I have several cuttings growing strongly, but my Rosamond cutting is being unique with its leaves. They are folded out. I'm attaching a picture to help you see what I mean. Does the Rosamond have any special preferences of which I'm not aware? The other cuttings are doing great under the exact same conditions.
Thanks in advance for any advice you might have!
Have you checked the underside of the leafs for spider mites?
She's here next to me and I just investigated the underside of her leaves. I don't see any bugs at all! I don't know if the picture shows it well enough or not, but ther are two small leaves sprouting from the middle and they are not yet curved.
The leaves do have a fragrance after rubbing them. I've never rubbed brug leaves so I don't know if this is a normal scent or not. Not a very pleasant scent really.
I think it is the nature of the beast,I was sitting and wondering this tonight,mine seems to want to curl,other cuttings are going up like crazy.I do not want to lose it,so seeing it head for the floor was bringing concern.
Sure hope someone with experience with this plant,will give a clue.is this normal?
Morph,
Spider mites are nearly impossible to see. They are very tiny. Mostly, you can just see the damage that they do and spider webbing. Do you have a magnifying glass? You might be able to see them that way. Do you see any webbing at all? My brug leaves curled exactly like that when I had spider mites. It could also be a reaction to overfertilization. I would remove all but the top leaves, and I would then spray the remaining leaves with Safer's Insecticidal Soap or Raid.
Yours is a Rosamond, too, Root? Your leaves look in better shape than mine, but the way the branch is curling over is unique.
I've thought of trimming her back; moving to less light; either watering her more or watering her less; it's just a tough decision on which might be the likely cause!
Mites are so small it's almost impossible to see them without a magnifying glass. If you have one check with it, they are like tiny specks and you will also see white webbing, it kind of looks like the leafs are dusty underneath.
I use the tip of a led pencil and kind of poke at the specks to make them move. I do that to see if I have killed them too.
I had one I discovered mites on a while ago and the leafs looked just like that.
Okay, I'll go find a magnifying glass at the store and take a look tomorrow ~ sniff, sniff. I don't believe I'm overfertilizing since I'm just giving them good old fashioned H2O right now. My other cuttings don't appear to have any problem and they were all so close together. I've seen the white webbing you're describing, Paintedlady, on other brugs that I brought inside that are full grown. But, they are in a separate room all together.
Thanks for the advice!
I'm already shooting with Avid,so I think mine is a growth thing.
Root, your plant doesn't look the same. Actually it looks pretty good to me. I would just stake it. It looks like it might be growing faster than the stem can harden to keep it upright.
I have a Rosamond too and it is growing normally.
Wierd leaves eh?
Lookie here, dang little Knightii cutting scared me for a while ;-P
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Doc and Scooterbug, do you see webbing at all? All of mine that had leaf curl had webbing all over the stems and between the stems, and the new leaves would become crispy and fall off. It's very frustrating and hard to get rid of.
Guess I should have added that I thankfully do not have bug problems *knocks on wood*
Some doubles do this when young, especially this time of year when growth is not optimum.
Morph,some brugs do release a fragrance then brushed against.
......Look for mite webs at the leaf/stem joint also. If you spray, hold the plant and turn it around so you can get all sides of leaves and stems.
Good Luck,
Shirley
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This message was edited Dec 10, 2003 11:36 PM
Morph-I have smelled that same smell you are talking about-it's kind of like what pepper spray smells like (from a distance) or something like that. I don't know, just reminds me of once when I was near someone who got sprayed with pepper spray and I got a faint hint of the smell/or feeling. It is an odd smell.
they all but Roots, look like mites to me. When the plant is that small, I use Neem oil. I make sure I spray the leaves totally, esp on the back. It usually takes one spraying if I do it well. You need to get them right away for they will spread so fast!!! I follow up with that rose food with systemic insecticide. But beware, that stuff sure can burn your brugs if you use too much.
If I even suspect mites, I treat. Not worth waiting for once they get a good footing into your collection it is tough to get rid of them.
Thanks kell, This is what I was told....Now I am more confused'er than before..LOL
shirley
Germany-Brugvalley
Many doubles show this during wintertime,that´s normal. I would not water to much. If a brug is to dry it will look wilt not curled. May be it are spider mites,too.
Thanks Ludger,
...............I really did not think they were to dry for as you said they would wilt, but my leaves are firm.
............I know what spider mites are and I know I do not have any. I check everything in the morning with my mag glass in one hand and spray bottle in the other looking for any little buggers =)
Germany-Brugvalley
7b Ok:-) wait for spring. I believe the leaves will look better.
This message was edited Dec 11, 2003 10:56 AM
Well, I do not know Shirley, I am no expert. But I would treat it for the plant is so small it will be easy. Why take a chance?
I understand there is a mite that you cannot see. Have you seen the damage the fuschia mite causes? I hear the cyclamen mite is terrible also.
I will ask Monika to look at this thread. Susie is back in town also so maybe she will weigh in also.
Thanks a bunch kell,
Shirley
Morph, it is caused by an unbalance of light, water and nourishment. It could have damaged the roots. Since it is winter, the plant must be watered less and should be fertilized only every two weeks and never in such a quantity like in the summer, when it is in full growth. Check the roots first, if they are ok. They should be white. Keep the plant slightly moist and give it more light. Spider mite damage looks different as far as I am able to see it on the picture. Cyclamen mite damage the top first and the lower, older leaves are the last. Cyclamen mites like it less warm and with much more humidity as Spider mites.At least, the german pests do it LOL!
Thanks so much Monika and everyone for your insights! I didn't see any mites at all and no webbing either. However, I did spray it just in case.
