Why have my Busy Lizzies suddenly stopped flowering and look very bare. It's not slugs or snails. Is it just the time of year. I thought they flowered until the frosts.
Bob Crossley ● 5516d13 Comments
lack of water?
Dee Cook ● 5516d
No. Watered every other day when dry.Are your still flowering if you have them?
Bob Crossley ● 5516d
yes bob water every day plus feed them
Jon Kennedy ● 5516d
possibly a virus or duff stock
Bob, I've had exactly the same experience with my Busy Lizzies, especially the double ones. Despite daily watering, both baskets died completely after about only about a month's flowering. Poor stock,I guess.
Ann Williams ● 5516d
Just found out in Gardening section of Telegraph that it's a virus even Thompson and Morgan are affected. No spray available for the public. No other plants are affected.
Bob Crossley ● 5500d
Mine have been rubbish this year too - bit the very good Finchley garden centre toLd me they didn't have the virus - will stick to geraniums and sunflowers next year
Sara Nathan ● 5499d
Mine too. I thought it was snails.
Jo-Anne Pugh ● 5499d
Yes I thought it was snails too. Apparently virus stays in the ground. The New Guinea kind are not affected so going to try them next year.
Bob Crossley ● 5498d
Snails in hanging baskets?Are they also trapeze artists?
Sara Nathan ● 5498d
We get snails in hanging baskets. No idea how they get up there.
Sometimes their eggs are already in the soil the plants are bought in - they're those tiny white balls that look exactly like little pearls that you often see when you turn the soil over. You should always remove and crush them.
Ann Williams ● 5498d
Downey mildew is the culprit, specific to Busy Lizzies. Seems universal. This was discussed this AM on Gardener's Question Time (start around 05:03)http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f
Marlene Plimley ● 5486d