I am following all proper steps to repot the enclosure plants but I must be doing something wrong because my plants look like they're about to die. I purchased a pathos from Home Depot. Washed each leaf with soapy water and rinsed them throughly 2-3 times. Removed the soil gently with running water, Prepped the other pots (i broke it down to move into 5 new pots) with some drainage rocks and organic soil, placed the roots into organic soil and gently poured more organic soil around the sides and top of the plant. I then watered it throughly and placed it under the Tropical Blaze quad fixture in the vacant enclosure. The light was off during the night but is back on this morning and the leaves look all wilted and in some parts brown and ugly. Can anyone make some suggestions on how they repot and the plants survive the removal of all soil and what not? Thanks.
Repotted Plants are DYING...Why?
- Thread starter ilovezeke
- Start date
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
It sounds like shock from being broken up into smaller portions, not just being repotted. So you just did all this a day or so ago? If you happened to damage enough of the root system while dividing it up, the plant will go into shock. They may recover (Pothos are tough!) but it may be a while before you can tell. I think I'd lower the light level until they show signs of life. They need to rest. Make sure your new potting soil is moist, not wet, as the damaged roots will be more vulnerable to rot.
JlaPinska
Member
i did all of this as well with a single pothos. mine did not go through shock in fact they are thriving. Dividing plants is not easy on them so its ok to notice a little bit of something going on.
the wilted ones need water, quick! pothos are very hard to under water.
wilting means they are being under watered. it will be hard to keep every single plants water needs where they need to be. now that you have divided the plant, each new piece will have its own needs depending where it sits in the cage . i have 5 pothos and one of them needs way more water than the others like i have to pour water directly into it whereas the others further below do fine just from the heavy misting.
if the leaves start turning yellow it means they are not getting enough light. a good arcadia HO t5 65k daylight strip bulbs are perfect.
My problem is that i have full coverage from top to bottom of my cage and the plants near the top get more light than the ones below. i have to come up with some way to put those arcadia bulbs along the bottom or sides of my screen cage so that the lower foliage will get light too.
edit to add that preening the plants is necessary anytime you find a yellow leaf or a complete brown one, pluck them. this keeps the plant from using its resources on the dead and dying parts.
the wilted ones need water, quick! pothos are very hard to under water.
wilting means they are being under watered. it will be hard to keep every single plants water needs where they need to be. now that you have divided the plant, each new piece will have its own needs depending where it sits in the cage . i have 5 pothos and one of them needs way more water than the others like i have to pour water directly into it whereas the others further below do fine just from the heavy misting.
if the leaves start turning yellow it means they are not getting enough light. a good arcadia HO t5 65k daylight strip bulbs are perfect.
My problem is that i have full coverage from top to bottom of my cage and the plants near the top get more light than the ones below. i have to come up with some way to put those arcadia bulbs along the bottom or sides of my screen cage so that the lower foliage will get light too.
edit to add that preening the plants is necessary anytime you find a yellow leaf or a complete brown one, pluck them. this keeps the plant from using its resources on the dead and dying parts.
I am happy to hear you did the same to your pathos- cleaned up and split up. At least I know I am doing the right steps.
As an update today the plant leaves and vines looked worse. They are limp and soft towards the ends. Some leaves are very wilted and dead looking. I do not know what to do with them. My plant keeping skill set includes killing everything including the plastic ones so this is a totally scary and new territory for me.
We have 4 more chameleons on there way to the house and I am so nervous because the plants keep looking like death every time I have repotted them. In your honest opinion would it be the worst thing if I just bought a healthy one from the nursery, washed the leaves really well and cover the soil with some organic soil and rocks??? I just don't want to keep going through this! I had 2 umbrellas and a ficus die on me too... BUT I also don't want to hurt my pets either!!!!
I did it yesterday, and today they looked closer to dying. How long should I give it before I move onto a new plant?
Would it be the worst thing to buy another pathos and wash the leaves up then cover up the soil with organic soil and a good layer of rocks? I dont want to keep losing plants... Thank you for the reply
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Some commercial nursery houseplants are potted in soil that has pesticides, fungicides, potent fertilizers, or other chemicals added to it (so the plant needs less care). We like to repot them to get rid of that stuff, not only to keep the cham from picking them up from the soil directly, but to keep them from being absorbed into the plant (that the chams drinks off of or chews on).
I'd give your plants a week or so before giving up on them. It they are going to survive the damaged leaves will die but the rest of the plant should perk up.
