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blupit007
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« on: November 22, 2010, 09:32:48 AM » |
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So I was given a rooted cutting of Belle Du Jour from a friend in Arkansas last week. I got it on the 17Th. It had roots and looked good when I got it. It was really wobbly when I got it so I quickly repotted it in a terracotta 4". I did it carefully I thought. I had to press firmly once I got the soil in to make it not so wobbly... It now looks droopy, and the stem is wrinkly. I don't want to kill another Belle! What can I give to give this girl a fighting chance? I don't know whether the shipping did it or me repotted it, but it is not happy.
The first photo is when I got it an just repotted it. All the rest are from today.
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-Kristen
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Doll
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« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2010, 09:55:20 AM » |
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You may have broken some of the roots when you pressed down. I would cut off the bigger leaves. Also mist it as often as possible. I have been rooting a lot of cuttings lately. I root them in water and then pot them up. I usually only leave 2 or 3 leaves on them.
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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blupit007
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« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2010, 12:27:03 PM » |
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I think I may have pressed down too hard as well. I have other cuttings going. They are in a fish tank under a light. Unfortunately there is no more room in there for this. Should I put a plastic bag over top of it? Do you think I broke off important roots and now am starting from scratch? Do you think it is too late considering the wood is wrinkly? It is not soft... but wrinkly. There is one crisp healthy leaf still on. The rest are not wilted completely, just no pizazz left and are droopy... How strong a rooter is Belle?
Sorry for the barrage of questions but I just don't want to loose another Belle. That is the only one I have lost since I started this hobby!
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-Kristen
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Doll
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« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2010, 01:16:28 PM » |
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Belle roots very easy, at least for me. I think it will be fine. I would be careful if you put a plastic bag over it. It could lead to mold and fungus. I think misting it would be better.
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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blupit007
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« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2010, 01:27:57 PM » |
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So I cut off some of the leaves, and trimmed the others. I decided that I would make room in the tank for it. So I took some of the stronger cuttings out of this tank (it has a seed starter heat mat in it) and put it in the one that doesn't have the heat, but is still warm. So we shall see! Thanks for the tips.
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-Kristen
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Charlie
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« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2010, 04:33:45 PM » |
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Kristen, it's hard to say for sure what is going on but breaking some roots is high on the list. You already got some good advice and what you did will help if the problem is broken roots. I wonder what conditions your friend had it in? If in a high humidity area and you moved it into the dry air of a winter house with central heat that could cause wilting, too. Worst case scenario is fungal disease but if that's the case it will most likely die no matter what you do. Let's assume it is broken roots and go with the cure for that which is what you have already done.
Good luck,
Charlie
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blupit007
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« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2010, 09:35:18 PM » |
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Thank you Charlie. I just got home from work and the leaves (even though I cut them in half) are already looking a bit stronger... I'm crossing my fingers. I think it may be broken roots. I am watering tomorrow with my fert regimen which has Super Nova in it, so that should help.
If it is a few broken roots, how long before it is better if left in the tank? When would I know it is safe to take it out? I usually look underneath for roots to come out before I remove them, but this one had some already... but I broke them...
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-Kristen
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Charlie
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« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2010, 08:21:37 AM » |
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When I have trimmed roots on purpose in order to move a plant into a smaller pot (not often, but sometimes it is needed for some reason) they wilt at first. I move them to shade and mist the leaves several times a day until they no longer wilt. That usually takes 1 to 2 weeks and then they are fine. Based on that my best guess is 2 weeks for yours to develop enough small roots to sustain the plant, assuming that is the problem.
Charlie
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Doll
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« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2010, 09:45:00 AM » |
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I have good results with a product called Actino-Iron. It is a biological fungicide that prevents root rot. I have started mixing it in the soil on all my cuttings.
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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blupit007
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« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2010, 02:04:58 PM » |
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Thank you Charlie & Doll. The root system was not very big, so I probably snapped part of it off. Enough to make it angry! So its in the tank. I will look into this Actino-Iron you speak of. Thank you!
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-Kristen
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 1108
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2010, 06:56:37 PM » |
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Hi Folks,
Great conversation here as I am learning a lot. Unfortunately I can relate to this topic as I have an Electric Orange 4" I took home from the Oct 30 open house that a week and a half ago just totally wilted overnight.
It has got to be either the colder nights and the tender age and/or fungus. It is in a spot that gets a lot of afternoon sunshine and the soil seems to dry nicely but I never let it get dehydrated.
I've done Growth Enhancer, B Vitamin, and mixed in the earthworm castings all this past week...
Is it even worth getting fungicide at this point?
I'll let the picture speak for the state this little guy is in.
Discovered today the my Melon Melange baby also from open house but was a little bigger is now wilting. Yikes, not two now! It is the second pic.
I know it is now fungus time so is this just part of hibiscus life?
