Why Does My Sedum Look Unhealthy?

Are the leaves curled and yellow?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them?

Have the stems rotted at the soil line?

Do the leaves of your sedum have dead blotches?

Are the leaves pale on their upper side and are there any dusty blisters on the undersides?

are the plants lanky, and the flowering is poor?

Distorted, curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects can vary in color, green, pink, black, gray to completely white. They cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted, and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves usually at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.

Sedums can occasionally be infected by fungal Crown rot disease. Crown injury and excess moisture during dormancy also increase the chances of infection. Choose well-drained sites. Add organic matter to improve soil drainage. Keep winter mulch away from crowns. Remove and discard infected plants and the surrounding soil. Do not replant sedums in that area for a year or two.

Dead blotches on sedum leaves are symptoms that indicate a fungal disease - Botrytis blight. You can only prevent Botrytis blight disease by planting flowers in areas with good air circulation. Water plants sparsely. Infected plants should be removed. Spray weekly with a copper fungicide until the disease is under control.

Likely cause for these symptoms is a fungal disease - Rust. Provide good air circulation around plants by thining them. Avoid making leaves wet when watering. All infected leaves should be removed. Spray leaves with sulfur early in the season to prevent rust or to treat mild infections.

Since sedums prefer sandy, relatively poor soil, soil that is too rich or that has been over-fertilized may encourage excessive development of the foliage, resulting in lank, top-heavy plants with few flowers. Do not add any fertilizer to the soil of these plants. Better yet, try to move the plants to a location with poorer soil.

Occasionally sedum plants, especially ground covers like Goldmoss suddenly die out, leaving bare patches. This is usually because they have spread too much or become too crowded. It is a simple matter to start new sedums in the spots by working the soil a bit and then scattering leaves from existing plants over it. They will root easily and fill in the bare spot.