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plant beginning to die after repotting

8 years ago
I recently re-potted this plant and now the leaves are beginning to turn yellow or brown and the base of the plant looks unhealthy. What can I do to save it? I water once a week and it has indirect sunlight for many hours a day. It was doing very well until the re-potting one week ago

Comments (16)

  • 8 years ago

    Did you disturb the roots during the repotting?

  • 8 years ago
    I’m not sure
    I thought I left everything in tact when I moved it. Although, it’s less tightly packed into the pot now and spreading out further- maybe that is causing some issues?
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Disturbing the roots won’t kill or even harm a plant if you keep them moist while doing so.

    And you should disturb them, untangle and prune them. Otherwise you’re not repotting, you’re onky potting up.

    Youre watering too often. Do you sense any moisture in the pot? If so, don’t water.

    what did you use for soil? It looks very heavy and dense.

    If you potted up and just took the plant out of its original pot, stuck it in a larger one and added dense heavy soil around the sides and bottom, you’re smothering it and it sounds like over watering too.

    Take it out and put it back in its original pot. Check for rotting roots and remove them.

    If it’s really saturated, leave it out on newspaper overnight to wick out some water.

  • 8 years ago
    Thank you, Dave! I only water once a week and typically do the knuckle test to make sure the soil is dry. It was just some generic potting soil that I used so you’re probably right about it being dense. I’ll take your advice and let it dry out. For the future though, how would I know when to water if it is seemingly dry but it’s evident that I’m over-watering?
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    The new container has drain holes, right? Even this new one is actually on the small side. So I am not wild about the idea of stuffing your fan palm back into the old pot - there is no such thing as over-potting, commercial growers plant small plants in big pots all the time. And palms aren't true woody plants, don't seem likely to need cutting of roots misdirected by container walls.

  • 8 years ago
    Thank you, everyone. Any advice on what kind of soil to buy? Is it possible to save this plant with some drying-out and replanting in better soil?
  • 8 years ago

    Suggest you look at the 5-1-1 mix discussed endlessly on the Container Gardening and Houseplants forums.

  • 8 years ago
    I replanted back into a smaller container with soil recommended by the expert at my local gardening place after letting the plant dry out overnight. I recently watered it before pulling it out of the pot to dry out. When would be the appropriate time to water it again, now that the roots have dried?
  • 8 years ago

    You dont want the roots to dry out. Just the soil to dry out a bit.

  • 8 years ago
    Oh, maybe that’s all I meant. I did put it in new soil though. Should I give it a week or so to water or do it now?
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Oh it's inside soo temps are pretty low. Lay off the water for maybe a week or so until you see movement. You would have wanted wet roots searching into dry soil.

  • 8 years ago

    Under stress, it's better the soil lil dryer than normal since the plant have difficulty on absorb and remove water. Yellow and some green leaves will dry. That's normal. When it get balance on absorb and remove water (through evaporation), the plant will be back to it's normal metabolism even if only few leaves remain.

  • 8 years ago
    Here is the same plant after letting the dirt dry out overnight before putting back in original pot with premium soil- is it a goner?
  • 8 years ago
    Most if not all of the remaining leaves are shriveled and dead.
  • 8 years ago
    There are these shoots