Expert: C.L. Fornari - 4/5/2007

Question
Hi,
I am hoping you may be able to assist me.  I recently uprooted a large lantana plant and replanted it again.  It turned completely brown.  The inside of the branches are still green.  I am watering it daily and have fertilized it with miracle grow. Can you provide me any additional information that will help save my plant. :o(  Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Answer
Mary,
At this point, be sure to water it yes, but not every day.  I'd start giving it a DEEP soaking every other day for a week, then every third day for a week or two, then every forth day for the next week etc.  If you have heavy soil you can even go longer between waterings....you don't want to rot the roots at this point!  Also, no more fertilizer - fertilizer pushes growth on plants and this plant doesn't have the root system to support that growth...it has to get the roots back before it can grow again.

The plant will jetison the leaves and stems that it no longer has roots to support - this is why it has turned brown.  I'd cut about half of the stems back by half, water as above, and wait to see what happens.  If you see new growth on those stems that you cut back, you'll know to cut the others back.  Sometimes the plant will put new growth out on the ends of the old stems, however, so that's why you don't want to cut the entire plant back at this point....just pick half of the stems, choosing the brownest or worst looking ones, and cut those down by half.  

If the plant is going to make it you should see some new growth in three to six weeks....if there is no growth by mid-June it's probably gone.

Good luck with it!

all the best,
C.L.