Troubleshooting
Problem: Wilted leaves
I have planted a nice shrub in a much bigger pot for my balcony but after much new growth the heat made the regrowth wilt. Thus I cut the wilted new young growth off. Since then its looked sick - leaves turning brown, dying back ... wondering if I've over watered ? Have cut back on watering now, I was trying to establish it but now think I may have been over watering ? What is causing the leaves to turn brown & die ?
I have planted a nice shrub in a much bigger pot for my balcony but after much new growth the heat made the regrowth wilt. Thus I cut the wilted new young growth off. Since then its looked sick - leaves turning brown, dying back ... wondering if I've over watered ? Have cut back on watering now, I was trying to establish it but now think I may have been over watering ? What is causing the leaves to turn brown & die ?
Solution:
I think you have a fungal problem which has caused the leaves to wilt. Try spraying with Yates Anti-Rot once a week. Over-watering could have encouraged the fungal organisms to proliferate. I would water sparingly until new growth develops. Is the pot raised off the ground? You could have a problem with ponding in the base of the pot. It needs to sit on a stand so that water can drain freely from the base.
You could try repotting the plant. Take the waratah out of the tub and put it in a bucket.
Clean out all the soil and wash the inside of the tub thoroughly. Pour a strong bleach solution over the inside surfaces of the pot and leave to dry. Then wash out the inside again to remove the bleach residue.
Put a small square of flymesh (or shadecloth) over the hole in the base of the tub, then add scoria gravel - about half a bucket (Available from Bunnings). Add potting mix that does not have any fertiliser in it and plant your waratah in that. Water in well and leave in a shady spot until you can see signs of new growth. When the plant appears to have recovered, add some slow release native fertiliser around the top of the soil and cover with more potting mix.
Unfortunately once plants are infected it's hard to reverse the process.
I think you have a fungal problem which has caused the leaves to wilt. Try spraying with Yates Anti-Rot once a week. Over-watering could have encouraged the fungal organisms to proliferate. I would water sparingly until new growth develops. Is the pot raised off the ground? You could have a problem with ponding in the base of the pot. It needs to sit on a stand so that water can drain freely from the base.
You could try repotting the plant. Take the waratah out of the tub and put it in a bucket.
Clean out all the soil and wash the inside of the tub thoroughly. Pour a strong bleach solution over the inside surfaces of the pot and leave to dry. Then wash out the inside again to remove the bleach residue.
Put a small square of flymesh (or shadecloth) over the hole in the base of the tub, then add scoria gravel - about half a bucket (Available from Bunnings). Add potting mix that does not have any fertiliser in it and plant your waratah in that. Water in well and leave in a shady spot until you can see signs of new growth. When the plant appears to have recovered, add some slow release native fertiliser around the top of the soil and cover with more potting mix.
Unfortunately once plants are infected it's hard to reverse the process.