Cultivation - Swim worried about swim's salvia plant

[iamthelorax]

Swim took possession of a cutting approximately 2 weeks ago. The cutting had presumably been rooting for 2 weeks prior to shipment. Swim received the cutting in good condition, but swim is concerned since swim's plant has lost 5 of it's original 8 leaves.

Swim's biggest concern is stem rot. Swim has noted that swim's plant has turned black and mushy at it's tip. Swim has noted that this has grown. Swim would like to cut off the black/brown mush, but swim is concerned since the two main nodes on swim's plant would then be approximately 1/4 of an inch down from the tip of the plant.

Swim is, however, very heartened, in that swim has noticed 8 pairs of new leaves that are growing! Swim has noted that the plant seems to want to grow as many leaves as it can.

Swim has done the following:

-Planted cutting in 12" pot with holes in bottom
-Used a 12-12-12 potting mix
-Used one sprinkling of fertilizer several days after potting
-Constructed humidity tent
-Provided 12 on/12 off Compact Fluorescent Lighting
-Misted once daily (has since stopped)
-Used to water once every two days or so, but has stopped
-Placed stones at the bottom of the pot to allow for drainage
-Not patted down the soil, to allow for aeration

Swim is aware that swim should have watered plant much less. (Soil is still moist.) Swim is also aware that swim probably needn't have misted plant once a day. (Condensation is noticeable in humidity tent, even without misting.) Swim realizes that swim's plant will fair better in an outdoors setting, with indirect, natural sunlight, but swim's circumstances dictate that this isn't possible.

Swim apologizes for swim's lengthy thread, but swim is concerned and swim is very appreciative of any and all help. TIA!


iamthelorax added 5 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...

Swim amends swim's posting to note that swim used an organic potting soil, and that swim's FERTILIZER is 12-12-12, not swim's potting soil.

[curious1]

swiy should stop adding fert. It will kill the plant if too much is added. While swiys plant is reestablishing itself it should work with what its got and swiys new potting mix should have more than enough neuts to get it going.

If swiy could post some pics of swiys plant it could be helpful.

Is there a node at the top? It may just be "eating itself" which has happened to swims mother since it has no leaves. It may not be rot. If swiys water is soaked then it would probably create rot.

If its roots are not well enough established swiy might want to continue misting the leaves. From swims 2 cutting swim noticed that they respond well to this when trying to grow roots and use it in swims opinion as the main way it absorbs water.

[iamthelorax]

Swim thanks curious1 for curious1's reply. Swim only added the fertilizer once, and that was just a sprinkling. Swim will see if swim can post some pics, realizing that pics are of greater assistance than words alone.

There are two nodes at the very top, so yes, what swiy says could be correct about the plant "eating itself." Two of the three remaining, original, leaves are off of these nodes, and they are well above the end of the stem.

If swim decides to resume misting, swim would want to avoid the stem then. Swim was liberal and generous with swim's misting applications in the past.

[genaro]

check this:

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58366

[iamthelorax]

Swim has posted photos, though swim's photos appear to still be in the queue. Swim has noted a slight increase in the brown area at the top of swim's plant, and that swim's plant lost the 5th of swim's original 8 leaves.

Swim thanks all for their replies, and will await the posting of swim's photos to swim's gallery.

[iamthelorax]

Swim's plant has wilted to the extent that the plant may as well be dead. Swim's plant has lost a node during swim's attempt to remove the brown rot. Swim's plant still has the brown rot, and it is moving from the top of the stem downwards. Swim notes that it is too bad, since there were some definite signs of growth.

Swim is considering removing the plant entirely from the soil, to examine the roots and determine if the rot (or whatever is causing this brown wilting) is present at the root level. (Swim might a well.) Swim seeks advice on how best to do this, and, assuming swim is successful in removing any and all rot, whether swim's plant will survive a replanting.

[curious1]

If swiy goes to advanced post he can click on the "manage attachments" button and load the pictures up there. It would really help other swimmers figure out whats wrong.

It could be root rot but it could be other things.

Swiy shouldn't up and pull it just yet.

If he can get newest pics of the whole plant, soil area and top, plus nodes it would be helpful.

Swiy MIGHT be able to salvage the other node by turning it into a new cutting if worse comes to worse.

swim combatted his "brown rot" by cutting the affected area off and adding just a dab of rubbing alcohol at the top. it seems to have slowed it down ALOT. but it could also harm the plant so swiy might want to hold off to see if theres another way to fix it.

[iamthelorax]

Swim is irritated to find that swim's posting rules do not allow swim to post attachments. Swim did, in fact, upload pictures short of a week ago, when it might have made a difference, but apparently that was to the "old" gallery/album system. So swim's pictures never made it. Swim indeed has managed to create an album. It contains the original pictures from almost a week ago, and pictures taken very recently.

Swim asks the swiys out there to note that swim only uprooted swim's plant when swim noted the shape the that plant is in. Swim notes that things went downhill VERY fast. Swim also regrets the crappy image quality, but swim was working with what swim could.

Swim believe that the link below should take swiys to the album...

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/album.php?u=40785

[curious1]

ok in swims opinion that looks like it is rot. What swiy can do is make a cutting of the branch on the left if it is still salvageable. Also is there a node growing out at the base of the plant. Because if that is so swiy can probably save the main plant by taking it out of the soil. knocking off dirt around it and then putting it in new soil. SWIM has had lots of success with cactus soil which might help swiy. After transplanting swiy should cut off the top part plus a little more.



As for the cutting swiy can find swims tec and anothers in the grow thread pn the last page.

[iamthelorax]

Swim appreciates all of the posts from swiy, curious1. Swim especially appreciates swiy posting one of swim's pix. If only swim's plant still looked like the pic above! Swim lost both branches at the top, and all of the leaves. If swiy saw the latests pix that swim posted, swiy would see the sad state swim's plant is now in.

Swim has keep swim's plant in water, in a sealed translucent container for approximately 24 hours. Swim cut off the rot, and applied some rubbing alcohol to the top of the stem. Swim desires to try and repot swim's miserable looking stem. The roots aren't brown - they look to be about a whitish color. The rot seems to have been arrested.

Swim's major question is - does swim really have to put swim's plant in new soil? Does the presence of rot mean that the soil swim's plant was in is now contaminated, and cannot be used again? Swim potted swim's plant right into a rather large pot (12" diameter). Should swim consider a much smaller pot for swim's next attempt?

[curious1]

swim suggested changing the soil mainly because if it was soaked swiy couldn't regulate the amount of water the plant was getting.

Swiy could probably use the soil again but when swim overwatered his salvia in the beginning he ended up with a big mess of larva and different fungi so he just completely replaced it.

As for the pot. Swiy can keep it in a smaller pot and let it grow but he will have to transplant it at one point once it gets root bound.