Pardon my lack of knowledge up front. I know just about nothing about plants. This is one of the only plants I've ever had (much to my mom's chagrin), but I saved it from some old roommates that weren't watering it and nursed it back to health and it has a special place in my heart now.
I've had this plant for almost 4 years now.
Each spring the plant has reinvigorated itself, sprouting large and green new stalks and many new green petals (although it only ever flowered once the first year - pink flowers).
I have had to trim it back every year (often several times a year) because it began to really run away with growth and was getting too big for its pot and too big for the place I keep it in my apartment.
This year something different is happening. The plant looks really bad and I think it is dying.
Here's what I'm seeing:
- There are bugs (I think on it!) I literally saw this for the first time while posting this and reviewing close ups of photos! This must be the main problem...how can I solve this!?
- There is white powdery stuff on some of the stalks and leaves.
- The stalks themselves are no longer a vibrant green, but now feel hard and a bit scaly (maybe this is because the plant has matured and started to grow almost a bark?)
- Some of the stalks are quite hard, but then up near the top, they get soft and droop over under their own weight.
- Some of the stalks are thin and almost desiccated right in the middle, meaning they are thicker both above and below the middle are where the stalk has almost disintegrated completely.
- There were a couple weeks, I think it missed enough sunlight over the winter, but I've tried to remedy that by putting it outside.
- I also repotted it recently with plant soil (Miracle Gro brand) that has soil enriched Miracle Gro plant food.
- The root system wasn't too extended at all, it just needed new earth.
I've attached some photos for reference.
Questions:
What should I do?
If the plant can't be saved, should I take a smaller piece of it and try to plant just that? In one of the pictures you can see the stalk looks healthier.
I've had this plant for almost 4 years now.
Each spring the plant has reinvigorated itself, sprouting large and green new stalks and many new green petals (although it only ever flowered once the first year - pink flowers).
I have had to trim it back every year (often several times a year) because it began to really run away with growth and was getting too big for its pot and too big for the place I keep it in my apartment.
This year something different is happening. The plant looks really bad and I think it is dying.
Here's what I'm seeing:
- There are bugs (I think on it!) I literally saw this for the first time while posting this and reviewing close ups of photos! This must be the main problem...how can I solve this!?
- There is white powdery stuff on some of the stalks and leaves.
- The stalks themselves are no longer a vibrant green, but now feel hard and a bit scaly (maybe this is because the plant has matured and started to grow almost a bark?)
- Some of the stalks are quite hard, but then up near the top, they get soft and droop over under their own weight.
- Some of the stalks are thin and almost desiccated right in the middle, meaning they are thicker both above and below the middle are where the stalk has almost disintegrated completely.
- There were a couple weeks, I think it missed enough sunlight over the winter, but I've tried to remedy that by putting it outside.
- I also repotted it recently with plant soil (Miracle Gro brand) that has soil enriched Miracle Gro plant food.
- The root system wasn't too extended at all, it just needed new earth.
I've attached some photos for reference.
Questions:
What should I do?
If the plant can't be saved, should I take a smaller piece of it and try to plant just that? In one of the pictures you can see the stalk looks healthier.
