Hi! I am checking on this for someone because I have no clue! We have a bouncy full spath with blooms coming up that has decided it would like to be a rare breed of leopard Spath no one has seen before. Unfortunately we don't agree with it and would like to convince it it was just fine the way it was. Any ideas on what can be done? Included is one close up of the leaves, it's done well hasn't it?
And one shot of the whole plant, dog feet included (dog wants me to get off DG and play)
P.S. Spath has not pouted in anyway or shed yellow leaves in a fit...yet.
This message was edited Jul 23, 2009 7:11 PM
Hmmm .... I doubt if it's an issue of over/under-watering, because it would manifest itself in wilting and necrotic (burned) leaf margins & tips. The pronounced puckering of the leaves and the general chlorosis would seem to suggest a magnesium deficiency, but it's difficult to tell. If asked to guess though, that would be my conjecture. The probability of it being a Mg deficiency increases considerably if the planting hasn't been repotted (or potted up) in a year or more, because the pH of the soil would have been originally been adjusted with dolomitic lime and the Mg fraction of the lime is about 125X more soluble than the Ca fraction, which means it's first to be depleted. Also, if you're using a soluble fertilizer that doesn't contain Mg, like Miracle-Gro, your odds of it being a Mg deficiency are also increased.
This plant doesn't respond at all well to high levels of soluble salts in the soil, so I would suggest that you flush the soil thoroughly several times, then fertilize with a fertilizer that contains Mg (like Foliage-Pro 9-3-6, or add 1/4 tsp Epsom salts (MgSO4) to a half gallon of 1/4 strength fertilizer solution (use 24-8-16 or 12-4-8 MG if you don't use the FP 9-3-6. Both/all are 3:1:2 RATIO fertilizers) and fertilize with that.
The other possibility is a pH induced deficiency of Fe and probably other micro-nutrients, which, if you've been using a soluble fertilizer, can probably be alleviated simply by adding the equivalent of an ounce or two of vinegar (per gallon) of irrigation water each time you water. The pH reduction will make the Fe and other micro-nutrients already in the soil more readily available.
Al
I was thinking re-potting would be a good thing to try. We tried feeding it and it didn't seem to make a difference, but it was a weak solution to be safe. Deficiency is certainly a possibility. I think it's been in the same pot for awhile. Well, we can start with the re-pot and flush then give it a good fertilizing once it's settled into it's new pot.
I was also wondering if it might be too much light. It was moved from a lower light location to a brighter one to encourage blooming. The blooms are starting but the foliage beauty went down hill. It all happened in about a month. Pretty much as soon as it was moved, and obviously fast. No direct sun just bright light.
But then there's no leaf burning or anemic looking leaves outside with darker leaves in the protected inside. It's pretty evenly freaked out. That's when I started thinking deficiency may be the cause and decided to go for a DG opinion :)
Thanks!
It's not an issue of too much light. The foliage says that plainly. When you do decide to move forward, please be sure the plant is getting Mg - either via your fertilizer or with an Epsom salts supplement.
You can actually test to see of it's a Mg deficiency by mixing 1/4 tsp of Epsom salts in a quart of water & spritzing some of the leaves - both sides. If the leaves you spritzed with the solution show signs of greening up within a week or so, it's a Mg deficiency.
Good luck.
Al
I will try it! Thank you!
Icanfindroom: Did you ever find out what the problem was with your Spath? You might want to post your photo's over on the Aroid Forum: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/aroids/all/ there are a couple of folks over there who are experts with these plants and might recognize the problem right away.
I have large Tree Philo's in my yard that have been there for 35 years and all of a sudden this spring one of them decided to put out new leaves that were a pretty variegated looking leaf. I was hoping that maybe I could get many more with those gorgeous leaves but come to find out it is some kind of virus that affects some aroids.
I hope your plant is just sulking because of some minor change and it is nothing serious. Keep us posted!
Hi! Thanks for the Aroid Forum tip, I'll try that out. I gave it some epsom salts and it seems to be a tad better, or maybe I've been looking at it too long. If that doesn't work I'll try something else. I've seen a pattern like that before but usually one leaf as it was starting to turn yellow. None of these leaves have & all the roots are healthy and happy, white everywhere. If I can just figure out what it's missing I'm sure it'll come back.
Aren't most variegated plants from viruses? I think I recall reading that somewhere. Maybe yours will be a harmless one and continue growing that way. :)
Gee, I LOVE variegated foliage and didn't know that variegated plants were from viruses! In that case I wish the virus would attack a bunch of my plants, LOL.
I was told the variegation in the new leaf on my Tree Philo was from some mosaic virus that is not good: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/976980/
Ah, checked out your link, indeed not good! Has it gone away? In this case I hope so!
Here's a link with a small bit of info. on the kind of variegation that's good LOL! http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/POW/variegated_plants.htm
Oh, very interesting! Thanks for supplying that link!
My Tree Philo's all seem to be okay, no more variegation showing up. I pruned off the bad leaf on that affected one back in April as suggested and am glad I haven't seen more of it. It sure was pretty but if it means the eventual demise of the plants if left alone, I'd rather get rid of the infected part.
True :) Glad your plant is o.k.
Don't forget that nutrients are only chemically available to plants when the soil pH is correct. If you haven't repotted it in eons, the soil has been breaking down and the pH has likely changed. You can pour a gallon of magnesium in there, and with the wrong pH, the plant just can't use it.
I'd definitely repot, remove some of the worst of the leaves and switch to a fertilizer with micronutrients for bi-weekly feeding. Osmocote (long release) has micronutrients and you can scatter about half the recommended rate on the package if you want to reduce hand fertilizing to once a month.
Technically, media pH is not as important as you suggest in container culture. It's the pH of the soil solution that's most important.
Al
Hi! Haven't re-potted yet but the salt didn't help. It is blooming and growing but still looks like crud. I'm planning on putting it in some Miracle Grow soil, that should give it whatever it needs for a bit. See if that makes a difference.
