Wilted forsythia due to heat or something worse?

18 years ago

We have had a hot, dry couple of months in middle TN. I have been trying to water regularly, but my forsythia, which I planted this spring, is looking pretty bad. It sits on the southeast corner of my house and gets full sun until early evening.

I noticed what looked like a couple of dead branches about three weeks ago - brown, wilted, dry, drooping leaves. Thinking that perhaps the branches got nicked with the weedeater or something, I trimmed them away, and watered. Now more branches have brown leaves and the whole plant looks wilted, like it is dying. Forsythia are so hardy, I did not water it as faithfully as some of my more persnickety plants. I don't see insects or anything that looks like crown gall. Could it just be heat- and/or water-stressed and going dormant early, or are darker forces at work?

I have a couple of new butterfly bushes, and some transplanted crape myrtles that occasionally look wilted when they need watering, but they always perk right up after a deep soaking. The forsythia doesn't seem to be responding though. Any ideas?

Jill

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Comments (5)

merriss
18 years ago
I am so sad when I do not see a reply to a much needed question..so I will try and help you, as any of our Master Garden associates should.. I also have had this problem in the past and I have found that in fact, it is from the water and heat.. If you think it may be a fungus and that is very common ..try a product from SAMS.ProFource..found in the cleaning section..just do it afer sundown so it will not burn your plant..
If you need more plants and healthy ones, I will be more than happy to share with you..
merrissandjack@hotmail.com
brandon7 TN_zone7
18 years ago
Often the outward signs you see from plants are due to damage that occured long before you noticed the result. Different plants will respond differently and at different speeds to things like lack of water. (My hydrangeas perk up in about 15 minutes after I start watering them. Some of my trees take days of tender loving care before I see results.) If your weather has been as hot and dry as ours here in Knoxville, I would strongly suspect your damage is from drought. My forsythias that are health and well established certainly aren't looking their best right now.

Check your soil. Is it bone dry (when you're not watering it)? Is the forsythia in an area of full sun? (I see from above it is.) Do you see other plants around it suffering from lack of water? Do you use a layer of mulch to retain moisture? These are some things that might help you determine if it is from lack of water/too much heat. If after looking at the these things, you think it might be from lack of water, water the plant well in the morning or mid-day. Water it at ground level so as not to burn the leaves and/or spread disease. A thorough soaking every 4 or 5 days is much better than a light watering every day or two. Hope this helps!
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brandon7 TN_zone7
18 years ago
"I am so sad when I do not see a reply to a much needed question."

Merriss, don't be sad! Just give us more than 30 minutes and well respond.
jerij
18 years ago
Nashville here...
I put my forsythia out along the north side of my house in February. They get good sun from about 2-3pm until sunset.
They have really thrived in this setting.

Luckily this area of my home isn't as dry as the rest my yard. Unfortunately I didn't water here like I should have during the summer. They just looked so great! I didn't think they needed it. Wrong! I've got 3 dying plants now (put 12 out, all along the side of the house), and I'm REALLY ticked.

jerij
Pamela Milam
2 years ago
My Forsynthia was flooded due to a break in a water main. It is mature, about 6 years old, and was very healthy. Now it is now wilted and the leaves are dying. Can it be saved?

Wilted forsythia due to heat or something worse?

Comments (5)

merriss

brandon7 TN_zone7

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