# whats ruining the plants in my back garden?



## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

There's a knowledgeable bunch on here. Does anybody know what may be ruining the plants in my garden, going off these pictures.
First up, is a plant that I bought new a few weeks back in b and q. It was perfect at the time.








Now its developing brown spots , and the edges of the leaves are going brown.
Its been watered fairly regularly without over watering it.
Next up, is a plant bought recently from b and q again. Something is eating the leaves.look at the light bits in the middle of the photo.









Is this slug damage? I've got a dog so have never used slug pellets, but I could do, with care.

Next up is two palm tree type plants. They are a couple of years old. Drainage is good. Don't really do much with them as I believe(d) they can go through dry spells okay, and there fairly hardy for the winter.
As you can tell something's affecting the leaves.



















Any ideas on all of those? I'm not particularly green fingered, I just know the basics really, thanks


----------



## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

Could be wind burn/scorch.

Are the plants suited to your soil?


----------



## goat (May 8, 2015)

Do you know the names of the plants? Might be worth a search on some plant forums for those species, I've found with the couple of plants I've bought from homebase/ b and q that the care labels are quite poor. We bought a butterfly palm for indoors that wasn't doing well (leaves going brown) checked online and turned out it was much less drought tolerant than I thought and I been underwatering it. 
Watering and soil conditions and Ard-Andys suggestions of wind burn might be good to check first.


----------



## Paul7189 (Nov 11, 2015)

Could be under nourished. Try getting some fertiliser and feeding them. Something along the lines of miracle grow. Without getting the soil tested though you will struggle to find the route cause.


----------



## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

They're all planted in multipurpose compost except for the one in picture number two. I'll try to dig out the full names. I think ones a date palm, another's a phoenix canariensis. I've never fed them anything, so I could look at doing that. I wonder if I can cut off the leaves or do something to the palm tree type ones, to encourage it regrow some nice fresh growth.


----------



## Guest (Jun 4, 2016)

If you have planted them IN multipurpose compost, that's your problem. Fill in plants with soil with some compost then add a top dressing of compost to wash down into the soil with rain.

Without knowing the plants specifics it sounds as though you're giving them too many nutrients.


----------



## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

Hugh said:


> If you have planted them IN multipurpose compost, that's your problem. Fill in plants with soil with some compost then add a top dressing of compost to wash down into the soil with rain.
> 
> Without knowing the plants specifics it sounds as though you're giving them too many nutrients.


OK thanks for the advice.
I'm a little confused, this website here says to plant in multipurpose compost. 
http://www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk/item/Palms/Phoenix-Canariensis/RWR
To be completely honest, I did add some soil from the garden in with the compost. But not a lot as its clay soil here. I know these like good drainage.


----------



## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

Think am going to order some of this and see how things go.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Focus-Conc...65067625&sr=8-1&keywords=palm+tree+fertiliser
Picture two shows what I think is damage caused by something eating the plant.Any ideas what this is most likely to be?
Slugs?


----------



## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=345

They're not being eaten.


----------



## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

I assume your using tap water to water the plants?

Cordylines and other palm type plants can suffer from damage like that if you use ordinary tap water, as it can be harsh on them due to the flouride level in 'corporation pop'

I have a large indoor palm in my living room that started getting Brown at the tips of the palm leaves. I now only water it with water that has been through a Brita water filter and it cleared up.

If you can, get an water butt outside that'll collect rain water & then use that to water them.


----------



## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to try to sort one out as yes, I tend to water with the hose


----------



## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

This is a good article turbo

http://www.tropicalplantsociety.org/Article_5_2_2013c.html


----------



## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

Thanks for that. Have given it a read. Think I'll have to sort a water butt out


----------

