Dear Plant Pimp

[Bad Dad]

From memory.

House faces west. All windows would be on the eastside of the house with the possibility of only direct sunlight in the morning.


thermostat will be at 76-ish in the hot months.


What do you consider expensive? I don't have a problem spending a few bucks for what I would consider a piece of art.

 

[wiffledaddy]

a good palm is a couple hunnerd bux. My guess is this is what you want, given the 'fern' description.

Once you get settled in your new place, let me know. I can review some pics and make suggestions, or roll out for a look. I might be going that way for a Willie Nelson show in the next couple of months.

 

[Bad Dad]

you're talking a "fern" type of palm, right?


Because I have a certain disdain for palms being as the ex decorated that shit all over my house. Pictures, kitchen towels and dishware, bathrooms, bedroom, backyard, etc.. and this is MY HOUSE NOW dammit!



You're welcome through my pad anytime bro!

 

[wannabe]

I thought that ferns required a lot of work. Don't those things need a lot of humidity? That's why I see people putting them in bathrooms all the time.

Hopefully, Mr. Plant Pimp can confirm or rebut this.

 

[wannabe]

Dear Plant Pimp,

I don't know if you're still checking this thread, but I need some help. The people in the office were going to throw away some plants, so I decided to take them and try to nurse them back to health.

They appear to be the 'cheap and easy' variety that you mentioned earlier in this thread.

This is the first one. The pot is beyond ugly, so just like all the others, this bad boy is getting a new pot.

My questions are:

1. The current pot is 5". How much larger of a pot do you recommend?
2. How deep can I bury the plant? (I'm asking because one of the stems is having an issue standing on its own.)
3. Any general repotting tutorials that you can give us?

 

[wannabe]

These next ones look like the pothos plants that you posted above, but they aren't nearly as full as the one you posted.

You can't tell by the pic, but there is quite a bit of calcification on the bottom 1" of the pots. It appears that these things may have been sitting in water for a while. It also looks like they have been overwatered. Obviously, I'm going to repot them because these existing pots are somewhat disgusting.

Here are my questions for these bad boys:

1. Should I let the soil dry out more before repotting?

2. Any recommendations on how to trim these things? They kinda look like they need a hair cut.

 

[wannabe]

This is just a closer shot of the pot. I have absolutely no experience with these viney plants. When I repot them, how much of these things do I bury?

 

[wannabe]

And, just to show you that your advice hasn't been wasted, here is the bad boy that I replaced the ficus with at the bottom of my stairs.

 

[wiffledaddy]

hey - my whole house is full of 'throw-aways'. I love to take plants out of the garbage. New plants cost a ton!

Anyway, yeah, there's plenty of good repotting advice I could give... but I'm tired and pretty deep in my cups, so now might not be the best time.

I'll address your specific plants.

First off, the aglaonema, or plant in the little container. Pot this one up into a 7" plastic pot. Just pull it out of the container it's in, try to unspool the roots at the base of the root mass, and put it into the container. Main BIG IMPORTANT THING: keep the soil level the same. Don't put the thing a the bottom of the pot and cover it with soil.

This plant likes to get NO direct sun. It likes to be moderately moist and dry out between waterings. If it stays wet, the leaves will have tip burn. If it flowers, it is getting too dry. Pull the flowers off as soon as they appear, as they will attract pests.

The pothos - long stringy plant, is the easiest plant on the planet. Give them both a SERIOUS haircut. Cut the vines at less than 8-10 inches - or so - from teh soil. You can put the ends of these cuts into water, and they will create roots. This is asexual propogation, and basically the way this plant is made. Once the roots form, post up and we'll go from there.

Pull these guys out of the pots they are in currently, pull off the crummy looking white stuff - salts, etc.. - and gently unwind the roots a little. Put some new soil in the base of the pot, and put them back in the same container.

The pothos does NOT like direct sun. Moderate light is good. Indirect sun near a window will cause crazy growth.

The pothos likes to be moderately moist - like a wrung out sponge. It does not like to get dry. It does not like to be wet wet.

For both plants, use general purpose potting soil. Just whatever you got, or whatever comes in the smallest container.

Give them a couple of weeks to adjust to their new soil, and then start watering them with a mild fertilizer solution as mentioned above. Weak miracle grow mix is great.

The janet craig on the stairway looks great. 4 canes, very nice! Love those banded, emerald leaves.

