Rosemary dying

 

Just thought I'd ask here in case this is a known problem that somebody is
familar with:

I have a small Rosemary bush, approx 12 months since planted.

Been going great, put on plenty of growth in that time. About a month ago, one
lower branch
spontaneusly died. The rest of the plant seemed fine - until this afternoon.

Now it's obvious that the entire plant is going to die, the foliage is drying
out just like that first branch
did. Soil is neither particularly dry or wet, it gets full sun and the weather
has been unseasonably warm.

The only thing (and it's a long shot IMO) is that I also have Borage growing in
the same vicinity, and it's
spreading like wildfire. I did note that some Borage had taken hold very close
to the base of the
Rosemary - I'm wondering if the Borage root system is the cause? Like I said, a
lot shot... but it does
seem like a fairly invasive plant and makes me wonder what's going on
underground.

Any ideas or suggestions appreciated, thanks.



--
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism
by those who haven't got it - George Bernard Shaw

 

Jeßus wrote:

familar with:

lower branch

out just like that first branch

has been unseasonably warm.

in the same vicinity, and it's

to the base of the

a lot shot... but it does

underground.

Soil isn't too wet is it? I just put a plant in a pot and the soil I put
in is too heavy and has just been staying wet, the plant has
subsequently died.

Lionel.

 



familar with:

one lower branch

out just like that first branch

weather has been unseasonably warm.

in the same vicinity, and it's

close to the base of the

a lot shot... but it does

underground.

Maybe? I have probed around the plant, it didnt seem to be too wet to
me. But there is a fair amount of clay below which might be quite wet.
Cheers

 



On the most gutless sand in the world in Perth and the rosemary goes
ballistic which is great cos I'm allergic to it. So maybe it is your soil
type is it clay? My other thought is was the plant root bound in the pot
when you got it. The roots tend to stay in the shape they were when in the
pot and starve themselves to death. Your job when it does cark is to pull it
up and look. If it is still a tight root ball that is your problem. If roots
spread out then it could be too much moisture or perhaps something like
nematodes (bumps on roots) or a soil borne virus like fusarium. Borage is
hungry and does require moisture and grows rather large so maybe starved the
rosemary of nutrients and moisture.

I have found rosemary to be an easy plant to propagate from cuttings. Only
needs fresh cuttings about 12cm long. Strip off 2/3 of the leaves and put in
damp sand. Oh on the end that will go into the ground make a cut across 1mm
below where there is a pair of leaves. In 8 weeks more than 50% will have
roots. that percentage increases if you use rooting hormones.

 

On Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:32:42 +0800, "Loosecanon"


<snip>

I pity you on missing out on the joys of Rosemary...


Yes, there is certainly clay in the soil. It's basically located in an
area that was once a large river, the river soil goes down a long way.


I shall do just that, thanks.


That is something I was wondering might be a possibility.



Thanks again. I intend to take some Rosemary cuttings, but will wait
for late spring to do that.

In the meantime, I bought and planted another 4 Rosemary plants,
putting them in a wide variety of sites in the hope that if some
suffer the same fate, then hopefully the others in higher/drier sites
may prevail.