Plant experts...Help save my "child"
May 23, 2017 2:28 PM Subscribe
My Philodendron looks really awful. I know it must need some sort of fertilizer beyond Miracle Grow, but not sure what.
It's coming up scraggly and yellowish, even new growth is yellow.
Photo is: right here.
(Beware blaring vid that may auto-launch).
Thank you!
It's coming up scraggly and yellowish, even new growth is yellow.
Photo is: right here.
(Beware blaring vid that may auto-launch).
Thank you!
First: that plant isn't really in that bad of shape, from a plant-health perspective. It's fine, it won't die next week if you do nothing different than normal.
Abnormal yellowing of leaf tissue is called chlorosis. That's what I think this is, it doesn't look like any of the most common pests or diseases of houseplants that I know of.
"Possible causes include poor drainage, damaged roots, compacted roots, high soil pH, and nutrient deficiencies."
"Fertilizer" usually means NPK primary nutrients. You say you "know" it needs more than Miracle Gro is that because you tried Miracle Gro recently? If so, do NOT ADD ANY OTHER FERTILIZERS. Miracle Gro and it's ilk have plenty of macronutrients and trace elements. If a mild application of that did not perk up this plant, then nutrients are not the problem. On the other hand iron deficiency is a common cause of chlorosis. K overload can also contribute to chlorosis, and that may have built up if it it's been in the same pot for several years. This is why I say not to add anything yet, especially if you already have a fertilizing regimen.
A lot of things might help, but you don't tell us enough info. How big is the pot, in dimensions/shape or in gallons? Has it been happy in this same location for years? Did you try Miracle Gro or any other fertilizers already? What is your general care of it, and did you change anything? How long ago did the yellowing appear, etc etc.
Lacking further info, I'd not move it - that may shock it more. I may add a little artificial supplementary light. No normal light for human houses can hurt it, just don't go nuts with grow lights. I would also prune off all the yellow bits, at their base, and consider up-potting to a slightly larger pot.
posted by SaltySalticid at 3:18 PM on May 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
Abnormal yellowing of leaf tissue is called chlorosis. That's what I think this is, it doesn't look like any of the most common pests or diseases of houseplants that I know of.
"Possible causes include poor drainage, damaged roots, compacted roots, high soil pH, and nutrient deficiencies."
"Fertilizer" usually means NPK primary nutrients. You say you "know" it needs more than Miracle Gro is that because you tried Miracle Gro recently? If so, do NOT ADD ANY OTHER FERTILIZERS. Miracle Gro and it's ilk have plenty of macronutrients and trace elements. If a mild application of that did not perk up this plant, then nutrients are not the problem. On the other hand iron deficiency is a common cause of chlorosis. K overload can also contribute to chlorosis, and that may have built up if it it's been in the same pot for several years. This is why I say not to add anything yet, especially if you already have a fertilizing regimen.
A lot of things might help, but you don't tell us enough info. How big is the pot, in dimensions/shape or in gallons? Has it been happy in this same location for years? Did you try Miracle Gro or any other fertilizers already? What is your general care of it, and did you change anything? How long ago did the yellowing appear, etc etc.
Lacking further info, I'd not move it - that may shock it more. I may add a little artificial supplementary light. No normal light for human houses can hurt it, just don't go nuts with grow lights. I would also prune off all the yellow bits, at their base, and consider up-potting to a slightly larger pot.
posted by SaltySalticid at 3:18 PM on May 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sorry it's Phosphorus (P) overload that can contribute to chlorosis, minor typo but a big difference! A simple cheap or free mail-in soil test would help clear up that angle; check with your local extension service for free possibilities. But then again a repotting in good potting soil would also rectify mineral imbalance as well as drainage and rootbinding issues.
posted by SaltySalticid at 3:36 PM on May 23, 2017
posted by SaltySalticid at 3:36 PM on May 23, 2017
Response by poster: Wow, thank you SallySaltcid -- I will need to do some measuremts and get back on the thread.
