How to treat Weeping Lilly Pilly trees not regrowing their leaves?

[nogardener]

My weeping lillie pilly trees have been losing the leaves and branches dying off but not regrowing the leaves from the base of the trees, flowers have been blooming though.  

I did not water for some time earlier in the year therefore I feel they were stressed.  

Is there any chance the leaves will grow back as the trees are looking a little poorly and I need them as a hedge or does it mean I will have to cut the trees back to the base enabling them to regrow back properly.

[EricL]

Hello @nogardener 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your Lilly Pilly.

I suggest having a quick look at this guide - How to diagnose a sick plant by @Noelle. There has been quite a bit of discussion regarding Lilly Pillies and their maintenance. I've placed a few links to these discussions below:

• How to prune new Lilly Pilly trees? by @curo123
   
• How to care for Lilly Pilly? by @ashleigh22 
   
• Lilly Pilly drooping and brown leaves by @RosesRed333444 
   
• Lilly Pilly Backyard Bliss Trunk by @bbqguy 

Did you originally have a watering schedule for the Lilly Pilly? When was the last time you fertilized the soil? Has there been a major shift in the weather around your area? Any other information you can share about your plant's history will help us determine what's going on with your plant's health.

Let me call on our plant gurus @Noelle and @mich1972 for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Noelle]

Hi @nogardener 

In addition to the information Eric has given and also the questions he has asked' lillypillies will not grow new leaves from old branches or older wood from which leaves have dropped.  This is a normal part of a tree's growth - new leaves only appear from the growing tips of shoots and branches. They fall from older wood as they age, so losing leaves low down is perfectly natural.

Hard pruning may encourage new growth lower down, but that would destroy the weeping beauty of your trees.

Regular tip pruning from an early age would have kept the trees more compact, and so more leafy close in to the trunk.

[nogardener]

Hi Eric

Sorry for the delay in responding.

When the plants were originally planted nearly 10 years ago they were extremely healthy, but with the big heat/ drought a couple of years ago I let them suffer without providing them with nourishment or water, hence the tragedy with leaf lose.  I have since feed them with fertilisers but no new shoots are developing.  Not sure what is happening with regard to unresponsive shoots.

Thankyou for referring this issue to Noelle.

Louise

[nogardener]

Hi @Noelle 

Thankyou for your feedback.  

As I mentioned to Eric I have fertilised and feed the trees but no new shoots seem to be regenerating.  The trees leaves were compact up till I mistreated in the drought period a couple of years ago by not watering or feeding, now the trees look a sad sight and not accomplishing the full cascade look or privacy. 

Why aren't the leaves growing?  Should I water for a hour a day with a drip line. 

Thanks Louise

[MitchellMc]

Hi @nogardener,

Unfortunately, the compact nature of your trees has been lost, but the trees themselves are still quite healthy. Once a tree gets to this condition, there is no way to grow new leaves in the centre to fill it in for more privacy. Leaves are growing, and these leaves are on new shoots. Your trees also look to be doing a reasonably good job at screening, as you can't see through the canopy despite its sparness.

I'd recommend you continue with your current watering and fertilisation schedule, as the plants look quite healthy. However, you'll never quite achieve the same full cascade effect you once had.

Mitchell

[Noelle]

Hi again @nogardener 

Watering daily with a drip line is not the best idea until the trees have regained their vigour.  I suggest two deep waterings a week for several weeks with a sprinkler or handheld hose, ensuring enough water is applied to soak at least 400mm deep into the soil. My thought is that the deeper roots are possibly dry and the drip line is not addressing that problem. Since the trees have undergone severe deprivation for some time, don't expect them to spring forth into masses of new growth the minute you feed and water them.  They will take time to recover and to start producing new growth.

[nogardener]

Thanks Mitchell for your advice.

Louise

[nogardener]

Hi Noelle

Again thankyou for your advice 

Louise