I have this beautiful plant which I got about a month back. I kept it in indirect light, watered once a week and the leaves were falling/ dropping. So, I took it outside in the patio and left it there for a couple of days. I guess that did more harm to it. Can you please help me bring this plant to health? here are the pics from today morning :
I would guess you have watered it to much. Let it dry some between waterings, this looks like it may be a type of succulent plant..maybe a hoya or pepperomia. It looks like another house plant also that I can not remember the name right now..but I wold NOT take it outside anymore.
Hi Tina, I may know what the problem is. At first guess since it looks like a plant in one of my blogs: http://www.gardenstew.com/blog/e10953-1 ... art-2.html The original variegated plant over time faded to a dull green. Actually I did not know until months later as the cutting I took from it established itself that it was variegated. Your water regiment once a week, did you check before watering? Did the white variegation fade to green? Jerry
Tina, Here is what the plant looks like after one year. Jerry Cutting from hallway plant ( photo / image / picture from Jerry Sullivan's Garden )
Hello Tina, I see your pics, but I do not know what you are showing exactly--is it the droopy leaves, the brown bits on the leaves and stem connecting the leaves to the main stems...or the variegation? Some thoughts: First of all, like Creationthings, I also suspect that you may have inadvertently overwatered your plant. During these months is a period of dormancy/semi-dormancy for many plants and so they will not be needing take up water, or plant food for that matter, very often. The droopy leaves could come from over-watering because the plant could have taken up excess water and as a result there could be an increased turgor. If the cells in the leaf are fuller with water than they should be, then their combined weight would make them heavy enough to droop. Being on the outside patio at this time of year could also cause the leaves to droop, just from the cold alone. Now, what gets my attention is what appears to be a browning on some of the leaves and their petioles. I am concerned because the way this looks in the fotos reminds me of one of the insulting fungal agents, like botrytis...which can develop. It is most prevalent during cool and moist spring and summer periods and can destroy plants in the most cruel of ways. I may be seeing your fotos all wrong, though. ...or were you referring to leaves with fewer white markings? Are you concerned that the variegation may be disappearing? Do you have any more comments about your ailing plant? Please keep us posted on the progress.
Sjoerd offers some very good advice. That is a Peperomia, and I think it has had too much water. It probably did not like being outside. Good luck.
Thanks all!! I am not at all concerned about the verigation disappearing. I bought this plant with green leaves and dont mind that at all. I first was worried about the dropping leaves. After I left it out and the brown spots appeared, I am VERY concerned about those. All I care about right now is to save the plant. Please help!!
Tina, The first thing that I would do is to immediately remove all leaves and stems that are brown or have brown spots (and carefully isolate them from all other plants and destroy the debris). Secondly, I get the idea that you should stop watering your little plant until the pot feels very light when lifted. Then give only a modicum of water, applied to the bottom, not poured on the soil's surface and allowed to drain downwards--it could take spores down with it. It is a shame that you don't have a microscope--you could take smears and stain them in order to visualize spores and organisms (if present). It would be interesting as well as definitive. Ideally one wants to be able to quantify the presence of organisms before treatment; however, when that isn't possible then you have to take steps or risk losing the whole plant...and that would be a shame. Some folks elect to implement some sort of chemical intervention here. You could wait and see if the problem continues after removal of infected plant parts. If it does not then you could not use the chemicals...if it continues to spread, then you have to decide how much keeping the plant means to you. Good luck, Tina--if you are like me losing a plant no matter what it is, is one too many lost. Good luck. p.s. Another possibility would be to remove some damaged leaves and stems and return to a garden center and ask if someone there could identify the the etiology of your plant's problem. One thing here: do not accept an answer that begins with, "I think.....". That will be of no help to you, you can think for yourself.
Thanks Sjoerd!! Am going to remove the leaves and stems with brown spots and see if I can help my plant.I will also water only as you suggested. I will keep you updated.
This is what my plant looks like now with all the damaged leaves removed : I also put it in a new pot as the previous one didnt have drainage. I will only water it once a week from the plate it is in. Hope that will work.
Hello Tina...Chocolate took the words right out of my mouth. I had no idea that the pot that they were in had no hole in the bottom. A pot with no drainage is a big no-no, you know. Ach...live and learn, my father used to say. It seems as though I had quite a few of those types of learning curves in my time. I said that I was novice, he said that I was hard-headed. hahaha. Anyway, the fact that the plants were watered once a week in a period when they were trying to be dormant means that there was always some residual--and so the little pot was just filling up like a reservoir and overloading your plant with water that it couldn't get rid of. As you know, moist plants do not like to sit with their feet wet. The plant was taking the water up only to get it away from the roots--and with the cells in the leaves loaded like a hamster's pouches, they began to droop from the weight. So now it has a new pot and new soil. New soil is a very good idea because it gets rid of many spores that would no doubt have been lying on the surface of the soil...or even washed down to the roots with the regular watering regimen. I looked at your pic and the plant looks quite sad, doesn't it...but sometimes one has to be hard in order to provide the best care for their charges. If your plant did indeed have a fungal or bacterial insult, then giving it such a liberal trim is the only chance for saving it. Of course the only remaining question is--was the infection localized or systemic? Time will tell. It looks like you did a superb job in all respects to me, Tina. Giving tiny bits of water from time to time from the bottom will also keep the plant from becoming waterlogged, and yet sufficiently hydrated to stay alive. I give my house plants water water infrequently during the winter (you could count the times on one hand)...with the exception of the dwarf azaleas--they would die if I didn't baptize them every four days. Well done, you. I shall keep my fingers crossed for another couple of weeks--difficult to write and drink tea; ach, but we have to support one another, us Stewbies, don't we? Continued good luck.
I think it will survive now with the damaged parts gone and especially with drainage. Some plants will surprise you with the resiliency and willingness to live. Have some patience... and keep your fingers crossed. Oh yeah... and don't forget to give it words of encouragement!
The photo I showed is from two leaves and a piece of stem just like yours. Your plant will recover and be healthy again. Jerry
