I got a mass cane Saturday that had a brown spot on the leaf tip. I watered it Monday because the soil was dry, and then I noticed a smaller brown spot on the tip of the leaf on the smallest stock. I watered just around the base of the small stock Tuesday and haven’t touched it since but some of the leaves are still turning. Is once a week still too often to water it? Please advise, thank you!
Mass Cane turning yellow and brown at the leaf tips, Google says over watering?
- Thread starter iLoveCacti
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This plant likes a weekly watering. The important bit is the drainage, as it will hate staying soggy. The brown leaf tips indicate to me that the humidity is not sufficient, and would suggest using a spray bottle to mist the plant regularly.
A couple of thoughts for you... Your plant will prefer rain water. Do you have a rain barrel? They are much like cactus in this respect.
If you have a saucer under the plant pot, do you make sure that after watering, it is well enough drained so that the saucer stays bone dry?
Are the leaves soft/limp - or are they stiff and dry?
If you want to double check for root rot/over watering, take it out of the pot and have a look at the roots.
What does the compost smell like? Are the roots mushy or a red/brown colour?
If you have a saucer under the plant pot, do you make sure that after watering, it is well enough drained so that the saucer stays bone dry?
Are the leaves soft/limp - or are they stiff and dry?
If you want to double check for root rot/over watering, take it out of the pot and have a look at the roots.
What does the compost smell like? Are the roots mushy or a red/brown colour?
Thank you for your advice! I’ll see what I can do to get rainwater. There’s no saucer underneath, at some point I wanted to replant it into a different pot, but it’s new so I didn’t want to shock it. The leaves are supple.
I haven’t seen the roots yet. I also saw somewhere that mass cane doesn’t like flouride. My county says they don’t add flouride to the water on their website, but whether or not trace amounts are present in it from wherever the county gets it from I can’t say.
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Just because of your chosen name @iLoveCacti I thought you might like to have a look at the ones we have here - I'm afraid I am not so keen but Zigs is a fanatic! https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/building-a-new-cactus-house.21392/#post-246157
Looks like I gave a link to the middle of the thread
but as you will see, he has a youtube channel too!
Looks like I gave a link to the middle of the thread
but as you will see, he has a youtube channel too!That’s awesome! A greenhouse just for cactuses! That’s very cool thanks for sharing!Just because of your chosen name @iLoveCacti I thought you might like to have a look at the ones we have here - I'm afraid I am not so keen but Zigs is a fanatic! https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/building-a-new-cactus-house.21392/#post-246157
Looks like I gave a link to the middle of the thread
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If the trunks wiggle independently of each other, wait for a few more months to repot it. What you have are very large, partially rooted, hardwood cuttings. They need to wait longer to knit the soil together so the whole thing doesn't fall apart when you remove it from the pot. How far from a window is it and what direction does the window face? If it's more than 3' from the glass, it needs to move closer. They 'tolerate' low light, but grow much better in moderately bright to bright light.
It’s like 6-8 feet away from an east facing window.
I might have to move it closer then.- Joined
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It would be happier.
Yes, I moved it into my bedroom this morning. Also since the bedroom is connected to the bathroom maybe that will fix the humidity issue? Not sure, but hopefully it perks up.
I’m a little surprised though because the bedroom doesn’t seem as bright but it is in front of a window now.
Should I pluck off the dead leaves?
I’m a little surprised though because the bedroom doesn’t seem as bright but it is in front of a window now.
Should I pluck off the dead leaves?
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If the leaves are completely brown, go ahead and take them off. If it's just the tips, you can trim just the brown parts off.
The bathroom definitely helps with the humidity and a light meter will show how fast light dims as you move away from a window.
The bathroom definitely helps with the humidity and a light meter will show how fast light dims as you move away from a window.
Thank you guys for all the help! I’m sorry to keep spamming hopefully I can keep these alive and if I get a handle on these one day add more plants to the family.
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You need to quit moving it around to new locations because they don't like that. Leave it in one spot and leave it alone. Also, you need to put a drain tray under the plant to catch the water out of the bottom of the pot. Let the top 2 or 3 inches dry before watering again and then water until you get run-off out of the bottom into the drain tray. Don't let the plant set in drain water too long. Use a turkey baster to suck the water out of the drain tray. The plant needs bright indirect light. Maybe a little filtered Sun for a couple of hours would be ok.
Thank you! I clipped off the tips so I can tell now if it browns again.
I definitely won’t be moving it again, and I’ll get a sprayer and a drain tray Friday.
It’s saddening that this has happened. And also confusing. It was fine in a windowless IKEA, but I bring it home and it dies when it’s 6’ away from the window.
How long does it usually take a dying plant to recover?