Farmer D
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blupit007
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« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2010, 08:03:48 PM » |
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Farmer D, where do you live? It looks like these are in the ground? I am thinking wilt disease which you should immediately treat. Charlie has a section on that here http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/wiltdisease.htm but I may be wrong. Read up on it and let us know. Otherwise, it may be cold? Charlie help?? |
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-Kristen
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 1108
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2010, 01:32:59 AM » |
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I'm located in Hollywood Ca so the weather is mild in winter. Coldest night so far has been 40 - not too bad unless you're a young little 4" recent transplant to the ground.
I've been following all the recommended steps under the wilt disease section minus adding fungicide. Maybe that was the first thing to do?
Reading other articles Charles paints a rather bleak outlook when you have wilt due to fungus. Lesson here is to leave the 4" babies in the pot and keep indoors during winter until they are stronger and weather conditions are more advantageous. Even for an easy climate like southern California.
It's really hard to lose just one once you see all the enjoyment you get out of each plant.
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2010, 02:21:03 AM » |
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I agree with Kristen... looks like wilt disease. And as you've already mentioned the plants look a bit small to go straight into the ground. Good luck! Your EO looks pretty far gone. I hate losing plants.  |
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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Doll
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« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2010, 03:16:30 AM » |
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If it was the cold then I would dig them up and bring them inside. You would be surprised how quickly they bounce back if they just got too cold. The small 4 inch plants are much more sensitive to the cold.
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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Charlie
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« Reply #15 on: December 07, 2010, 08:58:18 AM » |
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Ooops, I didn't realize the EO was planted when commenting in the other thread. It's risky to plant them this small - better to overwinter in a pot and plant next summer. For southerners it is hard to get used to the idea that hibiscus can be houseplants but once you try it you find they do very well indeed. Small ones overwinter much better indoors. Ask the Canadians and Germans who frequently grow hibiscus indoors, putting them out only during the relatively short summer growing season.
Charlie
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 1108
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2010, 10:26:41 AM » |
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Thank you everyone for the helpful input. I dug up and repotted three plants that are now inside for the winter. Extra TLC for my EO and hopefully it can make the comeback of comebacks.
It would figure that this Nov & Dec so far would be one of the coldest we have had here in the last 10 yrs so tough going on the newbies even though the temps at night never get under 40.
Interesting observation, a couple of my more mature plants did each have a branch with wilt and upon closer inspection there was dieback disease. Both plants are in spots where the soil is much more shaded throughout the day so that is a good clue that winter conditions have taken over in my garden here in So Cal.
Both plants are fine now as the hibiscus doctor section is really helpful.
Farmer D
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Doll
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« Reply #17 on: December 07, 2010, 01:35:03 PM » |
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Something ate one of my 4 inch plants last night in my garage! This had 5 or 6 leaves yesterday. This was the only one touched.  |
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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Pachrian
Posts: 266
Orange County, CA
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« Reply #18 on: December 07, 2010, 01:37:19 PM » |
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Oh, what a sad sight |
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~Uli
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Doll
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« Reply #19 on: December 07, 2010, 01:41:02 PM » |
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Yes, very sad. I think it will grow back. I have moved it to my sunroom now. It is Rise and Shine.
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 1108
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #20 on: December 07, 2010, 01:59:54 PM » |
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Wow, that many leaves in one night? That is something pretty big to do that. I have caught a few grasshoppers lurking around my hibiscus last month. They're one of the few things that I can think of off the top of my head that has such an appetite.
Do you have any sort of critters in your area that could sneak into the garage? I'm thinking rabbits or deer...
The leaves of Rise & Shine look delicious even to me...here is a picture of mine today. Yours will be back before you know it and better than mine!
Farmer D
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Doll
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« Reply #21 on: December 07, 2010, 02:06:44 PM » |
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The only animals around my house are rats, squirrels and opossums. Hate to think an opossum was living in my garage, but it wouldn't be the first time. I can't imagine a rat devouring the entire plant in that manner though.
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"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."
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blupit007
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« Reply #22 on: December 07, 2010, 09:40:03 PM » |
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Oh man, that reminds me of the day 3 years ago my house bunny ate my Japanese Maple. I had a seedling (only a couple months old) growing in a pot on my deck about a foot tall and nice an bushy (like a perfect lil tree). It was a seedling from the tree growing in my previous yard that was given to us at my fathers funeral. We couldn't move it to the new house due to its now huge size, so it was quite a special seedling to be able to take with me... Jada was loose on the deck and mowed that poor thing down to the stump! I was so bummed out, but couldn't help smiling thinking about how proud of herself she must have felt finding such a treasure!  Sad to say, the maple didn't make it. Fortunately hibiscus react really well to being pruned  |
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-Kristen
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Charlie
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« Reply #23 on: December 08, 2010, 08:37:49 PM » |
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Rabbits around here will only eat the youngest and most tender leaves, leaving the mature leaves alone. Hungry mice and rats can do some damage - last year field mice made a nest right in the middle of a table full of foot high seedlings in 4 inch pots, chewing off branches and leaves to form the nest. I hope the Rise and Shine lives up to its name!
Charlie
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