Droopy transplanted Purple Passion...

I just transplanted a small Purple Passion plant from it's Home Depot cheapo pot into a nice ceramic planter with some other new little plants. (A Magenta Dracena and a pink Polka Dot if you're curious...)

There were four stems of it in the pot, so I cut the dirt in half so I could have it in two places on the pot. On one of the stems, all the leaves are now getting droopy and "soft" feeling, and two of the top leaves were completely black and dead looking. The fresh potting mix is still wet - so it's not thirsty... is it likely that it's just going through some kind of shock and will probably survive?

BTW, the pic was taken three days ago... and it's the tall stem in the center of the picture that's getting icky. I've picked off the two real dead looking leaves... but the others are still drooping.

It's likely too wet. Is there a drain hole in the container? What did you use for soil? Most plants, and certainly those pictured, like damp, not 'wet' feet.

Al

drain holes are very important!! You should always prune with sizors and put similar plants together

Yup, there's drain holes, and I put small chunks of broken bisque in the bottom for good measure. I used fresh Miracle Grow potting MIX.

I'm pretty sure I must have just damaged the root structure of the sickly looking stem when I cut the original dirt-ball in half. Oh well. The rest of the plants still look great. Maybe I should just suck it up and PROPOGATE!

BTW, here's a pic of the droopy-ness... :(

I'm thinking it's probably too much water also. Putting broken chunks of bisque in the bottom of the container is good for helping drainage but if the soil is too heavy it can still retain too much moisture and the plants can only take up so much water, leading to the droopy, soft stems. I use Miracle Grow potting mix but I add a lot of orchid bark and perlite to my mix. It allows for air pockets around the roots and makes a light weight, fast draining potting medium.

I think the Dracaena's like more water than the other two plants in your container and the Dracaena's also like more sun. The Dracaena's can get very large so you may find your little container full of roots in just a couple of months.

Dracaena marginata 'Tricolor': http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59787/
Hypoestes ("Polka Dot Plant"): http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/752/
Gynura ("Purple Passion Plant"): http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2570/

Actually putting a "drainage" layer in the bottom isn't helpful and can actually make things worse. Especially in a shallow pot as yours appears to be, you'd be better off having soil all the way down to the bottom otherwise it'll be way too easy for the roots to be sitting in water. Tapla has a great thread in the container gardening forum that explains this way better than I could--since you're not a subscriber you'll only be able to read the first post, but there's a good amount of info in there that I think you'll find helpful. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/719569/ It's still important though to make sure you have good draining potting mix and that you're not watering too frequently, if those things are also not quite right then just taking out the drainage layer in the bottom won't fix things.

Thanks for the quick responses plantladylin and ecrane3!

Maybe the potting mix IS still too wet. I had a little trouble growing basil (they got that root rot they're famous for) in this pot a few months ago. Which is why I added the bisque bits to the bottom of it for these new plants. There are three drainage holes in it, but the two that are are actually on the bottom feet of the pot are probably a little bit small, and the bigger one is up in the concave part of the pot. The potting soil is about 2.5" deep all around.

Plantladylin, I guess I'm going to have to start researching how to propagate the Dracaena before they get too unwieldy. I know my parents have one variety in their yard in Florida that just grows like crazy! We'll see how things work out with these babies together.

I've found conflicting information on the three varieties I have in this pot. The tags from Exotic Angel on the Dracaena and Purple Passion both said "medium light", whereas the links you gave me say "Sun - partial shade". The tag from Costa Farms on the Hypoestes says "bright light" and the link says "light shade". OYE! So confused. I guess I'm just gonna be hopin' and prayin' that the screen filtered, south facing, but sometimes blocked by tree windowsill they're sitting on will be a happy medium for all.

And I think with all the wonderful help I've gotten for free on this site, I really should become a subscriber. Especially since I can't wait to make more pots to fill!

This message was edited Jul 15, 2009 4:44 PM

It would have been very helpful if you'd shortened the plants, removed some of the leaves, or cut them (leaves) all in half across the veins. This would have reduced the transpiring leaf surface considerably & allowed the diminished roots a much better chance at moving enough water to maintain turgidity.

