Fatsia Japonica turning yellow - what am I doing wrong?

[gdudey]

I've 3 x Fatsia Japonica's all in pots. Both normal and variegated, all of which are yellowing. I bought one from homebase 3 weeks ago which had rich green leaves and now its starting to yellow. All have been well watered.

None of them have been fed. What am I doing wrong.


I intend to plant all of them of in the ground at some point so my second question is full sun, partial or shade?

[Deedee]

My large Fatsia was originally in a pot and it was yellowing gdudey, once planted into the border it did great, greening up. There tough plants so yours should be ok once planted out. Mine are in full sun and ive just threw chicken pellets into the borders, thats the only thing as far as feeding go's that ive done this year..

[Dim]

overwatering?

keep the soil damp .... i.e. not too much water

they need to be planted in semi shade ....

give them a foilar feed and soil drench with a seaweed fertilizer with added iron such as:
http://www.gardensite.co.uk/Maxicrop_Ex ... urcep=base

[Yorkshire Kris]

It could be that the plants were used to indoors/warmer conditions before you bought them and now not liking the cool weather.

[Trudytropics]

I have one planted in deep shade and another in a brighter spot that gets the sun. The one in shade is a lush deep green and seems to thrive, the one in the sunny position, grows well, but the colour is not so rich and is a paler colour. Get them in the ground

[Nigel Fear]

It could be that the plants were used to indoors/warmer conditions before you bought them and now not liking the cool weather.

That would be my reply too, I'm sure they'll recover, they should be throwing up new leaves at any time soon, hopefully they will be used to outdoor conditions from the word go. if you do decide to keep them in pots, make sure they're in decent compost, not just last years multi-purpose that's a bit sour and lacking nutrients, otherwise, get them in the ground, and watch out for aphids when in growth, and they'll rocket.

They will grow in any aspect, regarding light, but allow them to acclimatise before putting them in a sunny position, or they will go even more yellow.

Ideally, partial shade would be better.

[GoggleboxUK]

At this time of year my shady spot in the garden actually gets sun from dawn to about 11am so all my Fatsia are less dark green than they were last year.

Once the sun gets higher in the sky that spot will get less and less direct sun and by early July they'll all be back to a healthy looking dark and glossy green.

I've found that the heavier I water them, the happier they are and last year I was soaking the pots every day.

[GREVILLE]

Agree with all the above. Leaves look best in shade especially when plants mature and you are generous with feeding. Don't feed after August. Weak sappy growths will turn black when frost hits.

With variegated you might need to lean to part-shade. Too much shade sometimes reduces the variegation. However, too much sun can scorch the white on the leaves. Be prepared to move it if experimenting which way is best for this one.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Yes agree much better to keep the straight green form in shade for the lushest leaves.

[Tom2006]

Yellow Fatsia leaves, especially potted, is signs of too much water. If you can see the veins then its probably something like an iron deficiency.

[gdudey]

Thanks everyone for all your very helpful replies.

I originally bought them for a full shade area in the front garden, I think I read an article in the Telegraph that made me think they were shade only. Plus I thought the variegated type was less sun tolerant. I'm glad I asked now!

I just finished creating a partial shade bed yesterday, so they'll go in next week.

Thanks again!

[Nigel Fear]

Thanks everyone for all your very helpful replies.

I originally bought them for a full shade area in the front garden, I think I read an article in the Telegraph that made me think they were shade only. Plus I thought the variegated type was less sun tolerant. I'm glad I asked now!

I just finished creating a partial shade bed yesterday, so they'll go in next week.

Thanks again!

If you're ever in my neck of the woods, pop round, and I'll show you my Fatsia's growing, I have about six of the 'normal' ones in shade, sun, drought, un-fed etc.
all doing well.

[GoggleboxUK]

Yellow Fatsia leaves, especially potted, is signs of too much water. If you can see the veins then its probably something like an iron deficiency.

I'd have to disagree with this.

I absolutely drench my potted Fatsias and they're a lovely dark and glossy green. I've found them impossible to overwater.

[karl66]

Yellow Fatsia leaves, especially potted, is signs of too much water. If you can see the veins then its probably something like an iron deficiency.

I'd have to disagree with this.

I absolutely drench my potted Fatsias and they're a lovely dark and glossy green. I've found them impossible to overwater.

If the drainage is right you can water them as much as you like, potted or not. If there sitting in wet sticky soil/compost your in trouble. karl.