my plant dying after an accident! how can I save it???

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by parachuter2b, Nov 25, 2006.

  1. parachuter2b

    parachuter2b Member

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    Hi all,

    I'm not sure if this the right section of the forum to post this question, but it's the most relevant one I could find...

    I bought a Schefflera Arboricola a few months ago, replanted it and added enough soil to it to top it up ! It was doing fine until it underwent an accident !
    One day that I was not home, the books you see in the picture "before" fell off the shelf over the plant and bent one of its stems! My sister heard the noise and came over to my room and picked up the books right away, but unfortunately it never totally came back!

    It started shedding a lot of leaves ever since(as you can tell from the pictures below) and its stem bent even more !
    I think it is getting enough sunshine as it is right next a window that faces west (only afternoon light)...and I water it pretty much once a week (I have purchased one of those fountain head cans to water the whole soil equally).

    What do you think I should do to save it? Maybe I should stick a piece of wood in the soil and underneath the bent stem to help it straighten back up? If so, how should I do that? Can I buy things like that from a store or should I just go look for one in the park or something ?

    Please help ?

    Thanks,

    parachuter2b
     

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  2. Rima

    Rima Active Member

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    The accident was purely coincidental as far as its condition goes. It's not getting enough of (or too much of) something it needs... sort of like saying a sprain could be responsible for a cardiac problem :-). It actually needs stronger light than it's getting, for 14 hours a day if you can manage that, and when you water do it well, but then a) don't let it sit in drain water - because roots can rot, and b) only water when quite a bit of the soil is dry - schefflera can take some drying out, but not being watered too often. Good luck.
     
  3. parachuter2b

    parachuter2b Member

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    Thanks for your reply.

    I only get west light in my flat which is only in the afternoons ! (so it's close to impossible to provide 14 hours of light a day)


    I have bought a big pot that has holes in the bottom, so it disposes of the extra water and does not retain it in the roots, so I think I'm safe there. aren't I?


    How can I straighten the bent stem though (or should I even bother?)
     
  4. Rima

    Rima Active Member

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    The drainage is good, but i meant don't let the pot sit in a saucer of drained water or roots can wick it back up into the pot (and rot roots). You certainly can provide more light if you're willing to invest a little money by buying an inexpensive fluorescent fixture (could even be 2' long) and a couple of 'Full spectrum' 40w bulbs all hung within 4-6 inches over the tree for 14 hrs/day. Bulbs should be replaced after one winter season as they lose power (within 6 mos) even though it's not obvious to us. BTW Sylvania makes 'Gro-Lux' bulbs to fit the above description. The stem can be splinted and wrapped (top and bottom) with raffia from a craft store as it won't cut into the branch. Leave it on for at least 6 mos.
     
  5. parachuter2b

    parachuter2b Member

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    Rima,

    Thanks a lot for your help. I tried to follow your advise the best I could, given the limitations in my place.

    The 40w bulb was too big to fit underneath my shelf and it would also need some eletrical work to install, so I settled for a 15W bulb that plugs right into the outlet. The plant has been doing significantlly better ever since, but I am not sure if the 15W bulb is going to be sufficient. I see the progress mainly on the leeves that are closest to the bulb, so not sure if the ones that are further down would benefit at all.

    I have also attached some pictures of the plant. Could you check them to see if I have wrapped the rope around the stems correctly. (I will use a Raffia for the top of the stem though).

    Thanks again,

    parachuter2b
     

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