If you look closely at the photo I've attached you'll see the new bud growth (4) at the bases of two of the three remaining branches. Because of a lack of proper sun light I've acquired a grow lamp that could be contributing to this new bud growth but I alse have to thank moochinka for the advise to cut back on some of the branches.These are the three remaining branches. They seem to be getting longer and longer, but on a positive note though there is the (4) new bud growth. Is there a safe way to control the growth length of these three remaining branches without damaging the tree? It just seems so stringly and spindly at this stage! Is there any way I can promote more new budding at the bases of the limbs? The orphan and its companions are thriving thanks to the knowledge I've acquired on the forum. Thanks bonsaiprice

Hi Cassidi, Your money tree is quite impressive, especially with you living in a dry climate like Colorado. Drooping leaves can sometimes be attributed to a root bound plant, meaning that the roots are choking each other and making it hard for the plant to get the air and water it needs. When was the last time you repotted your money tree? Misting will help with the browning on the tips. The average home is dryer than the sahara desert, mostly because of AC and frequent cool air movement. In the garden shop I work at we had a money tree doing the same browning and dropping of leaves as you described. Misting helped quite a bit. The black spots could be a bacterial problem. Did they show up after the plant started looking sad or before? If after, then they came because the plant was in a weakened state. If before, then the bacteria might be the source of the problems. Do the black spots turn into the little holes in your plant? If its bacteria then the only way you can control it is to pull all the leaves infected and throw them away. Also the cleaning mentioned above might help. I recommend letting the soil dry out between waterings. This allows the roots to breathe and would be a good recovery tactic if your plant is root bound. Also be sure to fertilize your plant with a slow release (preferably organic) fertilizer. This will allow the plant to take the nutrition it needs and not burn the plant like some liquid fertilizers can. Well, I hope I helped. Good luck on your Pachira's recovery. Sincerely, Roselyn Small

Your plant is providing you with indications it has an unhappy root system (I looked at the video), and a healthy plant isn't possible unless the roots are happy. FWIW, the overwhelming % of growers who arrive here seeking help are here because of issues related to poor root health/function. If you can't water your soil to the point where it's fully saturated and at least 15-20% of the total volume of water you applied during the watering process has exited the drain hole, your soil is a limiting factor and you'll be fighting it for control over your plant's health until you get the plant into something more appropriate. Simply adding a large fraction of perlite to an already inappropriate soil is a step in the right direction, but all you end up with is an inappropriate soil with a lot of perlite in it. Additionally, you have the fact that Feb thru Apr are probably the worst months to consider repotting to work around. The extra soil volume you added is counterproductive at this point (increases the impact of issues related to excess water retention), so I think I would probably remove the recently added soil and return the plant to it's old pot, after inspecting the roots for rot and correcting any issues I discover. Then, I would flush the soil thoroughly and learn how to deal with the excess water retention until mid to late Jun when I would repot into something more appropriate. There is more to talk about and more specific instructions, but I'll hold on that until I learn whether or not you're interested in following a course that approaches the situation from the plant's POV, which is essentially making sure the things that are most likely to be limiting your plant are fixed. Al

yikes.. i ddint even notice the leek like depth .. and that again.. can be a media failure .. or your fault.. in the sense of potting it too fluffy.. and it sinking in the pot ... when you use the right media.. you can pack the plant in there... so it wont sink ... yet the good media.. still allows water flow .... i hope babka sees this.. and maybe gives us a pic of an unpotted hosta of hers.. in her supreme media mix ... to my eye.. your plant.. looks like it was struggling to put roots down the center.. with a few longer roots that went to the side of the pot that reads media failure .. in the sense that when you watered.. the water did not flow thru the media as a whole .. but tended to puddle and run down the sides of the pot.;. so thats where the hosta put the roots ... but that leaves most of your root mass .. not performing to perfection ... most of us.. deal with annuals in pots.. and since they die or are replaced every season.. you never really experience this ... but we are .. quite out of the ordinary ... growing perennials in pots.. and that add another level of problems ... and requires more frequent replacement of media ... and.. i am discussing this so you can learn .. and trust me on life getting in the way.. i have many more pots than you, that needed to be repotted 2 years ago ... lol ... so dont go all touchy feely on me .... unfortunately for me.. its more of a .... i dont care anymore thing ... ken