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rafaelnj

Colocasia Diamon Head Droppy after planting

RafaelNJ
9 years ago

So I planted this plant on Saturday and today I found most of the leaves dropping, it was doing well until now. Any ideas why this is happening? I put compost and manure with peat moss and mixed with the dirt, added milorganite as fertilizer, planted right out of the pot. Can this be shock or is the plant dying? I checked and the soil is not dry. It has been windy last couple days and we had rain. Did I do something wrong?

Comments (8)

  • njz7
    9 years ago

    Could it have been what I refer to as "wind whipped"?

    Exposed to strong winds which came through with the cold front without being acclimated to such conditions?

  • RafaelNJ
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well it could be I guess, I would have no idea. Will it recover from this? should I be cutting off the fallen leaves? they still look ok but couple is drying up.

  • RafaelNJ
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    So I watered it last night around 7PM after seeing how poorly they doing (the soil was not really dry). I went out around 1AM (I had some late work to do) and the leaves picked themselves up again. However, a couple smaller ones seem to be drying up, also noticed that leaves have green spots here and there on most leaves, almost looks like they were bleached or algea growing on it. I read the leaves on this plant can turn green with luck of sun but I guess its part of the shock they are going through? Can they turn back to purple or are they going to stay that way now?

  • steiconi
    9 years ago

    These plants like a lot of water; I sometimes have to water mine, and we get 170" of rain a year. They often do well in a pond or bog.

    Your gravel surround is just going to make it hotter and drier for the plant. Can you mulch the poor thing? Moss, bark, something to help hold moisture.

    Cut off leaves that are actually dead. As the plant produces new leaves--which should be quickly, and should be purple--you can trim off damaged leaves.

  • christine1950
    9 years ago

    I agree with steiconi, the gravel is going to smother them.

  • RafaelNJ
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    That is strange because I have heard from other people on this forum (in regards to my banana problem) that the gravel helps to hold moisture like mulch (that is also what I always knew to be true). I did cut off about 6 leaves or so as they were not doing good and my dog chewed up a couple :/ The plant is putting out 6 new leaves already so you are right about it sending new leaves quickly. I did also mulch a bit around it but did not have enough mulch so might need to buy some more.

  • RafaelNJ
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It's so strage, it seems that more of the leaves that originally went down and got dried up edges are now again drooping and even bending in half. But on the flip side is pumping out new leaves like crazy, 6 new leaves coming out at the same time now. Seems like the plant can't make up its mind.

  • tropicbreezent
    9 years ago

    The problem with the gravel is that it reflects a lot of the light and heat from the sun back up onto the plant. That's how the gravel retains moisture, by sheilding the soil from the direct sun and the air spaces become like an insulating layer. Cuts out breezes across the surface and so reduces evaporation. But the heat and intense light can cook the plants in hot weather.