06/03/2026
🌿 Is My Plant Thirsty? Signs of Water Stress to Watch For 🌿
We've been getting a lot of questions lately about plants that are struggling due to a lack of water. With a noticeably and abnormally dry May combined with recent warm temperatures, wind, and sunny days, plants can become stressed much faster than many people realize.
Here are some common signs of water stress to watch for:
💧 Annuals & Hanging Baskets
• Wilting or drooping leaves, stems and flowers
• Dry, crispy leaf edges or dehydrated stems
• Flower buds dropping before they open
• Fewer blooms than normal
• Soil pulling away from the sides of the pot
Check your annuals and hanging baskets DAILY for water. If the soil is dry be sure to water with a hose in the basket or flower bed. Do not use a sprinkler or rely on a lawn irrigation. Use a hose or a watering wand at the base of the plant.
🌾 Ornamental Grasses
• Leaf tips turning brown then after prolonged dryness brown dieback
• Blades curling or folding inward
• Overall dull or gray-green color
• Slower growth or no new growth
New plantings check daily for water, if dry water at the base of the plant with a hose. Do not use a sprinkler or irrigation systems. Established plants water 3-4 times per week.
🌸 Perennials
• Plant wilting during the day and not recovering by evening
• Yellowing or browning leaves.
• Smaller flowers or reduced blooming
• Leaves becoming dry and brittle
New plantings check daily for water, if dry water at the base of the plant with a hose. Do not use a sprinkler or irrigation systems. Established plants water 3-4 times per week. with a hose at the base of the plant.
🌳 Shrubs & Trees
• Leaves curling, wilting, or drooping
• Tree will starts to show stress and have crispy leaves at the top and work it's way down the tree
• Brown leaf edges or scorched-looking leaves
• Die back on the stems and branches of the leaves
• Early leaf drop
• New growth appearing stunted or sparse
• Leaves losing their healthy green color
• Tree crack or split. Vascular tissues shrink and trunk contracts, which cause the bark to split or crack.
• Stems will shrink and wrinkle in severe cases of drought due to lack of water resulting in cambium decline
New plantings check daily for water, if dry water at the base of the plant with a hose. Do not use a sprinkler or irrigation systems. Established plants water 3-4 times per week. with a hose at the base of the plant.
⚠️ A Few Things to Remember
• Plants are living and they need water and food (fertilizer) to live no matter if they are in the ground for 1 year or 20 years.
• Newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials need extra attention and regular deep watering while establishing roots.
• Established trees need water at least 3 times per week with a hose at the base of the plant.
• Containers, hanging baskets, and planters dry out much faster than plants growing in the ground. and need to be checked on daily
• Watering deeply is essential to the life of your plant.
🌱 A plant showing water stress isn't always beyond saving. Catching the signs early and giving it a good, thorough watering can often help it bounce back quickly.
If you're unsure whether your plant is suffering from water stress, disease, or something else, stop in and ask! We'd be happy to help you figure out what's going on and get your plants looking their best again.
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