My list of Sansevieria
Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years ago
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Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years agoStush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years agoRelated Discussions
My $5 sansevieria from Lowes
Comments (40)So this morning I was out and about in town with hubby. We had to visit BBS to look for motion detectors, paint, and such. I took this as an invite to see if the stores got any new sans. What I saw saddened me. Lowes has several large black robustas. But each pot full was affected/infected with large weepy blisters. Dropped them like a hot potato. Oh well. Oh dear. we had to go to Home Depot because Lowes did not have the paint needed. Wow oh wow there was a pallet full of sans....not that I need anymore. Yep, every Eve and Whitney was also covered in wet blisters. This makes the third store up here that has affected sans....See MorePlant newbie, unsure about the state of my sansevieria
Comments (2)First, repotting is different from potting up. It's more involved in that it usually includes bare-rooting, root pruning, returning the plant to the same pot, one smaller, or one larger - depending on soil choice. The more open (the larger the soil particles) the soil is, the less critical pot size becomes. The 3 primary considerations re when it is/isn't appropriate to repot are: 1) Timing - where the plant is in the growth cycle. Houseplants vary significantly in their ability to bounce back from repotting. While there are a few exceptions, most houseplants would rather be repotted sometime around mid-June. If you keep Father's Day or the summer solstice (June 21, annually) in mind, you can't go far wrong if you live in the N hemisphere. Working with your plant's natural rhythms instead at cross purposes to them makes good sense. In early spring, plants are usually still recovering from the adversities of winter which cause the plant to expend most or nearly all of its energy reserves. By waiting until mid-June, the plant will have substantially recovered from the outlay of most of its energy reserves; and, it will be entering into the most robust part of the growth cycle, when days are longest and light most intense. This ensures the fastest recovery possible, leaving the plant less susceptible to insects and diseases that are more likely to enter the picture during long recovery periods 2) Root congestion. At the approximate point in time where the root/soil mass can be lifted from the soil intact, important considerations like growth rate, vitality, appearances, and in some cases yields, begin to be negatively affected. The limitations increase in a direct relationship with the severity of the (root) congestion, and can rob up to 100% of the plant's genetic potential. Bare-rooting, root pruning, and a change to appropriate soil can work wonders for a plant and make you feel like you're a better nurturer. And if you think about it, the only reason we grow things is because we have that nurturing bone. 3) Existing soil. It's not at all unusual for a plant to arrive in a medium most growers would consider to be inappropriate. Sometimes a repot might be so needed that we're forced to overlook the fact roots aren't congested or the timing isn't right. For the most part, it's better to use a work-around until the timing better favors the plant; but, when you think the plant's viability is in question if you wait until mid-June, you occasionally have to 'go for it'. Your sans is sensitive to fluoride, which is accumulative in tissues. IOW, once the fluoride is in the leaf, it remains there and accumulates until it manifests in symptoms at leaf tips and margins. No matter how often the horticultural myth about allowing water to rest in an open container so the fluoride can gas off is repeated, it simply doesn't happen. In fact, as water evaporates from open containers, the fluoride left behind actually INCREASES the concentration of fluoride. If you can, irrigate with rain water, snow melt, distilled water, or condensate from air conditioners or dehumidifiers. I use a small and inexpensive reverse osmosis filtration system for drinking water and water for indoor plants. It delivers water with 0 PPM dissolved solids or the equivalent of distilled water. It's made a notable difference in my ability to keep foliage pristine. Perhaps you know someone with an r/o system you can get water from. Al...See MoreWhat’s wrong with my whale fin Sansevieria?
