[Jerseygirl08]

My bottlebrush tree, planted last spring, is a lime color (rather than deep evergreen-green) and looking quite thin. Believe it needs fertilizing. I was told to use ornamental fertilizer at HomeDepot. WRONG. It's not an ornamental tree, I'm just now realizing. Should I use liquid fertilizer? What kind, and where should I buy it?

[JenAjd]

We just had an interview with our new "lawn person" and I expressed similar concerns about ours. He said in his view it wasn't a fertilizer issue but a watering issue. We live on a sloping hill. He said that the sprinklers probably weren't getting to it adequately and he'd adjust that. After the monsoons of this past week it appears to be a deeper green now. Before that it too was lime-green and dropping some of it's leaves, though there was a plethora of blooms on it. Hope this helps!!!

[JohnM]

Ours were turning lime green, even had yellow leaves which were dropping ... however lots of blooms ... applied some general purpose 6-6-6 tree, shrub & plan fertilizer (which I have used before) and the deep green color seems to be coming back ... don't know whether it was the fertilizer or if the rain caused over watering ... FWIT & YMMV

[rubicon]

It is a watering issue. We have bottle brush that we planted primarily as a privacy hedge. However we have decided to replace them with plants that do not shed as often. In fact we are replacing a number of plants due to freeze issues...sick of all the trimming each spring.

[graciegirl]

Mine are growing like weeds, nice and green and full of "brushy" flowers. I just use the Miraclegro stuff I shake on flowers. They seem to love it.

I planted a couple of little ones last year...a couple of feet tall and they are 8 foot or so now.

[Jerseygirl08]

Thanks everybody. I hope it is just a watering issue. Just like everybody described; yellowing leaves (close to the center of tree rather than ends of branches), thinning look, lime green color. Interesting. Will let you know if the recent rain helps but since I also fertifilized, hard to tell which did the trick. GG: do you mean to say you used miraclegro on an 8 ft. bottlebrush? Thanks again for responding everyone.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl08

Thanks everybody. I hope it is just a watering issue. Just like everybody described; yellowing leaves (close to the center of tree rather than ends of branches), thinning look, lime green color. Interesting. Will let you know if the recent rain helps but since I also fertifilized, hard to tell which did the trick. GG: do you mean to say you used miraclegro on an 8 ft. bottlebrush? Thanks again for responding everyone.

Well it was little, and it's big now.

[joannej]

I used the liquid "acid-loving" Miracle Grow on my bottlebrush trees. Try to buy it at Ace hardware (couldn't find it at Home Depot). They are getting around to blooming now. The yellowing is caused by chlorosis symptoms:

"Symptoms can vary depending on several factors. How alkaline is the soil? The higher the pH, the more chlorotic the plant. How long has the plant been chlorotic? In general, the longer the plant has been chlorotic, the more severe the chlorosis. Generally, mild chlorosis starts as a paling (lighter green to lime-green color) of interveinal (between veins) tissue, whereas a yellow color indicates a more serious condition. In some cases, only part of the plant is chlorotic. Affected areas (or the entire plant) may be stunted or fail to produce flowers and fruit. In addition, chlorotic leaves are more prone to scorching and leaf diseases. With severe chlorosis, the leaf veins will turn yellow, followed by the death of the leaf, the affected branch may die back, and death of the entire plant can occur."

[JohnM]

Originally Posted by joannej

With severe chlorosis, the leaf veins will turn yellow, followed by the death of the leaf, the affected branch may die back, and death of the entire plant can occur."

After applying some fertilizer mine are starting to look healthier ALTHOUGH I have a number of spindly looking branches ... if you know, can I prune them back now to promote new, thicker growth or do I have to wait until winter?

[batman911]

More info.

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/focus/chlorosis.cfm

[Jerseygirl08]

Joanne: that may be the problem. some leaves are yellow but most are lime green. The bottlebrushes did bloom, however, the tree has continued to look bad even after the heavy rain a few weeks ago. since my fertilizing and the rain did not help, I have started a watering regimen of 15 min. twice/day. Also added some Epson Salts close to the trunk and watered in. Next week, will take a soil sample and see if alkalinity is the problem. thanks Joanne. Where in PA and New Joisey??

Batman: Thanks for the article. It was very informative.
John M: I have learned that as long as the branches are bendable and pliable, the tree is still alive.

Thanks everyone. I'll post in a week with a progress report.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl08

Joanne: that may be the problem. some leaves are yellow but most are lime green. The bottlebrushes did bloom, however, the tree has continued to look bad even after the heavy rain a few weeks ago. since my fertilizing and the rain did not help, I have started a watering regimen of 15 min. twice/day. Also added some Epson Salts close to the trunk and watered in. Next week, will take a soil sample and see if alkalinity is the problem. thanks Joanne. Where in PA and New Joisey??

Batman: Thanks for the article. It was very informative.
John M: I have learned that as long as the branches are bendable and pliable, the tree is still alive.

Thanks everyone. I'll post in a week with a progress report.

Well Chris, at least its little feet won't hurt.

[Jerseygirl08]

Thanks GG,

Here's to a healthy BB. Everybody pray it lives, can't afford to replace it right now. hehehe

[Jerseygirl08]

Well, I tried everything, even tested the soil. pH and minor nutrients all good. I don't understand it - however, I did have two big ornamental grasses growing right behind the tree. I suspected, after trying everything else, the grasses were sucking the nutrients and H20 from the tree.

So . . . I pulled those grasses outta there. Still, even after watering extensively, only a small amt. of green has reappeared - at the very end of the branches.

Should I yank the tree and start over??? If I do, I'd like to plant a crepe mrytle tree. Any opinons on that tree??

All opinions welcome.

[mrfixit]

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl08

Well, I tried everything, even tested the soil. pH and minor nutrients all good. I don't understand it - however, I did have two big ornamental grasses growing right behind the tree. I suspected, after trying everything else, the grasses were sucking the nutrients and H20 from the tree.

So . . . I pulled those grasses outta there. Still, even after watering extensively, only a small amt. of green has reappeared - at the very end of the branches.

Should I yank the tree and start over??? If I do, I'd like to plant a crepe mrytle tree. Any opinons on that tree??

All opinions welcome.

You DID NOT get this from me. OK ? FIRST buy a ROSS ROOT FEEDER and the correct ROSS fertilizer cartridges from an ACE hardware 352-751-6680...follow the directions. THEN when you are done with that................. put one quart of hydrogen peroxide around the DRIP LINE for every inch of trunk diameter.......then DEEP WATER the tree. ( that means lay your water hose at the DRIP LINE,,,, on the high side if there is a slope to lawn,,,,,let it run-full on- for over an hour ) NEXT DAY put a Bu## LOAD of DAWN detergent ( MUST BE DAWN ) around the drip line ...water it in ..repeat the "treatments" in 2 weeks. ........OR...... call the US Dept of AG --IFIS division and have Jim Davis give you another method to "save" the tree. 352-753-0124 or 352-793-2728 . The hydrogen peroxide will turn to a magic potion when it contacts the soil ....and ...the DAWN detergent will " eliminate" any bug infestations. Jim will be glad to help for free. He is "stationed" at CR 466 and Morse Blvd.