Question
my neighbor did not water the pots for 4 days while i was away. She thought the irrigation system was enough as it rotated by them. I came back to find them barely living. I gave them plenty of water and they are back, but look beaten. My garden will be featured in a tour in one month.  Should i add slow release granules again? They are supposed to last 9 months and i added them two months ago? As for my other pots, they never dry out.

Answer
Prune. Take off all brown and damage. Cut just above a leaf. Watch closely what the shape will be when the growth begins from this cutting. Within two weeks you should see new growth.
Be careful not to "over water". Let them dry then water again. When you water, wet all of the soil. Then dry again.
When you see the new growth, water with a water soluble, 10-10-10 fertilizer at half strength. You don't want to fertilize a stressed plant. So wait until the plant is healthy. You don't have time for slow release to help this problem. The light feeding will give the plants a kick start again. By four weeks the plants should look good again.