Comments (13)So Al, you mentioned that sips of water are not the ideal way to water. As noted in the piece about watering with a 'tell', watering in sips ensures there is no way for the dissolved solids in tapwater and fertilizer solutions to be removed from the soil. Eventually, the concentration of dissolved solids can get so high, water is actually pulled OUT of cells instead of entering cells during the essential osmotic process. This results in the tearing of plasma from cell walls, which is why the technical name for the issue is 'plasmolysis'. We commonly know it as fertilizer burn. I usually water most of my plants ether by running water through them untill fully saturated, or place them in a bowl of water and let them drink from below. The former is a better choice than the later. It's far more effective at removing accumulating dissolved solids from the soil. But i Have always been nervous to do this with all of my sans. so I do just give them sips of water every other week or so. How do you transition from sips to full saturation while knowing the soil will not stay that way and dry out in the appropriate time? The best way is to use a medium that drains thoroughly without any extra effort or special considerations. That's what I do. There are four other ways which immediately come to mind. After flushing the soil thoroughly, you can: 1) Hold small containers over the sink and move the container downward before reversing direction sharply to upward. You'll immediately see Newton's First Law of Motion in effect as water in the pot continues moving downward after the reversal in direction. You can remove ALL perched/excess water from manageable pots using this bit of science. 2) Tipping the pot and allow it to drain thoroughly. This is most effective when there are drain holes through the bottom of the pot AT the sidewall and the drain hole is at it's lowest point (after tipping the pot. Compare image B to A below. 3) Use a wick, which is best positioned through a drain hole in the pot's bottom at the sidewall. Let the wick dangle over the edge of a sink with the pot tipped as in B, until the pot completely stops draining before returning it to a collection saucer. For large pots, you might need to lift them above the collection saucer so water can drain. The wick should never be allowed to dangle in the effluent that exits the drain hole. 4) Efficient utilization of ballast, set in place when the planting is established, can eliminate 95% or more of a planting's ability to hold perched/excess water. Once it's become a part of the planting, it works passively to displace almost all soil capable of holding perched water, which is enemy #1 when it comes to root health. I’m very confident that the damage is mechanical. Me too. Do I need to remove the leaf? Or will it stop? It's not necessary to remove the leaf. Plants create walls or barriers to decay and injuries to protect viable parts of the organism. Dr. Alex Shigo wrote extensively about trees' ability to protect themselves this way, and came up with the acronym C.O.D.I.T., for compartmentalization of decay in trees, though the process is not limited to trees alone. So, if you remove the leaf, base your decision on whether or not you think the appearance of that particular leaf is tolerable. The plant would prefer that you keep it, and can chemically recognize when it's time to shed the leaf if/when it changes from an asset to a liability. Al...See MoreMy sansevieria moonshine leaves seem to crack
Comments (2)I'm sorry I don't know for sure and can only guess. Others will likely know more. It sounds like this is a relatively new plant - you've had it for about 2 weeks? Did the damage just appear? Do the cracks go all the way through the leaves ( = you can see light chining through) or are they on the surface of the leaf only? I had something like this happen on a Moonshine that was shipped to me. The damage ws just on the surface of the leaves and I assumed the leaves had been scratched a little during shipping or when I unpacked the plant. Hopefully others will have a more definitive answer for you. Your plant is pretty, and healthy-looking. Amanda...See MoreStush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years ago
Rockdale (RI Z6)
9 years agoStush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years agoStush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years ago
kwie2011
9 years agowoodnative
9 years agokwie2011
9 years agoStush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years agobarbmock
9 years agoHi guys,
I guess this is a good place to report in on the sans growing. Sadly I have lost most of my hahniis this winter. I think the problems started last summer when there was way too much rain. Even though they were covered by an umbrella, water blew in and settled in the crowns. But the good news is that my larger plants look like they are in pretty good shape and should start growing when I get them outside.
Stush that's a pretty impressive plant list. Way to go!
I'm spending a lot of time and energy with my new puppy, Penny. Sorry, I don't know why the pic is sideways.
Russ1023 (central Fla)
9 years agokwie2011
9 years agowoodnative
9 years agokwie2011
9 years agoRuss1023 (central Fla)
9 years agoStush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
9 years agoI think I am out of the woods so to speak. Lost a few crowns but still got something left of the main plant to reproduce. My fishtank upstairs.
My big stand in the cellar.
Top level
Lower level.
barbmock
9 years agowoodnative
9 years ago
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