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| I am new to gardening and need some help with a lantana we just purchased. It was in full bloom at the nursery and after 1 week, it is now all shriveled up and looks terrible. I am not sure if it has just been too hot this week as our temperatures have been over 100 every day or if has been over watered or under watered. Due to the heat we have watered it every day and it seems to look better almost immediately after watering. Please help. Thanks. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian MI z5 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 16, 14 at 12:37
| then water it more ... was it in shade at the nursery ... and have you put it in full sun ... try to site it in lots of sun.. but protected during the hottest part of the day ... say.. 1 to 6 pm or so... if you can ... you may need to water it morning and night ... ken |
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- Posted by Donna.in.Sask 2b (My Page) on Sat, Aug 16, 14 at 12:46
| I read that it is drought tolerant...which makes me think too much water might be giving it root rot. Probably not the case if it's experiencing 100+ degree weather...but it's something to consider. You could dig around and check the roots. |
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| Wow...Lantanas typically require very little water and take full sun and 100F with abandon. Something is very wrong.....overwatering is probably more likely than underwatering, unless your idea of watering is pouring a cup or two on the soil. |
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- Posted by TexasRanger10 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 16, 14 at 14:06
| That is a pretty large plant in a fairly small pot. There is no way you overwatered in 100 degree heat for a week and caused the damage that way. My guess is its drying out quickly due to being pot bound and it now has some crispy damaged leaves from being too dry and/or exposed to too much direct intense sun along with reflected heat off the pavers since being moved from a less torrid situation causing shock. The roots are probably fine. |
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| It is too dry. You can see space between the growing medium and the pot -- indicating the growing medium is dry as a bone. Best thing to do is to soak it in a bucket or large bowl of water, letting the medium wick up the water from underneath; this will fully saturate it. If you water from above when the medium is that dry, it will just run right through and out the bottom of the pot. This is why I replant stuff that is replanted in straight potting mix (I make about a 50:50 mix of potting mix and high quality topsoil) - pure potting soil dries out in the blink of an eye, I have neither the time nor the desire to be a slave to my potted plants. Hopefully the plant will be fine with a good from-below soaking; you will have to keep it well-watered after that, though. :0) |
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- Posted by TexasRanger10 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 16, 14 at 16:53
| Agree. It looks like you could easily lift the whole ball out. If there is peat in the potting soil and its been allowed to become bone dry it will just repel water and the water will run down the sides and out the holes without wetting the soil. I'd soak the whole root ball especially if its packed with roots, loosen the roots in the outer soil and repot it in a larger pot as indicated by mxk or plant it in the ground where it would be happiest. |
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