Rhodedenrons and azaleas need to be in an acid soil. Test your soil to see if it’s acid or alkaline (you can get soil testers from a garden centre). If it’s alkaline then you need to remove the soil from around your plants and refill the holes with an ericaceous compost which is lime free. Make sure you have the correct plant food for them too.

Heather is tricky to grow. If it gets over watered the roots rot. It needs to be in a well drained soil – if you think about where heather grows naturally (on moorland) then it gives you an idea of the conditions it needs to be able to grow well.

Your wisteria may just have disliked the move from the house to the garden. You can regulate the conditions more inside but have to contend with nature outside!

Your clematis may just need a little tlc. Try giving them a regular feed as now is the active growing season. Check the soil isn’t too compact – if it is loosen it with a trowel then add peat and sand to it, the first to retain water and the second to lighten it up.

Happy gardening :wave:

I have no advice to offer on this subject. I just wanted to let you know you’re not alone! I could kill a silk plant.

The only reason my yard is alive, is because we have gardeners. 😉

must run in the family – my azelea makes yours look healthy… :brickwall:
:bawling:

Elle! You rock! Thank you so much for the tips. I will see if I can revive my poor little pitiful plants!

Ohhh! Don’t give up on the wisteria. I bought my wisteria probably 12 years ago. I *finally* got blossoms about 2 years ago and it’s gorgeous!

And I kill azaleas too. I would love a yard full of them–they’re so awesome when they’re in full bloom all over town. But no. I kill many plants.

Only 2 plants thrive by neglect–my Don Juan and Peace roses.

Didn’t know you had a photo blog–heading there now!! 🙂

Easy killer, don’t give up! Elle’s comments were dead on.
Do you have oak trees nearby? Oak leaves make an excellent mulch for the azaleas. I used to rake piles of them, run the mower over the pile to chop em all up. Some of it was mixed back into the soil and the rest was used as mulch. Make sure the mulch isnt crowded around the edges of the plant or it will make it damp and allow fungus to set in.

Pines are great, rake up the fallen pine straw and stash it around the base of the plant. there ya go, lots of acid for your soil. Might be too late for this group but it’ll help with other acid loving plants.

I notice the azalea is near the house. Is it getting too much water from run off? check to make sure the roots aren’t too damp. If it’s planted near the foundation of the house, lime can leach out of the foundation and neutralize the soil.

Good luck!!

[…] I told you recently how clematis and I have had a tough relationship for several years? I get one beautiful bloom last year, and bam – a squirrel climbs down my fence, […]