It has been happy and in that pot for about nine years with continuous growth.
And gets plenty of sun next to a huge east facing window.
Miracle Grow very rarely. I often forget.
I'm wondering if over watering is a problem .
posted by zenpop at 3:39 PM on May 23, 2017
It has been happy and in that pot for about nine years with continuous growth.
And gets plenty of sun next to a huge east facing window.
Miracle Grow very rarely. I often forget.
I'm wondering if over watering is a problem .
posted by zenpop at 3:39 PM on May 23, 2017
It needs to be repotted into a larger pot. I have one also, and mine does this every few years when its outgrown it's container. I was heading down to post that when I saw your response about nine years. Waaaay overdue for a!
posted by raisingsand at 3:52 PM on May 23, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by raisingsand at 3:52 PM on May 23, 2017 [5 favorites]
That looks more like a pathogen than any deficiency. My guess from the photo would be bacterial leaf spot. Remove all infected leaves, repot in a properly sized pot with fast-draining medium, water consistently.
nutrition problems usually show as a repeatable pattern, both in form and age of leaves affected.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:59 PM on May 23, 2017
nutrition problems usually show as a repeatable pattern, both in form and age of leaves affected.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:59 PM on May 23, 2017
It could also be a soil issue; plants slowly leach nutrients out of the soil and salts deposit into it from the water; eventually, the soil in a potted houseplant is lacking nutrients and imbalanced in ways fertilizer doesn't address. If you haven't ever changed its soil (not just adding a little new soil around the edges when you size the pot up, but actually knocking the old soil off the roots), I'd try that, too, in addition to some of the other suggestions.
posted by vegartanipla at 4:40 PM on May 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by vegartanipla at 4:40 PM on May 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It has been happy and in that pot for about nine years with continuous growth.
Yep, time for repotting, save the hassle of measuring!
This will rectify three likely culprits 1) lack of space/ rootbinding 2)build up of P or other salts 3) poor drainage. A plant like that doesn't need much fertilizer, the tropics generally have poor soils. It is true that it can go for many years in the same pot, but, well, you've done that. If you absolutely don't want to repot it bigger, then another option would be to pull it out, prune the roots, prune the top (a lot), add potting soil and put it back in the same pot. After a week, give it a half dose of Miracle Gro. That will cheer up and rejuvinate most any indoor houseplant that's been in the same pot for over a few years.
Bacterial leaf spots usually have, well, spots, and I don't see that in your photo. I see darker veins of even tone, and pale yellow, of even tone, and that is what chlorosis looks like.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:18 PM on May 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yep, time for repotting, save the hassle of measuring!
This will rectify three likely culprits 1) lack of space/ rootbinding 2)build up of P or other salts 3) poor drainage. A plant like that doesn't need much fertilizer, the tropics generally have poor soils. It is true that it can go for many years in the same pot, but, well, you've done that. If you absolutely don't want to repot it bigger, then another option would be to pull it out, prune the roots, prune the top (a lot), add potting soil and put it back in the same pot. After a week, give it a half dose of Miracle Gro. That will cheer up and rejuvinate most any indoor houseplant that's been in the same pot for over a few years.
Bacterial leaf spots usually have, well, spots, and I don't see that in your photo. I see darker veins of even tone, and pale yellow, of even tone, and that is what chlorosis looks like.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:18 PM on May 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
True soils are made primarily of minerals --
sand, silt, and clay. Is this planted in soil or in potting medium? How coarse is the medium? Potting media is tested differently from sois in the lab.
posted by gray17 at 9:55 AM on May 24, 2017
sand, silt, and clay. Is this planted in soil or in potting medium? How coarse is the medium? Potting media is tested differently from sois in the lab.
posted by gray17 at 9:55 AM on May 24, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for the helpful info. Appreciate it.
posted by zenpop at 11:20 PM on May 24, 2017
posted by zenpop at 11:20 PM on May 24, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by beccaj at 2:39 PM on May 23, 2017