Why have crocosmia leavs turned brown?

The dry weather has certainly contributed. Hot, dry conditions such as those in August have favoured the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae). These creatures feed on plant tissues causing extensive damage in high populations. They feed on a variety of plants both indoors and out. Cut off and remove dead leaves and clear up plant debris to reduce overwintering sites. Water the plants well, they may not produce any more leaf this year, but mites do not like damp conditions. The plants should recover and grow next year. Look out for early signs of this pest next spring and early summer, treating with insecticidal soap spray if found. Available from the Organic Gardening

What dry weather Ken?

thanks much. will try this for next year's flowering.

eab

Hi Eab!.. what part of the states do you garden in? I have noticed the same thing happening to my crocosmia leaves too..but they are budded so I'm keeping an eye..they are also in a well draining sandy soil kept dry by a nearby tree...so I water the heck out of them...I'll be digging them up this fall and moving them to another site but was worried that the leaf damage might be a problem for the corm.

Hi Lori

I live in the mid part of the pacific coast area of Oregon. Our weather has been pretty cool, so I think it is probably the spidermite, and I will also replant them in the fall. It is so frustrating. I use neem oil to spray them, so hopefully they will be better next year. NIce chatting. eab

We have the NCCPG National Collection of Crocosmia here and with over 3,000 pots we loose very few and have run into this ourselves...Some of the plants seem to alternate years at being difficult no matter what we do...some will bud up and even bloom whilst the foliage is dying off and yet some will die while in bud or just foliage. We just cut them back to about an inch from the soil and let them rest for the season. They will put on new corm growth over the winter and come out in the spring again.
Lauri