This is the second time today that I've sent someone to explore Baldo Villegas' web site. Horror, Baldo Villegas is an entomologist employed by the State of California. He's also a very, very knowledgeable rosarian. We are very lucky to have Baldo. Go to: http://www.sactorose.org/rosebug/index.htm Check out ABIOTIC diseases of roses, and scroll down until you find CHLOROSIS. That's what your iron deficiency would look like. If that's not what you were seeing -- Iron wasn't the right answer. I believe I would cut (or snap) off the bud. Keep the plant from drying out, and see what happens. Jeri

This is a good discussion. I also planted a new pomegranate tree about three weeks ago. Our zone here is 10 (San Diego). The pomegranate's leaves are starting to turn yellow. I wonder if this is the normal yellowing for a deciduous tree or if there are some pests involved. Here are some photos: It looks like there are clearly some ants. I am new to growing fruit trees, but have read that ants are sometimes a sign of other infestations and that ants can actually encourage other infestations. Any ideas about what are the little green/brown spheres that seem to interest the ants in the last photo? Any ideas or suggestions for optimizing the health of this tree?

You can buy iron in a bag at a plant store or as a liquid, but if the soil is not acid enough iron won't help. If you ph is above 7 you need to take the ph down to 6.5 or lower. If you drink coffee just add unused coffee to mixed with water or add some white vinegar to the water you use to water. Peat can create a more acid soil, if you mix an acid loving plant mix or peat into the soil. Once the ph is at a good level, then the plants can actually uptake the iron. I forgot to mention sometimes yellow leaves are the sign of over watering in which you may not be over watering, but have poor drainage. They don't sell Killex. I only use round up which has to hit the plant to create a kill, but I don't know about Killex. It is possible that it leaked from the soil into the rose? There are too many possibilities. I might dig it up and put it in a pot, if I really cared about it and I could not get a replacement. That would solve the ph problem or the weed killer problem. Use a rose potting mix and it should be already and later you can replant it.

Hi, I‘ve been having problems with my hibiscuses in terms of yellowing of foliage. It’s the second year my hibiscus are starting with small yellow leaves. I bought them about 3 years ago in a dormant stage, planted them in the front garden, they seem to be doing fine as they had bigger and lush green leaves. Then I moved and decided to take my 2 bushes so I put them in buckets where they stayed a winter (with the garden soil on roots). Last year (2nd year) I reported them, but I did not wash and trimmed roots. I did the same this year with only one, but I’ll repot again bare-rooting first. (Would that be suggested?) Now, last year eventually I used a fertiliser multipurpose doff and eventually foliage turned green but smaller & the flowers came also smaller than normal. ( I also sprayed for bugs and fungus). This year the leaves are coming out again yellow, I repotted only one so far (about a 3-4weeks ago) with a mixture of multipurpose compost. The reported one didn’t really change much. I’m adding photos. Please help with advice as to what to do to get them thrive. This foliage looks quite sad... Chlorosis? Disease? What am I doing wrong? They’re in a sunny position, maybe a bit windy this year and I could take them next to the fence (UK is windy), they’ve been sprayed, fertilised, but only with what I mentioned before. Thank you.