Rotting and Rooting

9 years ago

So, my poor adult tree rotted out in one branch (out of 3) and partially down the trunk. I cut the trunk down to where it was clean and saved the other two branches. I am so sad as this was the only adult tree I brought with me from SoCal to Portland 3 years ago. :( And the only one that would flower (all the rest are babies).

Right now, the original trunk is still in the same huge pot, should I re-pot it into something smaller or just leave it and let it grow? I potted the other two branches into one pot because I am running out of space. Is that okay?

Both are indoors until next May. The two that need to root are on a heat mat and somewhat under a light. The rooted cut trunk is off to the side (get's some light). What are your thoughts?

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the_first_kms2

9 years ago

While your conditions and the way they impact plumeria are not very familiar to me...I am unsure how a short or even week long period of cool/wet weather would cause rot on a branch. Conventional wisdom would indicate rot due to cold and wet would start in the root system. Supposition on my part but probably accurate based upon you finding clean wood would indicate the rot did not travel from the bottom up.

Example of rot moving from the bottom up: I had a generic "Hawaii Red" which this spring succumbed to rot from being too wet (highly unlikely cold was a factor). I noticed some indicators and investigated further. It rotted from the roots up the center of the stem (the outside looked fine as it was still green with white sap) but the soft center (i forget the name but almost like the marrow) was fully rotten. I took the whole thing and tossed it in the trash and the pot went to the recycle bin.

Consider looking for some alternative reasons for the rot such as insect damage at a leaf node or the branch was touching a cold masonry wall or something which kept it cold and wet at the point where rot began versus the soil was just cold and wet. It doesn't help or change your current situation but for the knowledge gained and paid.

Perhaps you are aware of these techniques but I'll post them for reference purposes:

Use a thermal break such as a piece of wood if you are placing the container on a concrete surface.
Do not use a drip tray or saucer.
Use a wick in the bottom of your container to help remove standing water.
Every so often during very wet conditions lean the container over to one side (at about a 45 degree angle) and hold it there for at least a half hour to reduce trapped water. This only works if you have drain holes at the bottom edge versus the center bottom of the container.

I hope this helps with the parts you have left. as far as the original plant's root structure and container. I would leave it in the current container and monitor for regrowth (or rot). If you can place it on the heat mat it would be a good thing. I often will throw multiple cuttings into the same container to root as well. the only issue is to watch for signs of rot in those cutting to prevent it from spreading to both.

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Comments (7)

Nancy
9 years ago
So very sorry about your tree Kelela. Must break your heart especially after moving him from SoCal. Was it rain or dampness do you think? I live over here on the coast in Seal Rock, and it seems like we had a short summer this year.
pdxcher
Original Author
9 years ago
It was the weather. It had been very warm, so I watered it and then the temps dropped, it was overcast and cold overnight, so it didn't get a chance to dry up and the rot started in one branch. I didn't realize what it was until it got to the trunk. Only half the trunk was infected, but I had to cut it to save the other two branches. It was very heartbreaking.

Do you have any plumies over there? My bf and I are half-arsed thinking about moving to the coast. Wondering how harder it will be to raise my plants.
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Nancy
9 years ago
That's really sad Kelela. It sounds like it happened so fast too :(

All my plumies are indoors under lights. They'll never be outside except maybe brief visits during an extended heat wave- 76*-82*. My backyard is the ocean and there's much too much wind even in the summer, and it blows hard. But if you live even 1000 feet back from the edge of the ocean the weather is warmer, 5-10* worth, and the wind more of a breeze. I think your plumies would probably do fine from late June till mid-Sept if you live a bit further back, and you'd still have an oceanview.

I love it here. Can't think of a more beautiful place to live.
pdxcher
Original Author
9 years ago
the_first_kms2,

Thank you for your long explanation. I have to say, most of my plants get soft in the branch before it hits the trunk/root, so I'm not sure what is causing that. The first sign of trouble was when the leaves were drooping. It was slight, I figured it needed water (it had been very warm for a length of time). I watered it and then nothing. I watered it one more time and that's when the temps dropped (by 20 degrees during the day and by 30 overnight from what it had been) for about a week when I finally realized, OMG, it could be rot! The other two branches still had leaves growing, not drooping, looking very healthy. Heck, even after I cut the other two branches, they continued to grow lots of leaves (I finally cut them off so they'd focus on rooting, not growing leaves).

I pin tested all the branches and the trunk. That's how I found out it was about half the trunk where the branches split. I cut off the infected branch, sprayed the cut on the trunk with insecticide. Checked it the next day, the rot was moving so I cut more off (the other two branches were still connected). Checked it again one more day later, it looked okay, but I didn't want to chance losing the entire thing, so I made the hard decision to cut the trunk and root the other two branches.

Because of this, this is the only reason why I think the rot started in the branch and moved down (not up from the roots). Oh, it was on a rolling base (not on the ground), wasn't touching anything, but it was the branch farthest away from the sun. I didn't see any bugs or anything wrong with the leaves except the drooping (that's why I thought it was in need of water).

I have no idea if my trunk will regrow or not, but as suggested, I'll try and get some bottom heat for it. Glad to hear the other two are good to root in the same pot (seriously running out of space and I have 6 more seedling growing, haha).

Again, thank you for all the suggestions.
pdxcher
Original Author
9 years ago
petuniafish,

Good to know about living at least 1,000 feet back. BF would like to live up a bit too. That may not help with the wind, but maybe with the sun/warmth? I told him, if we move, we need to make sure we have enough money for me to build an insulated/heated greenhouse. Haha. I've got 17 plumeria's growing at all different stages, gotta keep them alive somehow.
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the_first_kms2
9 years ago
Maybe this one just has to be put into the "sometimes it just happens" category. I have had my share of those too. Best of luck with the cuttings you have and the root stock.

Usually when I don't have a precise reason for an event like this I fall back on Neem oil treatment(s) (to reduce insect and fungal issues), +/- sunlight, and/or +/- watering (increase or reduction depending on time of year) to force a reaction from the plant. At the very least doing that gives me the impression of being on the offensive and the plant responding or not responding in the expected fashion tells me more. Then I use that knowledge to try other things. Sometimes it doesn't work but most of the time you find a positive response and the plant recovers.