Can buddleias drown? I have two very unhappy ones...?

Question

both are now failing, leaves wilting and look like they are dying. One has grown to 6ft, and flowered but now looks as though it's dying, but the other has hardly grown at all.

The first one, is in a shady side of the garden, but at the wetter end, the second is in the sunny side, but again rather wet. All other plants around them are thriving, so I feel I can rule out vine weevil, but the only thing I can think of is water logging. Is this really the problem, and if so, should I dig them up and plant them elsewhere? Obviously, I shall have to cut back the taller one to prevent any more stress, but I'm at a loss to know why only these two plants are failing so spectacularly, when other buddleias in the garden are thriving.

I grew them all from cuttings, and really don't want to lose them.

Answer 1

Oh yes they can!

Drawning is actually the most common reason for a plant to die. Roots start to rotten when constantly too wet.

It might help to dig them out and to try planting them in a sunny and dry(er) place. You might wanna check the soils acidity, too. They dislike acidic soils. You could in that case adjust the soil to an alcaline pH by adding limestone.

Hope that helps (and my English is understandable)

Good luck!

Answer 2

I am having the same sort of trouble, not only with buddleias but with hydrangeas and even climbers.  I asked my local radio programme and they said that it was because of the peculiar weather we have had since the Spring.  Everything in my garden seems to be 'going over' very early and plants that usually flower until end September, beginning October are dying already.  Apparently this is because of the very wet and very dry periods we had in Spring and early Summer and there is really nothing we can do, except hope that they will all be better next year!  I deadheaded my buddleia but the next flowers through were hardly even noticeable and the whole plant seems to be just giving up the ghost!  Who'd be a gardener?