HELP! My African violet has stem rot!

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I don't know what happened to it. It was doing fine and gets treated the same as my other violets. One of the others has actually been doing better. This one has looked off for about a week (we thought it might need more dirt), and today it tilted over and disconnected from its roots, which look dry and hollow.

Is there a way to save it? Also, how do I propogate leaves from it, since it's likely terminal?

Here's what's left of it:

Featured Answer

aegis1000

5 years ago

Good news ... your plant didn't have root rot. Root rot would have killed your plant in short order (possibly a day), ... and your plant's clearly not dead. Something (other than root rot) ... caused your center stem to disintegrate at the root level (perhaps age), ... but has left you enough stem and upper foliage to restart as you have begun.

I have restarted plants a few times in the manner you are attempting. African Violets are rather miraculous that way.

The only advice I would offer is to remove a few of the lower row of leaves ... to propagate as a backup to what you're doing now. That will leave a bit more stem to root on your plant ... and lessen the number of leaves to support as the plant tries to recover ...

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Comments (11)

BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
Original Author
5 years ago
I cut off the remaining bad stem ...

I'm going to follow these instructions:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KE0_d_E6NMk
BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
Original Author
5 years ago
We cleaned its pot (soap&water and alcohol wipe) and filled it with this medium:

Moistened, planted, and put it in a bag:

Is there hope?
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party_music50
5 years ago
ugh -- I typed a long response then had a system problem and lost it.

There should be hope. The top-down photo doesn't show how long the neck is, but I would have removed enough of the lower leaves (especially very wrinkled ones) to expose enough neck so that it could take root quickly. After cutting the neck, I gently scrape any brown 'skin' off the outside, dip the neck into rooting hormone, then plant it in moistened potting mix. I don't ordinarily use plastic to enclose it -- just water it gently as needed.

Re propagating from leaves, it usually works best to take a leave from the 2nd/3rd row -- old enough to be mature but not too old. I cut it so the stem is about 1.5" long, dip it in water and then in rooting hormone, and plant it in moistened potting mix.
Rosie1949
5 years ago
Good point Aegis! Rosie
BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
Original Author
5 years ago
So my violet seems to have grown a root!

See the line at about 7 o'clock? It's not a petiole, so I'm pretty sure it's a root! I added a dusting of medium over it after taking this picture (just lightly covering, not deep or packed).

I didn't pull it up to trim leaves off because it seemed perkier, and I didn't want to go backwards. I have just a touch of water in the bottom of the bag to keep a slightly humid environment in its personal greenhouse. (Just a couple drops next to the pot, nktblike a puddle ... most of it evaporates and clings to the bag.)

Yes, definitely not dead! Good to know this wasn't rot. I couldn't figure out what we did wrong ...
BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
Original Author
5 years ago
It's doing really well! It got moved (in its bag) to slightly more sun (about two feet over from its previous spot), and it permed up really nicely!

It'll probably come out of its personal humidity-controlled greenhouse (bag) soon.
party_music50
5 years ago
It's looking much better -- I'm glad you saved it.
BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA thanked party_music50
BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
We're glad its been saved, too.

It is now out of ICU and even has new leaves!

(We trimmed off the lower leaves that it had pretty much discarded.)

(3 little baby leaves in the center (inside the three young leaves))
Northern Gardener (3b west central MN)
4 years ago
I love me a good success story. :)

Joan
AnneCecilia z5 MI
4 years ago
Well done and nicely documented with your photos, BlueberryBundtcake! I second Joan.

Anne