Question
I have been trying to grow a curry leaf plant and am on 4th one in 5 years.  I ordered them from Richter's in Canada but they can't give me enough info on the care and feeding.  Mine is 6" tall, will grow for a while, then stop and drop its leaves (they look fungal/brownish).  In 2 years, this plant has grown 3-4 inches, been repotted x 1 in good potting soil/clean pot.  Lives in west facing window in Seattle home, about 56-60 F room temp during the winter.  Sometimes outside in sun during the summer.
Gets a little Miracle-Gro, water when dry.  I try to keep water of leaves.  I wonder if it needs warmer temps, or ?.  Really want to use leaves for cooking Indian recipes so would appreciate any help you can give me.  Thanks so much, Linda Cahill

Answer
The real problem I find with curry leaf (helichrysum italicum) when grown as a potted plant is keeping it moist. I don't mean that the soil should be soaking wet at all times, just that if one forgets and lets it dry out completely, it will die. Your temperatures (if I've figured out the Farenheit properly) should be fine in winter, and a west window is fine. Is your <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&v=53&src=zon">home</a> humid enough? <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=Homes&v=53&src=zon">Homes</a> with forced air heating (or floor heating if the pot is set directly on the floor) are often too dry for a lot of herbs in the winter.
If you live in zone 7 or 8, you can try planting the herb outside and leaving it there. 7 is borderline though. We get a harsher winter every other year or so, and that's been enough to finish off a few helichrysums for me, I'm afraid.
It's unlikely that your plants have actually caught a fungus if kept inside, so misting them with warm <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=water&v=53&src=zon">water</a> would be worth trying. Keeping the plant in a well-lit bathroom (for the shower humidity) is a good idea as well.
As for ferilizer, do not fertilize between October and March/ April. Once every two weeks during growth months is PLENTY. Please use a liquid fertilizer specially suited for herbs. I'm not familiar with the brand Miracle-Gro, but if it is meant for flowering plants, then it is likely the wrong thing for your herbs! :)
Good luck with your next try.
Oh, one other thing: Most catalogue nurseries ship plants in containers just big enough for the plant at the <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&v=53&src=zon">time</a> of <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=shipping&v=53&src=zon">shipping</a>. Even re-potting to the next largest size container should help with retaining moisture and give the young, healthy roots enough room to develop into a more mature (and hardier) plant. :)