Advise please. 25 red tips lining the back yard fence. They've been in about four years and are about six feet tall. Last couple of years they look awful--yellowish and real sickly. Any chance I can help them?
Red tip Photinia
It's probably iron chlorosis. You can add chelated iron. There are various forms (liquid, granule, ets), everyone has their favorite. Be sure you get a chelate appropriate for your soil pH.
I dunno, it may be worth starting to think about a transition to a planting that won't require the ongoing work.
Yellowing can also be a sign of magnesium deficiency. You can try, Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate). My soil tends to lack magnesium. I treat with ES and if it doesn't help, go back over with chelated iron. One dose of ES should be all it takes, and I don't have repeat for years. I fall in the group of people that doesn't like to over use ES, tho others use it quite often.
My mother planted red tip photinias at her former home and spend lots of time and money spraying and treating them. Here's what Dr. Parsons, former prof at Texas A&M, says about them: http://www.plantanswers.com/unbeatable_foes.htm Mother decided having too many too close together inside a solid fence that prevented air circulation made matters worse. However, at her new home, she has not planted any photinias. The deer ate her ligustrums and hollies to the nub this winter, so perhaps the photinias would have been a better choice!
This message was edited Feb 28, 2011 8:07 PM
Thanks all for your insight.
We love ours here. We have 3 or 4 on the front of our big deck out front. They are fast growers, but we have hedge trimmers. We keep them at about 7' height. We love them so much, we bought two more for the side of the house.
We have never had a minute's trouble out of them.... ever.
They are a real pain in Bellaire. I have to treat multiple times a year with chelated iron. Magnesium deficiency isn't my problem. I use Sprint 330 which costs the earth. The fact is they prefer an acid soil and if your soil is alkaline, be prepared to treat constantly. I wish I didn't have them in one area as foundation planting where they require constant pruning, thanks to a degreed landscape architect (who knew absolutely nothing about plants). Granted they are pretty, but frankly, I think they're considerably more trouble than they're worth!
LeslieT
I agree with Leslie....pulled mine out didn't like to fuss with them. My neighbor has yard guys and they keep his trimmed but he let them grow very tall a couple of years now they have nothing at the bottom but roots and dirt.