Question
Greetings,
I've got a large 30+" from the top of the pot.  It won't respond to watering.  I've let it dry and then I water it once a week.  I feed it a 1/4 tsp of miracle grow each week with about 1 gallon of water.

What am I doing wrong.  It's about 10 years old and is in the same plastic 12" pot.

Jim  

Answer
Jim,

A gallon of water seems like a lot for a 12" pot every week. Does this pot have a hole in the bottom and a drain tray under it? Are you sure the plant is very dry before you water it again? Do you pick up the edge of the pot to see if it is heavy or light before you water it? If it is light it is ready for water, if it is heavy it is not. I suspect that it has been overwatered and the roots have rotted or partially rotted so now they cannot absorb water so it remains droopy. It can come back from this but it will take time. You have to dry it out as quickly as possible then do not give it more than a quart and a half of water and then only when it is totally dry. The best way to tell this is to pick up one side of the plant and make sure it is light weight before you water it. If it is heavy it has not dried out enough. Also make sure it is in a bright enough location that your hand will make a good shadow where it is sitting but not in a location where it gets full sun.

As it recuperates a lot of it may die back and need trimmed off but if you are patient it will come back and be beautiful again. Just don't be so liberal with the water. This plant needs to dry out totally between waterings. In the winter I only water mine every 2 weeks and don't give it too much water. It should never sit with a lot of excess water in it's drain tray, it does not like sitting in a swamp.  Good luck.

Darlene