My sunflower is not feeling very well.... :(

[cielbleu]

Hi all, I think one of my sunflower is getting sick.... it was fine two weeks ago (the one on the right in the picture) and was pretty much of the same height with the other one, However, something has been developing wrong since then, it is not grow as fast as the other and it's leaves are getting yellow spots as well as not as green as the others.



can someone kindly tell me what is wrong with it (is it short of some kind of nutritions?) and how to make it happy and healthy again.... Many thanks.....

my sunflowers are about five weeks old.

[Two_Sheds]

It looks fine to me. Don't mollycoddle them, they're as tough as weeds

[Gearoid]

Maybe it's just the miserable cold and wet weather we've had so far. Mine are in pots out in the back yard and they don't look so happy either. Hopefully they'll perk up this weekend with a bit of sun.

[cielbleu]

thanks guys, I will try to ignore it for a week, hopefully it will get better soon.

[cielbleu]

I know it only one day since my last message....but its condition has deteriorated further today. I think it is dying. There are patches over the leaves and they starts curling at the edge too.
I just don't understand, under same tub and under same condition, one is healthy(for now) and one is very sick. What I am worrying is that if the sickness can be spread to the healthy one. Should I give up the sick one now (I really don't want to but I will be gutted if I lose both of them. (( they are my first growing plants....)

[Two_Sheds]

Oh yeah, it does look bad. Pull it up and look at the roots ~ that might give you a clue. There might even be vine weevil larvae in the compost.

You can always replant it after checking, but tbh it looks like a goner now

[cielbleu]

Two_Sheds, I have pull it out just now. What i am looking particular at the root?

Anyway, I cannot find anything moving.

I have decided to give it up so the other one can have bigger space to grow... But i really would like to know what cause it so it won't happen to the healthy one.

Many thanks.

[cielbleu]

Finally, I ve found a nasty creature hide inside its root.
I have no idea what it is, I guess it must be the reason for my sunflower's struggle.

now, how do i prevent them to get close to the healthy plant and how do i know there is no more of this in the compost.... ???

[Dotty Sarah]

The only creature i can see in the picture is a woodlouse and they don't normally bother living plants. Vine weevil larvae are small cream grubs with orange/brown heads that chomp on the roots of plants, especially in pots.



If you look closely, these are some of the vine weevil larvae that ate my strawberries!

[cielbleu]

Thank you for your explanation, Dotty Sarah.

No, I couldn't find anything like that in the picture among the roots, I even dig up the soil around the plant, not really find anything suspicious. So, mystery remains. Hmmmmm

Suddenly I feel growing plants is so hard..... I am not that confident now that I can grow the healthy one till it flowers.

[rustylady]

How often do you water your sunflowers Cielbleu? And are there drainage holes in the trough?

[Two_Sheds]

Finally, I ve found a nasty creature

That's a woodlouse, and they normally eat rotting wood (although they're also partial to my strawberries).

Its appearance may be a coincidence, or it may indicate that conditions are quite damp/wet, maybe you're drowning the sunflowers?

They really are weeds, and can grow in surprisingly harsh conditions (hot & dry).

[cielbleu]

rustylady, there are several holes at the bottom of the tub. I mainly used those glass globe planter feeders to do the watering for me, as I found they looked happier after I used them.

I agree with you two shed, I might indeed drown it, the compost was quite damp at the very bottom when I pull the plant out. I think it was because the rainy and cold weather for the past few weeks, and I hardly needed to refill the water in the glass feeder at all. (the plant can be quite thirsty during the sunny day like today in London, it can empty half of the water in the feeder in one day.)

it's seemed to me that one side of the tub able to drain the water while the other side kept the water too much. Any suggestion how I should fill the multi purpose compost in the tub to make it more drainable in the future?

And Thank you everyone for helping me to identify the possible causes. Happy Growing.

[AkionTotocha]

If the pots are sitting on a flat surface, use something to raise them off the floor a little. Maybe some pennies or something? Just so the paving doesn't block the holes and trap the water in the pot.

[Two_Sheds]

how I should fill the multi purpose compost in the tub to make it more drainable in the future?

You need to water less.

I don't think your glass globe thingy is doing you any favours. Water with a watering can yourself, so you can learn how much to give. Sunflowers are from hot sunny countries, they don't need a constant flow of water