Hi everyone!

I have many Silver Arrows in "Deco" pots (that is water with stones popular back in the 1970's so you know how old these plants are) and one of the tallest (almost 4 feet tall!) the stem from top of pot/stones to about 2 feet has turned brown. (See photo-stem in background) I know sometimes this happens and it gets mushy then the plant (which is still now green and healthy for next 2 feet above ) will wilt and fall over.

My question is ---since its been so long that I have done this, how do I save or propagate this plant?

Do I cut just above the brown section? Or does the brown section need to be in the water too?

Should I just use plain water to begin with? Or from day one use the special high fertilizer "Deco" brand mix I still have?

How long to wait until root system develops?

I ask this as a smaller plant (only 10 inches tall) did this in another pot about two years ago, I just cut it off and stuck it in water and it grew roots but when I put it in the stones I got fuzzy white mold on them and it killed the plant (I had sterilized the stones using hotwater/bleach and rinsed out well and air dried for a week before the transplant from water only to water and deco plant fertilizer in the rocks). I tried to kill the mold with alcohol and Q-tips, etc. nothing worked.
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Hope someone can help me before I make the same mistake with this tall plant! Its beautiful but suddenly turned brown (I mean in mid August, it took me a while to find your site and sign up).

Thanks for all your help!

(Does anyone else out there still use Deco plants?)

This post was edited by Forest_of_Houseplant on Mon, Sep 2, 13 at 16:21