What have I done?!

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dead_thumb Lenexa, KS Aug 02, 2013

I have three plants that I have had in the same spots in my house for the last year.
White bird of paradise
Dumbcane
Rubber plant

This spring they were all busting out of their pots so I repotted them. They continued to grow and put out new, larger leaves after I repotted them so I thought I had done well by them. However each one of them has simply stopped growing. The bird of paradise and dumbcane haven't put out a new leaf for at least a month, although they are still green and healthy. The rubber plant is putting out new leaves, but each one is smaller and slightly oddly shaped compared to the previous leaf. I am watering them with distilled water, I have not moved them, and they are getting the same amount of sun they have always gotten.
The only thing I have done lately is to put fertilizer stakes in the pots. It certainly didn't seem to help with growth, and I hope I haven't somehow hurt them. Please let me know if you have any idea of what has stunted their growth, or what I can do to help them to thrive again.

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purpleinopp Opp, AL(Zone 8b) Aug 03, 2013

I would take those spike things out of the pot, stories like this about them are common.

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Gitagal Baltimore, MD(Zone 7a) Aug 09, 2013

And--I have a question---a common mistaake newbies make.

When you re-potted the plants--in a bit bigger pot, I assume,
did you put extra soil on top of the surface of the plant to make up for
it now being deeper in the new pot??????

Bigger pots are also deeper. You have to make up the difference by
adding the extra soil (Usually about 2") at the bottom -NOT on the top.

Just asking--as sometimes people do not know that one must NEVER
bury a plant deeper than it grew in the previous pot.

IF you did this--please remove the plant and pot it up correctly.
It may make a big difference.
Gita

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purpleinopp Opp, AL(Zone 8b) Aug 10, 2013

Good question! There can be an adjustment period after a repot also, how are things progressing this past week?

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ficuswrangler St Petersburg, FL Aug 28, 2013

Good points. Another thing that comes to mind - 2 things actually - how much bigger were the new pots, and possibly the plants are busy growing new roots. Most growers and other professionals advise increasing only 1 size when up-potting, 6" to 8", 8" to 10", etc. If you increase too much, the amount of soil unoccupied with roots tends to stay too moist, inviting problems such as root rot. In fact, rubber trees (Ficus decora) are one of the plants that respond to overwet soil by growing smaller and smaller leaves. There is also the observation that plants tend to fill the available soil with roots before they grow leaves, so that may be part of what's going on.

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