A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Flowers dying at the bottom

I think I know this answer but I'm not sure. My container plants and a Jacobs ladder in my garden are dying from the bottom. Leaves are going brown blooms are not blooming. I think this is overwatering or improper watering. What I have been doing is a little bit every other day because in the St. Louis area we can get a really hot day, or serveral, then suddenly cooler days. So plants tend to wilt and dry out quickly. Is it that I am watering too often and getting root rot?

Jacob's Ladder are a spring or cooler weather type plant...
Likes some shade in the noon hour...
And they are a short lived perennial..
and usually dies with in a few years but reseeds pretty good...

How long have you had that one plant?

Also, when it's in a container it may be hotter than it would like to be..

What kind of soil is it in??

april

Are you sure the plants in the pot, arent Root bound? That makes them get brown and ugly.

Also jacobs-ladder is a native plant of he High Artics........Thats cold.

dodge

April,

I think you are right about the watering. Over watering has been a huge problem at my house with one person watering and another person coming behind later and watering again thinking it hasn't been done yet. Voila! Instant root rot and yellowing lower leaves which fall off and looks like caca. Back off the watering and let the plant dry out on top at least before watering again and see if that helps stop the rotting. The lower leaves are gone and yet may come back if too much damage hasn't been done.