Oleander care is such a thing... In summer it's actually not difficult, because you basically just have to pay attention to lots of water and fertilizer for this hungry plant. In winter, however, you have to reduce watering quite drastically. What at first sounds like less work turns out to be a bit tricky, because in order to avoid overwatering and rotting roots, it can be done quicklytobe little. And especially if the plant is in winter quarters outside of the standard room, it can sometimes be forgotten. Do you think your oleander has dried up? We explain how you can check this and how you can do itMaybe save the plantcan.
It is not always a sign of incorrect care/watering if the oleander suddenly dies after the winterdry leavesshows. This could simply be a reaction to the unfavorable conditions in the winter quarters, with which the plant wants to save itself. What do we mean by that exactly? What are possible causes of dried plant parts?
Unfavorable location conditions
Oleander bushes, as you know, come from regions with mild winters. There you can easily overwinter outdoors and always receive the necessary amount of light and water. Unfortunately, this is not possible for us because oleander bushes can only tolerate minimum temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees. That's why in our latitudes they belong in winter quarters with a suitable temperature. But often it is the garage or a hallway and the conditions there are usually not ideal, which is why the plant sheds leaves in order to better provide for the rest of the plant. If the oleander dries up after the winter, that could be a reason.
It is also importantMake sure you don't put the plant in direct sun too quickly after winter. It needs a period of getting used to, otherwise the leaves will dry out quickly.
Oleander dries up due to lack of water
The most obvious cause of the oleander drying out is that it has lacked water (water every 7 to 10 days with lukewarm water). But that doesn't necessarily mean he's dead. As long as the roots and at least some of the shoots are still doing well, and hopefully one or two branches as well, there is a good chance that the plant will recover. The roots are the last thing to die due to lack of water, as the plant strives to maintain them (which is why it sheds leaves in the first place, etc.).
Danger:If the oleander dries up despite watering, it may well be that you have overdone it. If you water too much, the plant will paradoxically also dry out. Like that? The roots rot and can no longer absorb moisture and nutrients and pass them on to the above-ground parts of the plant. These then dry accordingly.
Pest infestation or disease
Indoors, when there are no beneficial insects to eat pests, the latter can quickly spread and make life difficult for your oleander. Therefore, check whether this is exactly the problem. Pests deprive the plant of its juices, which leads to a lack of moisture and nutrients, which in turn leads to dry plant parts.
The diseaseAscochyta dry rot (usually after winter) also causes the above-ground parts to die first. You have to act quickly here, because it gradually spreads to all parts after the oleander initially only shows a few dry tips or leaves.
You can find other typical diseases of oleanderin this article.
Is the oleander dried up or frozen?
You can also tell from the color of the leaves whether it died as a result of drought or whether it was caused by an environment that was too cold. If they are still green but dry and brittle, that's itOleander froze. The leaves usually do not fall off on their own for a long time, but continue to hang on the shoots.
Can the dry plant still be saved?
In principle, it depends on the extent to which the plant is affected or how far the process has progressed. You can use simple methods to check whether it is still worth investing time and effort in oleander care.
You might also be interested in:How to overwinter the oleander and cut it beforehand
How do I know if the oleander is still alive?
Check the upper parts of the plant first. Take a sharp knife and score one or two branches. If green appears, you don't need to worry. If all side shoots appear to be dry, do this test on shoots near the roots as well. With frozen specimens, you have to hope that at least the roots have not been damaged.
Oleander dries up over winter - how do you save the shrub?
As hard as it may be for you, chances are you won'tto avoid a radical cutbecome. Everything that has died can no longer be saved anyway. Therefore, you create space for new shoots by making cuts.PreviouslyBut you can first assess to what extent this is necessary:
- If only a few leaves are affected, you can simply cut them off in spring.
- Cut dry shoots back to live areas. To do this, you can first remove the branches piece by piece.
- If you want to shorten shoots until they branch, it is recommended to leave stubs. The plant sprouts from these again. This sparing cut can even save the flowers this season. Strong new growth is guaranteed next year at the latest if the overwintering goes better beforehand.
- If you are unsure about the live parts, it is better to be more radical with the cut rather than too sparing. As long as the roots are intact and there is a healthy stub sticking out of the ground (twice the length of the root ball), the eager-to-grow oleander will recover easily.
- Repot the shrub and use this care measure to also remove dead or diseased roots. Check for an infestation and treat if necessary.
It is best to make these cuts only when the oleander has recovered from its winter quarters and is about to sprout new shoots.
