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frazzledgessie

What would you do?

frazzledgessie
15 years ago

The other day I noticed that there were brown spots and edges on three of the middle row leaves of my Pewter Bells. I thought it may be fertilizer salts; the Crystal Blue had been showing signs of that; so I flushed the soil. But this morning the oldest set of leaves are limp and mushy. I think I may have just started the processes of root rot.

My question is, I was going to remove the mushy leaves and some leaves that look okay from the next row to root, then pot down the remainer. Do you think this would help or not?

Comments (6)

  • fred_hill
    15 years ago

    Hi,
    I would remove the spotted leaves and any others below that on the plant. I would then repot the plant and also pot up some of the good leaves just in case the plant goes belly up.
    Fred in NJ

  • frazzledgessie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    It seems that this thread has gotten started twice. I don't know how.
    Thank you for your advice, so far it seems that everyone is agreeing with re-potting. If I take off all the leaves that are damaged that will leave only the newly emerging leaves on the crown. Is that okay? Would it just be more practical to take leaf cuttings from the plant and throw it out or possibly wait and see what happens to it. I am taking cuttings no matter what I do to the mother plant.
    This wouldn't be in any way contagious to the other plants that it is near, would it? Just wondering, I don't think that rot would act like insects.

  • lilypad22
    15 years ago

    You have probably already repotted or tossed. I always try and save the plant, It will grow out again and bloom before the leaves will. If the root system is bad because of rot,it is only affecting this plant. It is because it has been too wet too long. Only other plants will get this if they too have been too wet too long also...probably means you need more perlite in your soil mix. If you take off leaves, you will have a bare neck on your plant, when you repot, this bare neck should be in the soil, replant with the soil up to the last row of leaves. If your root is bad, cut off the stem where it looks healthy and pot it up, this will be like a crown cutting, it will re-root if enclosed in a plastic baggie or clear deli container (need humidity - damp not wet). I think Robs violet barn has a tutorial on how to do all this on his website. tish

  • frazzledgessie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you. I did go to re-pot it, but the roots were still a light tan color. I am letting it dry out now and took two leaves from it, just in case. The new leaves are coming in okay. I will re-pot to bury the neck when it grows out a bit.

  • lilypad22
    15 years ago

    Bury the neck now and it will grow out new roots there and the plant will be stronger faster. Remember Damp, not wet. You can set the pot on newspapers or paper towels and it will draw out some water from the soil. tish

  • frazzledgessie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I will do that Friday, my day off. I have some little pots that I was using for young minis, so that and bagging it will hopefully help. Thanks again for your help.