Hi Inna,

Me again, that last line is key (& info. new to me). Rhizomes that are soft & slimy indicate rot (IMO). Anything soft & mushy is rot & must be cut off; pls. cut back to healthy growth, then sprinkle w/ cinnamon as I suggested privately.

Hi Norma,

This woman contacted me privately & tho' I gave her a fair amount of info. for trouble shooting, I suggested she also post here in the hopes that you might have suggestions I may have missed.

Anyone else w/ insights for Inna, pls. jump on in here.

PS Inna:

the humidity here (in NYC) prevents me from growing Jades, I've killed quite a few. Sans. however, work fine for me, tho' I've killed a few of them from UNDERWATERING; go figure.

(PG) Karen

Karen I was just going to tell her to contact you, I will repond tomorrow, I must get some sleep. The love humidity. 'Jades' don't I just posted to the above question, ask her to look at that. If you can grow them she shoud be able to grow them as well, nothing kills them except elephants, and that have lived billiions of yeaars despite the elephants. In the
Winter this plant can go actually 6 months without water out in Africa if the Elephants don't dig the rhizomes up for the water they hold. Later when I'm not sleepy I'll tell you all about the Sans. at the Huntington. To me it is an amazing story if gives me faith of what I am reporting here. Karen will you back me up that I actually grow the species. Are you ready to get a new one, and do you have room for it. Please respond. Hugs all. Norma

I am not too far from you and Pirate Girl, here in NJ. My Sans generally suffer through the winter, in dark cold areas indoors, but thrive outside through the summer. During the warm months extra watering doesn't seem to give them a problem, and certainly not humidity. It seems like they can be drenched all summer (when warm).....even though that would quickly cause problems in winter. Maybe it had some rot started before you got it or was damaged in shipping. Agree with the above (and Norma is certainly much more experienced than all of us!) to cut off the rot, sprinkls with cinnamon of fungicide and try again. You should be successful.....if not try another Sans and I think you will be fine. BTW, what species/cultivar is it?

Hi Norma,

Don't quite know which you're referring to above, Jades or Sans.

No need for me to back up what you grow, come on now. I had privately told her that I wanted her to post here so you, one of my Sans mentors could advise her further.

I've got some room, sure for another Sans. or 2, always. Happily they don't need my sunniest spaces, reserved for Hoyas, of which I've lost some in recent times.

Hugs back attcha,

Karen

Forgot to say thanks Norma, for thinking of me AND for the offer. You ARE a sweetie!

thanks a lot Karen, I did everything you told me,washed w/hose,cut the rot,sprinkle w/cinnamon,let them dry for 10 days at least.potted in fast draining soil mostly perlite,gravel and maybe 10% of orchid soil. And I think my sans are much better now. i put them outside on eastern side under clear awning. thanks again to all and if something happen will report

Woodnative, you are right,now I'm thinking they were rotten before.one is "Sheri" I bought it in supermarket,repoted but didn't clean all the soil,so probably rot was there.Another one is kirkii v. pulchra from e-bay (very reputable seller),then fischeri,then metallica,so when all of them got rot I became nervous that I'm doing something wrong. Moonglow died despite the view that its easy to grow.so now they are recovering slowly. I learned my lesson.

