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torisky

Wilting Peperomia

10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago

A few months ago, I picked up a new hanging plant to fill my vacant window spot. I'm pretty sure its some type of peperomia, but having purchased it from Lowe's, I didn't have a whole lot of information about it. I've been watering the plant every other week and it has been getting medium sunlight, as the directions on the tag said, but the plant has been losing its bright green coloration, and some portions are even turning brown/crunchy and falling off. The window I have the plant in doesn't get a high amount of light, so I don't think it's an issue of too much light. If anyone could help me save my plant, it would be greatly appreciated!!

Comments (9)

  • 10 years ago

    When I first got the plant (late March):


    Now:

  • 10 years ago

    Removing the attached drip tray has helped me tremendously with hanging plants in general. If that's not a bright window, hanging the plant a bit lower could help it get more light.

    Has the soil been staying moist or did it get very dry? The peaty stuff in which some store-bought plants are growing can really rot their roots. I would get some cuttings going in another pot.

    torisky thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    The cuttings for this plant root very easily in water and in soil. So, you won't need to worry too much about taking cuttings as suggested above.

    I'm thinking that if you remove that tray, a load of water will come out.

  • 10 years ago

    TY, Lauren, I forgot to say why one would remove that. Most of those pots are designed so that about 1/2 inch of water can be hiding in there, rotting roots.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    Yes, I forgot about the drip tray until you mentioned it. I always take those darn things off. When I read your comment, I thought about how much water collects in them!

  • 10 years ago

    Thank you both so much!

    I took the drip pan off and there was some water in there. The soil currently feels like its retaining a lot of moisture. How can I tell if the plant has rotten roots, and is there anything I can do to help it? I also lowered the plant a bit to give it a little more light.

  • 10 years ago

    That peaty, never-dries-out stuff in the pots of for-sale plants can be very difficult or impossible to remove from roots. That's why I like to get cuttings going first, then attempt to repot the original roots. It's too late in the year this year, but installing plants in the ground for a few months can help remove that peat from roots.

    A fan blowing gently or ceiling fan running for an hour or 2 per day, (or longer,) can help plants use excess soil moisture, and avoid some of the stem weakness that plants can develop if there is never any wind to resist. The latter is kind of a moot point with a dangling/creeping plant, but something to keep in mind for other, woody/upright entities.

  • 10 years ago

    Yes, I had a feeling that was going to be the case. I agree with Tiffany about taking some cuttings. The upside is, if the plant recovers, it will be bushier since you took cuttings.

    In addition to Tiffany's advice for letting air blow on it, I'd suggest poking a very thin skewer in to kind of loosen the soil if it is very wet and peaty. I use the end of super thin kids watercolor paint brush and very gently just slide it in the soil to create a bit of air and unpack peaty, damp soil.

    These plants can be resilient, so perhaps it will perk back up if you allow it to dry out.

    I just repotted mine in a faster draining mix, and it really loves it.

    The cuttings can be rooted in water in about three or four days. Or you stick them in some soil, and they will do fine. Very resilient, and easy to propagate.

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