hill all summer,
ever since the squirrels knocked it to the ground
breaking the clay pot. It
took me a while to notice but when I did I put it into a
bigger pot with new
bark/peat/perlite around the outer space. But the leaves
slowly turned a
burgundy color then they die. There was no apparent new
growth.
I just unpotted the plant to find the roots (that were in
the original pot)
all dead. However new roots are growing, in the outer new
bark/peat/perlite
which was added at the time of repotting.
What should I do? I'm not an Anthurium grower so it's
always been hit and
miss with them but I don't want to lose this plant. I'm
cleaning away all
the old dead roots and hard water spraying away old
potting mix. I will make
up some new mix and repot.
Is it all right to cut off the old leaves that are dying?
Any other
suggestions on saving this plant, that does want to live,
would be much
appreciated?
Thanks very much.
MJ Hatfield
MJ, One of the mistakes people make with anthurium or any
other container plant is to pot it "up" into a larger
container when they believe something is wrong or the
plant is in danger. By putting this plant into a larger
container. This usually has the effect of rotting the
roots brought on by an over zealous amount of watering.
Anthurium are, for the most part, epiphytes and should be
treated more like and orchid than an African violet.
Now that the roots have rotted away it is still not too
late. Remove the dead roots (said you already did) and pot
back into the SMALLEST pot that it will fit into with long
fibered sphagnum moss and DO NOT PACK IT TOO TIGHT. Let it
almost dry out before you water it again and the roots
should beging to return.
In the mean time don't over water it, over feed it, or put
it out in the sun.
This may seem counter intuitive but it works.
Neil C.
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