My dad visited from Florida 2 months ago and over watered my plant. It is about 25 years old and the leaves are yellow that it is heartbreaking. When will this stop. Also it has been repotted 2 years ago. I can see brown breakage as the leaves crack in places. It is a gift passed down so I would love any help! Thank you.
It has been a few weeks since you have posted this. I hope all is well by now. However, in the future, when evidence of rot begins, time is of the essence. There are a few ways to approach this, as not all plants will present in an identical fashion, nor will they be grown under identical conditions. 1. The longer the plant sits in wet/moist soil, the worse things may become. Sometimes it may be advantageous to repot the plant in new, dry soil. Of course, after removing any tissue that has rotted. 2. Sometimes creating conditions that will allow for the soil to dry out quickly via evaporation. Good, circulation of warm, dry air via fans, etc. may help. However, this is assuming that one keeps a close eye on the plant, watching for evidence of dehydration of the foliage. Mark
Thanks Mark for the information. I have had a bit of a news flash. We now believe it was the miracle grow that did the job. My plant does still have some green left in new growth but I do see yellow leaves forming. It as been about a month and a half so it breaks my heart to see this. I hope it makes it till Spring. I pray.. I can put it on my deck to live for the summer. It is amazing how much you can love a plant!! God bless, Jan
Fertilizer salts. If the plant appears to be growing, albeit with "burned tips" and yellowing, then you can try leaching the salts out of the soil with some aggressive watering. Stick it in the shower for several minutes and let the water run out of the bottom for a while. You can place the container on an old rag towel to catch the debris. You may use a fan to dry it out afterward. About the only time that I would fertilize with full-strength "Miracle Gro" or the like, would be in the early summer when the plant is outdoors and is actively growing. Otherwise, 1/4 strength every 2-4 weeks during the growing season (spring-summer) and not at all during its normal rest period (fall-winter).
