Expert: C.L. Fornari - 6/20/2006

Question
I bought a large hanging basket of petunias  took off the hangers  and proped it up so the flowers will cascade down.  My problem is that they are wilting, they face North no trees to interfere.  I water everyday and fertlize every two weeks, what am I doing wrong?  

Answer
Lori,
Wilting flowers can be a sign of either too little water or too much - if the plant is dry, and the leaves aren't getting enough water to keep them plump, they go limp and wilt.  But if the roots are too wet and start to rot, the leaves aren't getting enough water to keep them plump because the roots are too rotted to deliver it.   In general, if the soil feels damp, don't water.  (You can also lift the pot to see how heavy it is - you'll soon learn to tell if a plant is dry by how light or heavy the pot is.)

Another thing to watch is when you fertilize, never fertilize a thirsty plant - water the plant if it's dry, wait a few hours, and then fertilize.  This is because a dry root system will be burned by fertilizer, and the plant will wilt and turn brown on the edges of the leaves.

Sometimes a plant that's in a hanger is already so root bound (too many roots for the pot) when you buy it - this means that the roots are so thick and heavy at the bottom of the pot that there is no dirt there to hold onto the water - just roots!  So even if you water it well, the water rushes by the roots and out the bottom holes.  In this case, tip the plant out of the pot and see what it looks like - you should see lots of roots, but if just about ALL you see at the bottom of the pot are white or tan roots, it's time to give that plant some more soil - put it in a larger pot with at least two more inches of soil on all sides.

I hope this helps!
C.L.