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Very poorly busy lizzies

Last post 27-08-2011 12:21 PM by catymck. 8 replies.

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  • 26/07/2011 05:43 PM
    • catymck
    • surrey
    • 12 Mar 2009
    • 171
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    My busy lizzies are not doing at all well.  The leaves go pale and then drop off - they are fed and watered regularly.  It isn't the old virus thing which gives black spots on the leaves - I've got some of that as well, but it's these seemingly dying ones that I'm concerned about.

    Anybody got any ideas?
  • 26/07/2011 08:14 PM
    In reply to
    • 07 Nov 2006
    • 2,377
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    Are they the standard busy lizzies or the New Guinea types? A little bird informed me that the New Guinea hybrids are much more able to withstand problems associated with excessive rainfall and dampness which may have been an issue with you in Surrey.

  • 26/07/2011 09:27 PM
    In reply to
    • Phot's-Moll
    • The sunny South coast.
    • 06 Jan 2007
    • 4,553
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     Could be root damage due to vine weevils?

    Try digging one up and seeing if the root system is healthy and if there are any grubs.

    http://patsysplot.blogspot.co.uk/
  • 27/07/2011 06:04 PM
    In reply to
    • catymck
    • surrey
    • 12 Mar 2009
    • 171
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    Thanks - they are ordinary busy lizzies and on closer inspection the ones that are affected are mainly in the sun - the shaded ones seem to be ok - they are also the ones that got the wettest during our mini-monsoon..  I think one pot may well have been vine weevil, as you suggest, but I find it hard to believe that all the pots in different parts of the garden have got the little swine as well!  But I've given them all vine weevil killer stuff and lets see what happens.

    Thanks for your advice
  • 03/08/2011 02:52 PM
    In reply to
    • catymck
    • surrey
    • 12 Mar 2009
    • 171
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    Well, I'm sorry to say my busy lizzies have had it - embarassingly enough so have the ones I gave to my neighbour!  So it can't have been vine weevil or weather problems as she kept them under cover during our monsoon - must have been a bad batch from the supplier - and some other plants I got from them have not been particularly impressive.  Obviously I can't name the supplier, who I would have thought was reputable, but I'll make sure I go back to my previous ones next year!
  • 04/08/2011 04:30 PM
    In reply to
    • Rob D
    • Leicester
    • 06 Aug 2010
    • 23
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    A customer of mine (elderly lady, well on the ball) and i planted 50 or so of which many of them succumbed to something dreaded. She called the nursery who told her to bin them and bring them nowhere near the nursery . Apparently they had had a visit after lots of the same. The plants were replaced free of charge with a different species which was unaffected.

  • 04/08/2011 05:31 PM
    In reply to
    • alex-adam
    • Cleveland
    • 29 Jul 2011
    • 40
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    Hi, - did you see the other recent post and responses about Lizzie problems? - apparently there is a new strain of downy mildew affecting these plants.  - Look at this link:       http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=205
  • 04/08/2011 08:50 PM
    In reply to
    • Rob D
    • Leicester
    • 06 Aug 2010
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    Thank you for that info.

  • 27/08/2011 12:21 PM
    In reply to
    • catymck
    • surrey
    • 12 Mar 2009
    • 171
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    Thanks for all this - confirmed by my recen visit to the garden centre.