Daphne shrub split - help!

[Marb67]

Well I'm absolutely gutted. A new Daphne shrub has split in half due to either the harsh winds or the hose trailing over it and damaging with it's weight ( that Hoselock hose is evil. It has a mind of its' own as whenever I pull it for watering it will find something to destroy in it's wake. You know, one of those perfect accidents you couldn't manufacture if you tried) Rant over.

Anyway, is there any way to salvage this by using some kind of tape ? For the moment I have held it together with a plant holding clip.

[Mark Rand]

I think I'd try brushing the soil particles out with a small paint brush; rinsing it with boiled, cooled, water then clamping it with multiple turns of a long rubber band. It might graft back together?

[mothhawk]

I'd be inclined to cut off the broken stem and use it as a cutting. I've found that daphnes tend to be short lived and very fussy about where they live, like Goldilocks, not too wet, not too dry, not too sunny, not too shady.

[Marb67]

Well, one half has died and the other is yellowing. Is this yet another plant doomed on my ever increasing list?

[Jungle Jane]

Do you think the pots too small for the shrub? Drainage stones at the bottom of a pot will help air it out when it rains so much,yellowing leaves could be too much water,careful of using too much fertiliser of different kinds too Marb. If you cut this piece off where I’ve drawn a neat line in the photo,do you think there might be growth from this section I’ve circled maybe? It looks really lovely,having more root space would help. My daphnes been in a 30cm/12” diameter pot for years,really likes it

[Jungle Jane]

Oh I forgot it was split,I wouldn’t want growth where I circled,just cut off that bit,it’ll look better

[Marb67]

Ok, thanks. My wife bought it and loves the smell from the flowers in early spring. She's OK with losing it and not cross about my accident but would like to save it for her.

[Marb67]

Well it survived and put on flowers but now shedding and leaves going yellow. This was £10 so don't want to loose it.

[Marb67]

Anyone? It's still dropping leaves.

[Andraste]

Hoping someone wiser than me will come along for you Marb but I'd be tempted to take it out of that pot, knock off as much compost as you can without damaging the roots (maybe give them a little trim up if they're constricted) & then repot, ideally in a slightly larger pot if you have one.

It could be too wet/too dry or maybe extremes of temperature but my go-to with yellowing & dropping leaves with most plants in pots is root stress and/or lack of nutrients.

[Marb67]

Thanks. I think you may have hit the nail on the head so I will try that of it's not too late.

[Andraste]

They don't really like being disturbed too much generally but they also like a lot of depth for their roots - so if you have a decent size pot you know it can stay in for quite a while then that would be the best plan. At this stage I'd say you've nothing to lose but potentially everything to gain by a repotting.

I'll be wishing you the best

[Marb67]

This is its current state.

[JoaoLeaftide]

The fact it flowered after being split in half is honestly impressive, they're such drama queens normally. If you repotted it recently the leaf drop might just be it having a sulk about being disturbed. They do that. Give it a few weeks in a sheltered spot and see if it settles.