I did trim back the leaves, too, except for the two newest ones. With Monika's advice, I will take a look at the roots as well and make certain they are white. If they are not white, should I cut the end off and try again. Or, is the cutting likely bad all together?
My most interesting observation is as I stated before. This brug was among others that are completely healthy looking cuttings. Only this one and a double white cutting I purchased has shown this leaf curl. The double white cutting is in a separate area of the house completely.
Thanks all!!!
Oh, and Scooter & Jenks, thanks for verifying that leaf smell. I was kind of thinking it smelled like skunk in a weird sort of way so I must not be off my knocker too much!
Thanks Monika!!!
Thanks, Kell for your help & also asking Monika to help :~)
Let me know, if the roots are still intact. Rotted roots are of a brownish color and the skin can be peeled of.
I am glad you said that Monika, I have a Rosabelle and Versi-Alba doing the same thing. Once I started using a little poinsettia fertilizer on it (higher amount of Boron) it has started putting on normal leaves.
Scooterbug, I'm pretty sure Ludger is right in what he told you. This is my Knightii, it behaved just like yours, but it is starting to grow out of it. As you can see, the top leafs are starting to look normal and it hasn't been treated in any way.
Kris
Boy ain't that the truth,
........Leaves are better with each new one. I took a leaf off to use GS's microscope. Nothing going on .
.............I got a strange habit from my mom (the plant nut) for crushing a plants leaves and smelling them. Sounds weird but after all these years I can ID some that way.
......I showed my GS how to do this in the veggie garden this summer. Was he ever surprised that some made him think of pizza or 'baasketti.
................. The Knightii leaf smells fruity, very plesant. Now you know this info will be of utmost importance in the future, right?
LOLOL ;0)
Shirley,
>^..^< §
So Scoot, how is your Knightii now? What do the leaves look like?
Kell,
...................Couldn't seem to make it's way very well with what I thought were just low light winter conditions. I finally dumped it out to have a look and there were little worms, very little roots and the bark was all gone.
.........so with no evident life-support I tossed it --after I gave it a second chance by giving it an insecticide drink and burying it deeper hoping the shoots would root.....No way.-- So out it went .
....................... Ludger had me believing (back then ) that these were common [winter cutting] leaves for a double white.......BAH!
Live & Learn =)
I still think they are some kind of mite!
Who knows ? Not I !
..........Maybe the mag glass I was using is not strong enough ?
For future use I finally got a nice loupe.
.... It could be viral or fungal possibly ? It is amazing how these can effect a plant. 'Witch's Broom' growths are virus based. I have thought in the past of acquiring 'WB' affected brugs and trying to breed a mini brug . Oh well ! Another one of my loopier ideas shot down =)
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I understand there is one mite that you can't see Scoot. I will check with Susie on this.
Scooter, what are "Witch's Broom" growths?
If there is a mite you can't see, Kell, do you think the Avid would still take care of it?
Thx :)
I do not know Morph. I guess you would need to be able to see the mite before and after you treated it! LOL. If mine look weird like mite damage, I treat whether I can see them or not. I have good luck with Neem Oil.
Okay i have this same thing and i know for a fact that it is not spider mites! so what in the world is it? I have it scattered through my green house. the temp is about 70 and humidity 75% and higher! i am not wintering over i am growing them thru winter so its not taht either. and i have artificial light for them too. and i have tried cutting the leaves but they came out the same way. I have it on my passiflora and daturas and brugmansias! Any one have any clues or references? and it is not species specific it is on all differnet ones. oh and its not worms in the roots because i use marathon and that kills everything. Is it possible for the beneficial bugs to have something? because i use these for contol.
Thanks, Kitteness!!!!
Here's some advice I recently rec'd from BGIs.
"Morph, I had the same problem with Rosamond, Rosabell and Butterfly. I don't know why, but all of those turned out to have very low ph in the soil, down to about 3. After putting agricultural lime on the soil and watering it in a couple of time all the cuttings finally started to grow normally. If you still have the plant, try that. None of mine had any signs of stem problems." courtesy of Paintedlady at BGIs
"Morph, your curled leaves could also be a symptom of a calcium or boron deficiency. Or possibly a nitrogen excess. Not sure what caused yours, but just an idea of what could cause leaves to look like that. Symptoms of boron deficiency
New growth is brittle and deformed.
Symptoms similar to Calcium deficiency are seen on new growth.
New growth is mottled.
You can spray the leaves with a 0.02% boron solution. Just get the 20 Mule Team Borax and put 1 tsp per gallon of water and try spraying the leaves with that. This picture shows deformed leaves (older ones) and new growth is normal after treating with boron solution." courtesy of Mary at BGIs
Kitten what do you use for fertilizer? It sounds like their might be some nutrient deficiencies. maybe a fertilizer with trace elements will help.
Hunh! i am using a variety to see which one is working the best. ha ha ha! this problem is making it a bit difficult.
i am using the seaweed stuff mixed with compost tea, poinsettia fertilizer17-5-17, and scott's20-20-20. when i went to the greenhouse today i looked at them closely and i noticed some of the daturas are sending out nice new leaves that are not curling. But some of them are deformed. the brugmansia trees and passifloria that i have don't seem to be getting better . i have been seeing in some posts that something was being mixed with the poinsettia fertilzer, should i be adding something?
Although i the plants get a lot of light i am wondering if it just isn't reaching far enough out. I am going to move some into the full light and see what happens to the leaves.
How do i know what is the right minerals and trace elements to be using? I get confused when it comes to this.
Thanks taking time to help too!
