05

personally, I'd let the suckers die :-) ... can't stand those things ... self-seeding horribly, and a bugger to get rid of.

neb

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#1979008 17-Mar-2018 12:47

kiwi_64:
personally, I'd let the suckers die :-) ... can't stand those things ... self-seeding horribly, and a bugger to get rid of.

I was thinking the same thing, worrying about your agapanthus dying is like worrying about your gorse dying. I didn't know that stuff could even die off.

MikeB4

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#1979009 17-Mar-2018 12:47

Agapanthus is public enemy number one up here but it's great on banks and difficult borders. It's normally low maintenance maybe mulching under them and some liquid seaweed.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

neb

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#1979013 17-Mar-2018 13:07

Yellow is typically iron deficiency, although it can be other things, my wisteria's leaves went yellow in the typical iron-deficiency manner and treatment with Yates iron chelate had little effect, while breaking up the concrete driveway it was growing next to, giving the roots more room to spread and absorb nutrient, did. In fact given the double reinforcing mesh rusting under the driveway, the last thing the plants should have suffered from is iron deficiency.

tdgeek

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#1979257 18-Mar-2018 10:07

MikeB4: Agapanthus is public enemy number one up here but it's great on banks and difficult borders. It's normally low maintenance maybe mulching under them and some liquid seaweed.

I think i'll leave them a bit and see what happens, its been super damp there. I quite like tham, they are effectively ground cover on the fence between the garden shed and main back lawn. They are pretty thick so hard to get under but I will have a looksee

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pctek

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#1980060 19-Mar-2018 18:22

Agapanthus

Botanical Name

Agapanthus praecox

Family

Liliaceae (lily) family

Also known as

Agapanthus orientalis

Where is it originally from?

South Africa

Why is it weedy?

Prolific seeder, dispersing effectively and germinating densely. Long-lived, and tolerates hot or cold temperatures, wet or drought conditions, wind, salt, poor soils, moderate-shade, heavy damage, and sea immersion of rhizomes and seeds.

How does it spread?

Seeds blows short distances, fall down banks and are also carried in flowing water. Seed and root fragments are also spread in contaminated soil, dumped vegetation and deliberate planting. Commonly found in gardens, roadsides and banks.

What damage does it do?

Forms pure stands, excluding all other species and becoming the terminal species almost everywhere it grows. It causes massive biodiversity loss, especially of rare coastal herb, grass and shrub species.

What can I do to get rid of it?

Dig out scattered plants. Dispose of corms and root fragments at a refuse transfer station or dry them out and burn them. Usually follow up with spraying.
2. Spray: mixture of 4g metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg + 200ml glyphosate + 10 ml penetrant per 10L water.
3. Cut down and paint stump: slash leaves close to ground, leave on site to rot down. Treat fresh bases with 1g metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg + 50 ml glyphosate + 1ml penetrant per 1L water or a 3-5mm layer of picloram gel.

What can I do to stop it coming back?

Plants often resprout and seed bank reinfests bared sites thickly, so follow up frequently until eradicated. At least 3-4 follow up treatments are needed. Begin eradication at top of banks and work down. Don't replant until after 2-3 treatments.

pest status in canterbury too. Kill it.

tdgeek

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#1980071 19-Mar-2018 18:36

pctek: Agapanthus Botanical Name

Agapanthus praecox

Family

Liliaceae (lily) family

Also known as

Agapanthus orientalis

Where is it originally from?

South Africa

Why is it weedy?

Prolific seeder, dispersing effectively and germinating densely. Long-lived, and tolerates hot or cold temperatures, wet or drought conditions, wind, salt, poor soils, moderate-shade, heavy damage, and sea immersion of rhizomes and seeds.

How does it spread?

Seeds blows short distances, fall down banks and are also carried in flowing water. Seed and root fragments are also spread in contaminated soil, dumped vegetation and deliberate planting. Commonly found in gardens, roadsides and banks.

What damage does it do?

Forms pure stands, excluding all other species and becoming the terminal species almost everywhere it grows. It causes massive biodiversity loss, especially of rare coastal herb, grass and shrub species.

What can I do to get rid of it?

Dig out scattered plants. Dispose of corms and root fragments at a refuse transfer station or dry them out and burn them. Usually follow up with spraying.
2. Spray: mixture of 4g metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg + 200ml glyphosate + 10 ml penetrant per 10L water.
3. Cut down and paint stump: slash leaves close to ground, leave on site to rot down. Treat fresh bases with 1g metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg + 50 ml glyphosate + 1ml penetrant per 1L water or a 3-5mm layer of picloram gel.

What can I do to stop it coming back?

Plants often resprout and seed bank reinfests bared sites thickly, so follow up frequently until eradicated. At least 3-4 follow up treatments are needed. Begin eradication at top of banks and work down. Don't replant until after 2-3 treatments.

pest status in canterbury too. Kill it.

Is it? Its self contained! Its green, its uniform, tidies up a 7m stretch of fence line. White fires, although one at the end is mauve.