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Not Rot, Not Fungus, Not Insects, But What's Ailing My Plants? =[

  • #21
I have seen no benefit with using perlite with Sarrs, dews and flytraps. It floats up to the top of the mix and looks ugly, and overflows all over the patio. I only use it because I have a 50 lb. bag to use up. I may re-think that.

I'll keep it for the Mexi Pings, drosophyllum and cacti.
 
  • #22
Meh, I'm in the same boat as you.
Again, I don't care about cosmetics, and up until now, I've know perlite to be required.
But I bought a ginormous bag. I'll probably use what I have but not buy more, if it's not needed.

Or, wait. I should probably save it for the Neps and butterworts, I guess.
 
  • #23
So how is it that fungus is ruled out? Some thing like fusarium which attacks the rhizomes basically from the inside out isn't likely to be affected by Neem oil.

Again, the insects are probably a symptom and not the cause. They have tentatively been identified as rove beetles. Rove beetles come in basically two flavors - those that eat decaying matter and those that eat other insects. A massive population explosion suggests an abundant food supply. So if there isn't a source of insects for them then there must be decaying matter. Either your peat moss or the plants themselves are supplying decaying matter.

Peat by definition is partly decayed vegetable matter. Peat moss or moss peat usually means it is composed of partially decayed Sphagnum moss but not necessarily so. And if you are using the smaller bags of peat moss the quality varies tremendously from bag to bag. The larger bales tend to be of better and more uniform quality. They are also available in different grades at larger nursery supplies.

Also note that every brand of Neem oil that I've looked at the label warns not to use on damaged or distressed plants. Why? Neem oil has a growth inhibitor factor - it can actually retard the healing process.

As pointed out by others since your plants continue to decline you have little to lose at this point in replacing your media. If you're concerned about further stressing out your plants then only replace the media for half of them. Then wait and see a month or so and see what happens. If the repotted ones improve then repot the rest. Worst case no matter what you do you lose all your plants. However if you repot half of them at least you increase the likely hood of saving half of your plants (given that the medium is the problem).

The choice is yours. BTW Albert Einstein is credited for the following definition:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
 
  • #24
This will make me appear painfully naive, but because fungus was ruled out because the leaves are still getting water and there is no visible fungus. It hasn't been suggested in any of my previous posts.
But if fusarium is it, then how would I treat it? How do I even know?

I still find it coincidental that they show up and the plants start going downhill. But then again, if the peat moss has gone bad, what in its age or whatever, then that would certainly explain it.

I never noticed that. I've heard different things about Neem. I know it worked well thus far, and if I was aware of any risk to my plants, I would've seeked a different alternative. But I have since stopped using it for a few weeks now.

I'm open to replacing the media by now. My question is now with what, as I'm wary of solid peat. It just seems odd. All of the large nurseries incorporate perlite, and Peter D' Amato cited the recipe in his book, which was my bible as I got started. Then again, I'm a bit of a sheep and like following others and what I know. The other thing to consider is that repotting even half of the collection is going to take alot of water, and I'll probably need another bale. It's also going to take time I don't have during the week. It's something I want knocked out at once, as I'd like to atleast get rid of those damn unsightly beetles, atleast. Perhaps if they weren't crawling all over the place, I wouldn't have a gazillion spiders to fret about as well.
 
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  • #26
And pretty much everyone agrees perlite isn't needed, or should be minimized? o_O

No, and maybe! ;)

not everyone agrees it isnt needed..
personalyl, I DO agree its not needed..I dont think it offers any real benefit..
but others disagree and like it..
its really not conclusive either way..its really just a matter of preference.

you definately should NOT use the perlite you have though!
if you repot..
because the perlite might be the "bad" ingredient in your mix..
you should start over with fresh peat..

My question is now with what, as I'm wary of solid peat. It just seems odd. All of the large nurseries use it, and Peter D' Amato cited the recipie in his book.

Large nurseries and Peter D' Amato arent good enough for you? ;)
pure peat is perfectly fine..LOTS of people use pure peat..
its a well-known and respected mix..
(and a top-dressing of LFS is really cheap..you can buy a small "cube" of LFS at Homedepot/Lowes for a few bucks..its cheap..

as for water..do you have any way to collect rain water?
can you divert a downsport to a container?
how about rigging up a tarp to catch water? with a funnel?
there are lots of easy ways to collect a ton of rain water..

Scot
 
  • #27
Wow Wow, Alexis! Those are amazing!! I could certainly never attend one of those shows without a shopping cart and a LOT of cash! Thank you for sharing!

Photos of the roots have been added here: http://tinypic.com/2mplurkx

The wilting Leuco Tarnok I discovered to be rotten. And of course, rove beetles were all up in it. I guess that particular one had fungus, in order to wilt? Or fungus can make the rhizomes soft and brown and be invisible, and in that case I know EXACTLY where I got in from and need to know how to treat it.

Ahhh, you got me :p It was getting late. I meant all of those recommend and use the peat/perlite mix.
Hm, fresh perlite would be a good idea, I suppose! I dunno why I didn't click on that, probably because I imagined it couldn't go bad since it's little white rocks.

And I know LFS is cheap, but I have plenty of Neps, and while it's three dollars, my paychecks per week are now less than $40 a week. and with that, I have pay car insurance, keep gas in my car to commute, feed my snake, pay my student loan and credit card bill, and buy plenty of water for my CPs. Even if I get back to making $200/week, every dollar still matters and that's $3 dollars for a gallon of gas versus a cube of LFS that isn't *necessary*. I can see that it'd look more attractive, and wouldn't make such a mess, but it's just not...sensible for me.

I can and do collect rain water quite nicely. I just need it to actually POUR rather than sprinkle for a few minutes O_O
 
  • #28
The roots look fine don't they.

Water sounds fine.

I'd just buy a new batch of peat and pot them up in nothing but that. And then just sit back and wait.
 
  • #29
yeah, I agree the roots look fine..
which at first glance seems odd..because if the plants "above ground" are sickly, shouldnt the roots look unhealthy too?

but not necessarily..because many plants can "die off" above the surface, for various reasons, then still re-appear later from the roots..so its possible the "sickness" only shows in the leaves, and not the roots..
(its also possible the roots *are* showing some decline as well..but its just a lot harder to see in the roots than it is in the leaves..)

but overall, the roots look good..which is a good sign for the plants in general..
I agree..just repot, then sit back and wait..

Scot
 
  • #30
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=202629&id=787308968&l=fb4b9974de

If you look at her plants and the location its too little sun and water is perfect but in that amount of light its way too much for the plants.
Potting medium looks perfect and set up looks good just not enough hours of direct sunlight. The house and trees probably shading at different times of the day.
Less water and more sunlight

you can compare your current growing location to the one below which is in the open and getting maximum sunlight all day round
http://yfrog.com/3unursery4j
 
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