Patchouli Culture
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Kasey O’Leary
Posted on: August 17, 1998

I bought a patchouli plant from you about ten days ago. It arrived in very good condition, but since it has been transplanted, it has not been doing as well. The leaves have turned a yellowish green colour, and many have fallen off. I have made sure that the plant has plenty of sun and have been watering it frequently. Is there something that I am doing wrong, or is it suffering from transplant shock and maybe needs more time???

The plant could certainly be suffering from not only transplant shock, but from trying to adjust to the shipping box and then back to more favourable conditions in your home.The shipping box could also have been kept in a very cool room to prevent the plants from "cooking" in their box and it might have been overdone!

Do take into account that the plant likes rich, moist soil and high humidity with a soil pH of 4.3 to 6.3. Many municipal water supplies are quite alkaline to encourage the chlorine to stay in solution. If this is the case in your home town, you would do well to collect rain water or buy distilled water to water the plant with. Make sure you use a slightly acid soil to pot the plant up in.

Back to Growing Herbs | Q & A Index

Copyright © 1997-2024 Otto Richter and Sons Limited. All rights reserved.