 

[wannabe]

Thanks for the detailed advice! I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one bringing home unwanted plants. I was afraid that you were going to be a plant snob and tell me to throw these away and pick up a hundred dollar palm or something.

I'll repot the aglaonema and give the pothos a haircut tomorrow. I'll even give that asexual reproduction a try.

Why do you recommend putting the pothos back in the same pots?

 

[wiffledaddy]

Why do you recommend putting the pothos back in the same pots?

You don't have to use the same pot, but you also don't need to significantly increase the pot size. A pothos will do well in a small pot for years. If you do pot up, don't go larger than 10". The change of soil will do it a world of good.

 

[wannabe]

Dear Plant Pimp,

It's official. I am the office plant foster parent. Here's another one that I saved from our trash bin. I got the powers that be over here to agree to let me take this guy home instead.

Sorry for the bad picture, but all I had right now is my camera phone. Anyway, it's hard to make out, but the upper leaves are turning yellow. There used to be three 'stalks' (I think that's what they're called), but I was told that the leaves on one of them died, so they pulled it out of the pot.

So, now there are two stalks left, and the leaves on one of them are dying. I know you typically don't recommend repotting, but there's still a big hole in the middle where the third stalk used to be.

Any specific recommendations on the proper care of this bad boy? What do you think is causing the upper leaves to yellow? Too much water? Not enough water? Not enough food? Can these yellow leaves even be saved?

Should I start with a diluted miracle grow solution?

 

[wiffledaddy]

Wannabe:

this plant looks like a Dracaena fragrans, or specifically the massangeana. It's too bad they pulled that one cane out of the pot, because it was probably not dead.

First off, the yellow/brown leaves are goners, as is the stalk they are on. This plant looks like it was a victim of low light and overwatering. What you want to do is trim that stalk with the dying leaves back to the healthy part. If it looks brown or rotten where you cut it, cut a little lower down. I'd start at or below the height where the thriving foliage is on the healthy cane. but, to be clear, you don't need to any trimming on the healthy one.

First of all, before you bring this into your house, make certain there are no bad bugs on it. Do you notice any scaly or bumpy things on the leaves? Or anything that looks like little puffs of cotton? Look at the underside of the leaves, too. If you don't see any signs of insects, wipe all the dirt and dust of the leaves, gently, with some damp paper towels.

Also, I'm assuming this is potted in lava rock. Is that correct? Is this soil medium still wet, or is it dry?

 

[wannabe]

The soil is dry now. I think that you're right about the low light. It was off in a corner of our office that isn't very well lit.

Lava rock? So, potting soil won't work? Thanks for letting me know the name of the plant. Off to Google I go.

 

[wiffledaddy]

Potting soil will work. I was asking you what the medium is. You have to approach it differently depending on the medium.

If it's in lava, it's going to be easier to rejuvenate.

Basically, put the plant in a medium light environment and give it about a drinking glass of water *directly* at the base of the canes once a week. Don't let it sit in water.

If you go back to water it next week, stick your finger in the soil at the base of the canes. If it is still wet, don't water it.

No direct sunlight.

Check for bugs. If bugs, then don't bring it into your house.

 

[wannabe]

I just went back to the store room and did a deeper exam of the poor plant. I can't tell if it's in soil or lava, but either way, it's bone freaking dry right now.

thanks for the advice as usual.

What's your definition of 'medium light?' Is that spot where my Janet Craig is considered 'medium light?'

I'll make sure to water it per your directions. I feel so bad for this bad boy.


edit: I forgot to mention...yes, it's bug free. Nothing on or under the leaves.

 

[wannabe]

I just spoke to the guy who supplies the plants to our company. The plant that I brought home is a 'corn plant cane.'

He was really cool. He eventually agreed to sell me some of the plants and charge me the same as what he charges the office.

Here's what I'm getting:

Some smaller Peace Lilies ($6 each)

Diffenbachia ($6 each)

Chinese Evergreen Maria ($6 each)

As for the size, he said that these would be delivered in 6" pots. That's a pretty good size for $6 each.

I'm finally going to be able to populate my whole place with plants in one giant swoop instead of just picking one up every month.

 

[wannabe]

By the way, one of the ladies here at work recognized this one and called it a Chinese Money Tree. That was kinda cool.

 

[brichter]

Dear Plant Pimp,

My roses are looking pretty sad this year. They have black discoloration on the leaves that seems to follow the veins.
This is the first time in 8 years they have looked like this, what are they sick and tired of (whoops, that's me that's sick and tired of stuff!)?

 

[brichter]

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