Mexican Heather help

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Anaid San Antonio, TX Oct 14, 2007

I have planted 6 small bushes of Mexican Heather in one corner of my very large yard that I hadnt done any land scaping yet. I figured since I've read they will stay low to the ground it would be safe as this is a corner with a stop sign and I wouldnt want to obstruct the view for drivers. I planted them at a right angle to accomodate the corner but didnt place them right up to the fence line as my watch dogs like to run along the fence line.

The problem Im having is that the bushes are a little straggly and have loss alot of leaves. I wondered cuz I caught my Boxer regularly peeing on them, could this be the problem? I try to spray them with water to see if washing them off could help but so far some of them look like they are dying. Can anyone suggest anything?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Oct 14, 2007

The dog peeing on them certainly won't help them, just like it kills the grass if they always go in the same spot that'll kill plants too. Did you plant them this summer? That could have stressed them too, if you plant things when the weather's hot it makes it hard for them to get established, and if you're off just slightly on watering they could do that too. Realistically if you want to save them though, I think you'll have to train the dog to pee somewhere else.

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bettydee La Grange, TX(Zone 8b) Oct 14, 2007

Dog pee is definitely the problem. Washing the pee off the leaves helps, but the major damage is to the roots. Leaching the soil should remove the pee. You may have to cordon off the area to keep your dog off them in the future.

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CoreHHI Bluffton, SC(Zone 9a) Oct 14, 2007

Mine start dying off in the middle if I don't prune them back a little through out the summer. I prune them back when I start to see a few yellowing leaves in the middle. That seems to be enough to get them growing again and they end up thicker. As far as dogs mine pee on them and no problems that I have ever seen. It's not a daily thing. LOL.

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Anaid San Antonio, TX Oct 14, 2007

I read on another site that cutting them back in the fall in preparation for winter will make them come back healthier in the spring. I think I will do this as it wont be long before we are at that season anyway. Thanks for all your in put.

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