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Is my plant dying...?

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I was given this plant in a paper bag and told it was salvia (I'm actually new to plants and don't know much). It really looked pretty in the beginning...

I have to admit that the fact I couldn't find the time to get a pot for it probably didn't help (because I tried not to water it much) nor did the neighbors' kids when they decided to behead the flowers and break a stem; but the plant looks absolutely terrible now: the leaves are sagging and some are even getting brown and dry on the tips; the flower heads are drooping (but that may be because of the neighbors' kids).

Does anyone know what is wrong with it?

And what can I do to save it?

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Comments (5)

CA Kate z9
9 years ago
It needs water.
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rich_dufresne
9 years ago
Or perhaps it has had too much water and the roots are dying from lack of drainage and air. I'm thinking from the appearance that it is more likely to need water, since the leaves look healthy.
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purslanegarden
9 years ago
You can also prune it and it should put out side growths so that the plant will look bushier (and in return, put out more flower spikes). Probably prune and leave 6-8" from the bottom of the plant is good but use your own judgement about how you want the plant to be.

In your last picture, you can see some of the side growths from the main stem. If you were to prune above that point, those 2 side growths would get bigger. Around 4-6 sets of leaves later, prune those 2 side growths, and another 2 will usually grow from that. Each stem puts out 2 branches and pretty soon you have a pretty bushy plant.

When flowers are almost done, unless you want see, you can remove the flower stalk. This may encourage it to bloom again later in the season, but if not, at least you would let the plant give energy to growing more leaves, instead of ripening seeds that you didn't want.

It's possible that the salvia should be able to grow wide enough and have more growth from the bottom that it should fill out that pot before the end of growing season.
Six Silver thanked purslanegarden
zzackey
9 years ago
IMO, it's in too big of a pot. I would repot it into a smaller pot now.
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Six Silver
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you all three of you for your responses !
The flower stalks ended up drying so I cut them off...
New leaves are forming at the base of the plant, though, so it still has the will to survive! I'm glad I continued watering it despite the fact it looked like a goner!
I'll take a picture later of it later and post it...

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