Adenium New Shoots Dying

9 years ago

I have an adenium which seems to be reasonably healthy apart from the new shoots it puts out. Alot of them turn browny/black and die before developing any further and I'm a bit puzzled as to why this keeps happening. Any advice would be appreciated, Thanks in Advance.

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greenclaws UK, Zone 8a

9 years ago

Hi again. As we are approaching our colder months I don't think you're going to get much growth at this time of the year, however, my best advise would be to repot the plant in a better soil mix as I honestly think it's currently planted in something that could cause problems. Even if it's planted in a commercial cactus mix, these soils aren't good for plants such as these, they're far too high in peat. What brand was it? My plants are inside the house 24/7 btw and obviously assume yours is too!

There are all manner of recipes/ingredients to use, a lot of the US growers can get hold of Turface, Napa floor dry, pumice, scoria, magic clay type granules from hydroponic stores (when did you see one of those here?) these are all 'foreign' ingredients to us over here, so we use what we can get hold of!

I grow mine in the following recipe, so if you're willing to try... grab a bag of perlite, sieve downwind and use the biggest grains, mix with equal amounts of bark chips, horticultural/alpine/aquarium grit and a good quality c/s mix. Grit and bark chips need to be of a roughly similar size. Had mine from B&Q, they should have them all year round. Bark from Pets at Home or similar, any pet store really, it's substrate for reptiles, again just sieve it. If you don't want to use these four ingredients, leave out the bark for instance. Watering in a true inorganic mix is something of a skill I find. The easiest/ most basic mix is half perlite, half c/s mix, I don't like the floaty nature of all that perlite though...just my opinion!

Mine are kept year round in south facing windows, full sun or whatever, they need as much light as poss and warmth too. Don't think our strongest sun will cause probs through glass, never has done for mine anyway, but new plants need to be transitioned to full sun gradually. How long have you had your plant btw?

Is the pot full of root? It looks rather large, maybe send a pic of pot and plant, easier to judge that way. I would definitely unpot and check the roots and put in better mix, a pic of the roots too if you repot, just to be sure would help, it won't hurt.

The congested look of the new buds are a result of the Keiki paste, have no experience of it, others have. Type keiki paste in the search box at the top and see what threads it reveals, have a read of them, maybe some info for you there :-) My crispy buds were food associated probs, but all sorted now. I use Chempak 8. Will look out for more news from you.

Gill

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Comments (6)

greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
9 years ago
Hi there, don't think we've met before, so welcome. If I've missed you previously, then still welcome!

Ok, maybe if you can add some location/zone info after your name that will help us to help you easier? Go to your houzz, top right hand of page, then click on the menu where it says edit profile, then scroll to add last name, type in somewhere in the globe and save at the bottom, may say update, can't recall. It should then add it alongside your user name.

Now, to your plant. Give us a bit more info on it pls, type of soil, how often watered, position sun/shade, indoors/outdoors....and most importantly, do you feed it, if so what with and how often? I've had similar issues with one of mine, was diagnosed as feed issues, lacking in lots basically. Also, are the roots ok, top growth probs can often be associated with rotting roots.

It looks like it's been grafted, can see clear substance in both pics, but there's no scion, the bit that's been grafted?? The growths are springing from under the graft point, so are on the rootstock which may be an inferior/common obesum....has it always been like this, without the grafted bit? Or maybe it's not been grafted onto and you cut it down yourself? Please tell.

Gill
cheerylongbottom
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi, and thankyou for the response. I live in the UK and this is my first foray into the adenium field. I bought it from Bakker.com as an Adenium obesum when they had them on special sale and don't think it was grafted it although it may have been :) it had one leaf bud where the long stem is now the others are the result of keiki paste on nodes which died back. It came bare rooted and I planted it in cactus soil and kept in a light position indoors although when its to hot (rarely here) I do take it out of prolonged sunlight. I water it one maybe twice a week but sparingly although I've yet to feed it.
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rcharles_gw (Canada)
9 years ago
cheerylongbottom,

Well you could not have had a response by anyone better than Gill. She knows your climate and has grown some special plants.

I need to ask. Is this plant, planted to a depth where it was previously? Where green ends and cream/white begins.

Rick
cheerylongbottom
Original Author
9 years ago
It came bare rooted from the supplier and I buried to where the green began and I could see evidence of old soil removal.
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
9 years ago
Sorry for long post! Forgot to say, watering less often and thoroughly, making sure it drains instantly and fully is better than watering more frequently and lightly.

Gill