So
we are well into the hot summer days now. And what do you do if you are away
for just a few days (thinking your hanging baskets & containers will be
just fine) only to return & have them wilted & sad looking. There is
hope!
If the soil looks completely dried out
& if you water then find the water running straight out the planter... the
water is actually running around the
sides of the planter & out. Kind of like running water over a brick, not
much get absorbed! You need to rehydrate the soil completely.
Ideally, if the container is small enough
to submerge completely in another container of water then we will start with
that. (sounds crazy but really..) Make
it air temperature (dechlorinated :-) water. Submerge & let the soil
completely rehydrate. If that is not possible, scratch into the surface of the
soil & water slowly. Repeat this process until you have worked down many inches.
Next, wait and see what perks up & what
does not. Trim back your plant as needed (they will come back with a vengeance!) After a few days, feed with a
slow release fertilizer like Osmocote and then water with a Miracle Gro water soluble
fertilizer a few days later. You should see new growth in no time & be all
set for the rest of the season! (do this fertilizing now regardless; your
containers are quickly becoming a nutrient-free wasteland!)
A few
tips to prevent this again. Ask a friend or neighbor to water of course! Or, if
it’s just a few days, water thoroughly
right before you leave. You can also add ice cubes around the soil surface to
do a nice additional slow watering the first day. Also, move planters to the
shade if possible. I don’t like doing this for a week say to a sun loving
petunia planter for instance, because they really look awful when I return...
but at least they are still alive, ready to be rescued!!
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