Dead stems on hanging Lobelia

Question

I have a huge hanging Lobelia which I’ve had for a couple of months on my outdoor patio. I find that I have to water it profusely every day or so and it continues to flower about 60%. In spite of my watering, there are a large # of brown stems causing the flower to look haggard. I saw instructions on deadheading but I don’t see how I can do this w/the large amount of brown stems. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to make my flower flourish again? Thank you.

Answer 1

You may be watering the plant so much that the stems are rotting and dying. I would suggest you trim out all the brown stems and give the plant a chance to dry out a bit. A plant needs water if the soil is dry one inch from the top surface of the soil. To test this, just stick a fingertip into the soil and see how it feels. If the soil feels moist, your plant probably will not need to be watered for three or four days. However, you may need to check an outdoor plant more often, depending on heat and amount of sun.

Answer 2

Here is an article that will help you which discusses why lobelia plants turn brown:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/lobelia/lobelia-plants-turn-brown.htm

Happy gardening!