Al

This message was edited Jul 15, 2009 9:09 PM

I think the conflicting info you're seeing on lighting for your plants is from some people talking about their light requirements if they're outdoors, and others for if they're indoors. The places that are talking about sun & shade are most likely referring to the conditions it would like if it were outdoors, and the places talking about bright light and medium light are probably indoors (light indoors is less intense than outside...something that wants bright or medium indoor light will often want to be in a part/light shade location outdoors)

somtimes stones that you put at the bottem of a planter can block the drain holes. You should check that out, I find that lining the bottem of the pot with plastic canvis keeps them free of blockage. DO NOT use any faberic or paper product to do this with. I tryed this once and the pot was full of mold. I also mix fish gravle and small stones in with my potting soil. I am not sure what this dose but I havent killed any plants (that I have done this to) yet!!

If it is a conflict between the plants you could "plant" smaller planters in the decorative one so they each get the right amount of water.

I am wondering what bisque is. Is it like broken up terracota pots?

I don't THINK the holes are blocked... yes - bisque bits are like broken up terracotta pots... I'm a slightly better potter than I am gardener, and I had some unglazed things I wasn't going to use, so I smashed 'em into smaller pieces to put in the bottom of my poorly draining pot.

That is a really good idea about planting smaller planters into the bigger one, iluvcatz! I have another planter that has three different plants in it - and one I think needs a special fertilizer to keep flowering properly, that the other two don't need. It's the green leafy one on the left of this pic, with the one purple bloom on it... but I don't know what the fertilizer it needs is.

Well I do own all three plants and mine are happy and healthy. The purple passion plant likes alot of sun. I've had mine in a South facing window, getting direct light for some time. The Passion vine leaves will appear more purple if given proper light. If they are mainly green on the top, it would like more light. The passion plant also doesn't mind moist soil. Not soggy wet, but moist. However it recovers extremely well if it accidentally dries out.

The dracanea likes shade but moist soil as well. If the lower leaves turn bright yellow and drop, it is not getting enough water. I've had mine all over the house as I don't need it to be directly in a window.

I just got a polka dot plant. It is outside in direct east/morning sun but happy. Once the leaves start to droop I water this one. It perks up soon after the bath! :) Hope this helps.

One more thing, I think the Dracaena should be in a different pot. Dracaena can burn if in direct sun. The other 2 plants care should be similiar I'm thinking. Good luck!

You should be able to grow them all together as far as requirements, moderately moist soil but not saturated. No direct sun, bright indirect light for all should be o.k. However the Dracaena's will get much bigger so eventually you will have to change it up. It will be a pretty well packed planter if they all get going. A deeper pot would be better for Dracaena's for sure. Did you transplant carefully or jostle the roots? If you were careful it shouldn't be shock. If the soil is too wet you pull the purple passion back out into it's own pot to recover. Nice planters :)

All the other plants seem happy in there... for now... It's been almost a week and everyone's leaves are firm and healthy. The only exception was the one droopy stem of Purple Passion, which I just cut off this morning. So I had a minor casualty... moving on!

I'll have to figure out how to propagate the Dracaenas to keep little ones in that planter. I only have a small, 1br apartment - and all my windows face west, except the south ones in the kitchen. Besides the problem of only western windows... there's just not enough room to put plants in them. I've got some room for things that might get a little bigger out on my porch - but it faces north, and doesn't get much sun with the trees in the way... but the impatiens love it out there.

Thanks for noting the planters, icanfindroom... when I moved into my apartment (after two years in a wacky college boardinghouse) the first thing I wanted to do as a ceramist was make some flowerpots for my home. So really, the only reason I'm learning to garden in containers is so I can use what I've made, and figure out how to make them better. Merchandising will be easier if I can figure out which designs work best for which plants - and heck, they might sell even faster if they come with plants grown from my cuttings already in them.

Wow you made those???? You could probably sell some on DG. I like them!

Dracaena's do great in bright indirect to low light. Very versatile plants. If you are lacking in light try other Draceana's like the Lisa, or Massangeana. Also snake plants / mother in laws tongue, cast iron plant or pothos. All would do great in almost any light (except direct sun). I have limited light as well so totally understand. Every window is pretty packed :)

Yes those pots are beautiful! I was just looking for a ceramic classes here in MN. I used to take them a long time ago with my mom. I wanted to make some planters for my many many plants. :) Couldn't find any near the city though.

You should sell them! :) Very nice! Maybe you'd be willing to make some self watering ceramic hanging planters. I've only run across these once. They were just like AV pots w/the water basin but bigger & hanging of course! :)

I just graduated with my BFA in ceramics, and just about done setting up my new studio in the basement of my apartment house. I didn't think to look here at DG for non-plant selling/trading... but lo and behold - there it is right on center top!

Thanks for the heads up!