Hi everyone.

I will start by saying I am a novice gardener and rarely know what I'm doing. I feel embarresed to share these photos but, if I don't ask, I will never learn. Thank you for your patience with plant killers like me.

After a few years I seem to have got the knack with my house plants. They're relativley happy and healthy.

I am currently struggling with my outdoor plants on the balcony however. They were happy as Larry over the winter but, since the arrival of summer and a rather intense sun in the morning and evening, they are slowly dying. It's like a creeping browning is washing over them all as they slowly dry out and wither.

Just today I have taken out these 2 poor plants (I can't tell you what they are) and repotted them with natural fertisiler in an attempt to take them out of the sun and give them some restbite. I also trimmed off all the many many dead leaves and stems. I rather fear my attemps to change something is too late...?

For context:
- I water them about twice a week at the moment, ensuring the soil is never completley dry nor sodden. While repotting them I checked the roots for rot and there wasn't any sign of it.
- They live in window boxes on my balcony railing and are exposed to intense morning and evening sun.
- The window box they are in has two holes in the bottom for drainage.
- There are 2 plants in each window box.

I am wondering:
(1) is it too late to save them?
(2) what might be causing this? (sun exposure? underwatering? overwatering?)

Apologies again for my inexperience and stupidty. Thanks for your time and help! It is greatly appreciated.

Dylanr
All questions welcome!

Can't help you with the first two except that they died of thirst and exposure. Repotting an already stressed plant adds more stress.

Your third—lavender— needs more water and a bit more sun exposure if possible. It will benefit soon from deadheading. In the fall you might consider repotting it into its own slightly larger container with well draining potting mix.

Whereas you have a relatively stable "weather" environment when growing indoor houseplants, it is vital to respond to seasonal weather conditions when growing outdoor potted plants. Direct sun and wind are extremely drying. If your plants start to look stressed, increase watering accordingly ... they're thirsty!

Hi Zoe, thanks for your time and response!

For future reference, does that mean that simply chaging watering as the plants begin to look stressed will help combat exposure? Or are there some plants that just cannot hack too much sun exposure and shouldnt be placed there?

Thanks again!

Not exactly and yes.

First you want to have plants appropriate to their setting. I can't tell for sure, but could that first plant be a schefflera? A common houseplant? I really can't tell, but what I think I see is that the top leaves scorched before the entire plant succumbed, which suggests that it was a plant that could not tolerate full direct sun and therefore wasn't appropriate to grow on your balcony. I can't tell what the second plant is.

I interpret your original post to mean that all three plants were in the same window box together. As with matching plants to environment, likewise when you group plants together in the same pot, they should all require the same conditions: soil type, water, sun/shade exposure needs. A lavender and schefflera demand quite different conditions so one was (at least) destined to fail.

If you have only one place to grow plants, then your first task to research plants that prefer those conditions and proactively provide appropriate water and care. Waiting for a plant to show signs of stress before watering weakens it in the long run. Best to water before that point. Unless you have heavy peaty soil and/or poor drainage with plants that don't like wet feet, root rot is much less a risk in outdoor plants than indoor tropicals.

It helps tremendously to know where you are. If you provide your location on your profile page it will show on all of your posts.

as said before they do look thirsty, Clay pots usually need more water the plastic
I am in Texas and its hot. Some outside plants that get a lot of sun I water every day or every other day depending on the plant.
Simple test stick your finger in the pot a inch or so and ifs its dry water,
You could also use a stick or water meter.