Spring is about to start, but the photinia leaves are drooping. Brown leaves are often the result of frost damage. Now tact is required so that the shrub sprout again. But frost damage can be prevented with the right care.
The glossy medlar is very hardy
Effects and harmful images
As evergreen shrubs, medlars also need water in winter. The liquid evaporates through the leaves. In the direct winter sun, the evaporation effect is even stronger. If the deeper layers of soil freeze during prolonged frosts, then the roots cannot absorb water. The plant gets drought stress.
Frost damage manifests itself either through blotchy discoloration on the leaves or through completely brown and withered leaves. The longer the frosty temperatures last, the more intense the drought stress. With a severe lack of water, buds dry out. Young shoots and twigs may die off.
pruning and maintenance
Remove the dead leaves and observe the degree of drought stress. If you don't notice any growth on the shoots during the spring, then remove them. You can recognize dead branches by the fact that the wood under the bark is no longer green but brown. Photinums are very well tolerated by pruning and are known to sprout from old wood. A radical pruning down to the old wood after frost damage is often the only solution. You should fertilize the plant to encourage new growth.
prevention
Fertilize the plants in spring. Photinus use the nutrients for growth. Preparations for winter begin in mid-June. The tissue matures and hardens. Late fertilization with nitrogen leads to new shoots, which means that the fresh shoots can no longer harden until winter. They are soft and more susceptible to frost damage. Instead, give your plant a potash fertilizer from wood ash in August. This measure supports the trees in maturing their shoots. Only plant medlars in spring and not in autumn. This gives the young plants enough time to build up root mass and develop their shoots.
How to protect the shrubs in winter:
- Lay garden fleece over the shrub
- Scatter fir branches and brushwood on the floor
- Water abundantly before the onset of winter
- Place potted plants in a sheltered spot