Question

dying plants   QUESTION: Hello Mr. Creed.

I've attached a photo of my three patchouli plants. I purchased them in the spring as seedlings and they grew fast and hardy. Absolutely love them, but the leaves suddenly started turning yellow and dropping like crazy about a month ago. These are my first patchouli so what have I done wrong? They thrived and remained healthy - until now. Any advice would be so appreciated!

Thank you for  your time.

Christina

ANSWER: Hi Christina,

You didn't indicate if you have been growing your Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) outside or inside, so that complicates diagnosis. There are several possibilities as causes of its recent deterioration.

If it has been outside, the colder nighttime temps may be the cause. This is a tropical species that needs temps above 60 degrees.

If it has been inside, then inadequate light, irregular watering or spider mites are all possible causes. Indoors, this plant must be kept on a sunny windowsill where it gets several hours or more of direct sunlight each day. The soil must be watered as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry to the touch. Going a few days beyond that point can cause sudden leaf discoloration. Finally, check the remaining leaves for signs of tiny, dust-like spider mites.

Once you have determined the likely cause and remedied it, then your Patchouli needs to be pruned back sharply. All stems should be cut back to a height of 2-3 inches, cutting just above stem nodes. Healthy new growth should emerge just below the pruning cuts and grow upward from there.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your help! I want to clarify a couple of things for you, though. Yes, they have been kept indoors on a bright window sill the entire time in my care. I noticed very soon, as they were growing, that they would dry out quite rapidly and needed water every day or day and a half. There are no spider mites, fungus or any other pest I can find on or under the leaves. The temperature drop they experienced was just lately and not below 65 degrees. I moved them away from the window at night when it began to get cooler, but by then they were already dropping leaves anyway. Could they be root bound, by any chance? They've been repotted twice due to their growth rate, but I didn't want to do it to them again so soon.

If you have any other ideas, please let me know. In the meantime, I will prune them back as you specified. Would they grow back during the winter or I will need to wait until spring? And once they're pruned, continue to water as usual right?

Thanks you so very much!

Answer
Hi Christina,

Your plants may be potbound, especially if they require water every couple of days. That gives you little margin for error with watering, so if you are even a day late it may stress the plant. In addition, you may be allowing the soil to get a bit too dry between waterings.

I suggest you unpot them and see how badly potbound they are. If you find nearly all roots and little soil, then repot to pots an inch larger. The added soil will retain water longer and give you a larger margin of error.

~Will