Okay when you get a San. from Ebay, do they come with a root? if so you may water it, to let it settle in, then wait until you see new grow now you know it is liviing a putting out roots, without roots you must not water it. Just set it in slightly damp and wait until you do see new growth. At first plant it in the smallest pot it will fit into. Don't put on top dressing yet. Take a pencil to measure if it dry, and then if is water water. Cinnamon in fine I rather it just drys out naturally. Dry soil for a couple days will also dry it out. If you are buying a plant with variegatioin make sure the rhyzome is at least three inches long or it will revert. I don't not buy on Ebay because the seller for the most part are not reputable, and I will not endorse any of them. The prices are way too high. Buy them in Spring, and start them then, not in Sept, when they are going dormant. These suggestions are just a guide. Made sure not to use any Peatmoss in the soil. When you have high humidity cut back on watering they are capable of taking the humidity out of the air, they must have air circulation, they need a steady temperature not below 55 in the winter, and I use dry heat (electric) They need some light, or they will not be able to convert their food. They must be feed about once a month with a very diluted fertilizer. It is a slow process to leran how to take care of the species where you are growing them. They grow in Thailand out in the open in pots, and it rains every day, it is very humid there,
they are gorgeous plants. Buy only very cheap plants until you get the hang of it. I have been growing mine since l978. They are now flowering, they like to be crowded in the pot, so don't quick split them up. Every third year I repot with fresh soil, take out the ugly old ones, and only keep three heads per gal.

Karen I need your address again please, I have a few to send you. I'm glad we are still friends, and you correct what I write. I don't catch mistakes any more, and it's hard for me to go back and make the corrections, I usually wipe out all that I have written when I try to do so. Later I will tell the group why I know this and my experieces with growing the species. YES THEY ALL FLOWER. HUGS, Norma

I have seen them die back due to frost, the leaves turned the color of a paper bag. (light Tan). I took off the leaves, they felt like a paper bag also, and didn't water them until the first of April when we warm up, and yes some leaves started to grow from the rhizomes. The leaves will die, the rhizome will take water from the leaves to live on, that is where water is stored as well. This was at the Huntington, we split it up into pieces and watched for nodes on the rhizomes, planted them in 3.5" pots, small fours we call them, and they grow on,I had 100 flats of plants for sell, my cuttings grow better here at home because I watch them. In this weater they will start up in about two weeks depening on how deep they are planted. I often have the roots showing on the top of the soil line. Now I am going to brag, started San. 'Manolyin' in this manner at home. Gave them back to the Huntington for sale at $25.00 this plant needs next to no water or it will rust at the soil line, it is one of the hardest plants to grow. Helli knows far more than I do. I'm still learning but making less mistakes. Karen I need your address pronto please, please and Thank you, Norma

Thank you Norma for your advice,I always read your posts here or on daves garden and find them very valuable.
Another thing,I cannot find pumice anywhere, but found red lava rocks. From my understanding they are identical. i can only order pumice from internet. Should I do it,or lava rocks are fine? Pls advice.Thanks again

Karen and all of you that live in New York know more than I do about growing in your conditions. When I give instructions I put enough there so perhaps you can use your own judgement for what your plant needs. This the reason why the books never tell you how to grow any plant in any book almost. They don't suggest soil, I still stick to my story that they will need the same care as they do any other place in the world. Lava rock is a good sub. for pumice. I have blace lava rock, if I can't get pumice. This is a perfect example of all of us pitching in to help, I love it.
Karen, I said the "Jades" have different requirements, and do not like high humidity. I just want to make that clear that not all plants are grown like Sansevieria which are a perfect house plant for high humidity locations. Not all Sansevieria like humidity. Norma

I put all my sans outdoors in April and May when I got back from vacation - most in plastic pots, and the pots sit in aluminum pans. Since June it has rained at least twice a week, and I have had to empty the trays of water about every other day. Probably this morning, as well. The only problem I've had is sunburn on several plants which were mistakenly exposed to full sun. So, sitting in trays of water, stifling humidity, and even most of the soil being eroded from some of the pots has not stopped my sans! Also I brought back a lot of S. cylindrica from Homestead, Fl. when I was vacationing there for my friends here, they were repotted and are now thriving in the Florida-like climate here. Just received more sans from Ebay sellers and will see how they do; I now have over 125 different varieties!

Kevin Tyler

Kevin put in double labels with all the information regarding them, place one face down on the bottom of the pot. In case the top one breaks off, they get very brittle and only last 5 years at most. Make sure you use a #2 soft lead pencil. Kevin keep us posted. Norma