"Jim Hawkins" wrote after...
> "Bob Hobden" spouted a reply to
>> "Jim Hawkins" wrote ...
>>>I bought a box tree in a large pot last year. It sits in a large saucer
>>>on
>>> my front ****ch getting a fair amount of sun.
>>> I keep the saucer topped up with water and give a feed of Miracle-Grow
>>> occasionally.
>>> However, many of the leaves are turning slightly brown, and I don't
know
>>> why.
>>>
>>> Does anyone have any ideas ?
>>>
>> Yes..." I keep the saucer topped up with water ".... is the clue. It
>> would need to be a bog plant to need that.
>> So it's waterlogged and you have probably rotted the roots which has
the
>> same symptoms as lack of water 'cause the plant can't take any water up
>> with no roots.
>>
>> To try to save your plant I suggest you need to repot using a John
Innes
>> No.3 compost and let the compost almost dry before watering each time
in
>> future.
>>
> Many thanks, Bob.
> The roots didn't look too bad to me, thought I'm no expert.
> Any way I re-potted it in John Innes No 3 as you recommrnded and will
only
> water it when the saucer dries up.
>
Don't worry about the water tray running dry, to top it up when that is
empty would only be needed for a bog plant and is what I suspect you have
done wrong in the past. It does not need wet at the roots only slight
moisture. It's the compost you need to check for moisture, stick your
finger in it, look at it, and see when it begins to feel/look dryish, then
water, so the soil and plant dries out a bit between waterings.
If you find that difficult to judge, and it does take some practice, then
remove the water tray, don't water it more than a couple of times a week
unless it's very hot, and you won't be able to overwater.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
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