what is wrong with this plant?

i have only had this plant maybe 3 mths or so i keep it in my bedroom with a window so im pretty sure its getting enough sun, but the leaves are brown and dying and the soil of the plant actually looks like something is growing in it, really gross actually, i think at one time there was mushrooms growing in there??? Ive never had this happen, can this plant be saved, i took some before and after pics and cut some of the dead leaves off, should i repot this? I try not to overwater so im thinking this shouldnt be the problem.

here is a pic of the soil so you can see how ugly and nasty this is

If I was sure light levels are favorable, I'd say with a fair degree of confidence that it's a drought response from one or more of 3 possible causes: Too high a level of soluble salts in the soil, under-watering, or over-watering. The under-watering is easily fixed. The over-watering will have caused root-rot (and thus the drought response) and requires some effort at pruning roots back to viable tissues, while a high soluble salts level requires a good flushing of the soil at monthly (minimum) intervals or learning to combine appropriate irrigation practices with an appropriate soil.

Al



This message was edited Jul 12, 2009 5:03 PM

wow you really know what your talkin about.,thanks so much for the info

If there were mushrooms growing in it, it's too wet, and something was rotting. I saw a water globe in the first picture... how often are you filling that thing? Sometimes, plants like the dirt to get a little dry before they get another drink... Take out the globe and let the soil dry, then just water it when it looks thirsty.

Yikes...strange looking soil. If it were mine, I'd sure repot it in new clean soil, after washing the roots good to get as much of the old soil off as possible. That way, too, you can see if the roots themselves are rotten. Mushrooms were growing in it? Not a good sign at all! I, too, would get rid of the water bulb thingy. ChuLin

That mushrooms (or other noticeable fungi) are growing in the soil is really no sign it's too wet - happens in the soils I make quite frequently & I never give it a second thought. They (fungi) prefer damp & well-aerated soils, like many other plants. Something is ALWAYS rotting in a container soil. Micro-organisms are always ensuring that the organic component of a container media continues to march toward an end of rotten oblivion. ;o) Soils support thousands of species of fungi because that's what soils do. You're just seeing the fruiting bodies of the fungi, but if you didn't see them, the fungi would still be in the soil.

BTW - The soil may or may not be in need of being replaced, but there's no way to tell with the info provided so far. Key considerations are what the soil is made from, and how much structural integrity the soil has (drainage) in relationship to the volume of roots and the plant's o/a mass. The soil may only need a good flushing to rid it of salts while the plant owner gets watering technique down to methodology the plant approves of.

Al

Corey,

Tapla is right on here ... Based on those bottom leaves, though, I'd guess it's overwatered and therefore rotting under the soil level. BUT I also see you live in Fort Lauderdale. If I was you, I'd repot that big guy into fresh soil and check the roots in the process. Cut back rotted roots if you see any and give it brand new soil. Then move it outside, into a shady area. It'll love you for it and should bounce right back once it starts soaking up the Florida heat and humidity. Don't expose it to sunlight, though. It's not acclimated to subtropical sun and will scorch. If you get a fortified soil, you'll be good with fertilizer for a while so you don't have to worry about salt build-up right away. Although most people repot in the spring, you can repot now in South Florida, but make sure to repot every year if you're using a peat-based mix. You can leave this plant outside year round in South Florida, or you can bring it back in after the summer is over.

Houseplants
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This message was edited Jul 16, 2009 2:29 PM

thanks so much im going to do that today, its so hot here lately though uhh!!! thanks for the advice, you live in pompano beach??then you know what im talking about...:)

I had some soil of plants that looked liked that. I found out it was mold/fungus from over watering. I sprayed the top of the soil with stuff that kills fungus. And I stopped watering it so much. Sure enough, the soil started looking ok again.