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gregdil

Pachira (Money Tree) Problems

gregdil
11 years ago

Hello!

I received this money tree as a gift about 6 years ago.

It started out with 5 braided trunks, about 15" tall, in a 4" pot.

Over time it grew quite nicely, up to about 2-1/2'

This spring I noticed that the new growth at the top of one of the trunks

had become extremely stunted. I had intended to re-pot anyway, and,

when I did, found that that trunk had indeed rotted.

I removed the rotted trunk; the root ball left behind from the other four trunks

seemed extremely healthy...

Unfortunately I had yet to discover this forum, because it would have

helped me to avoid making the following mistakes when I re-potted

the four remaining trunks:

- potting up

- 'wrong' soil = fast draining popular brand mix + vermiculite

- failure to prune the roots

- over watering, due to the nature of the soil

Anyway, I'm sure the more experienced growers reading this can predict what happened next:

Explosive healthy growth for the first few months followed by a return to a "state of continual decline ".

For the last few weeks I've been observing the plant in this state, and it reminded me too much of what I saw from it prior to finding the trunk with the root rot. So, I decided to re-pot.

This time I had the benefit of this forum, and here's what I've done the last few days:

- unpotted the four trunks. no rot, but not a healthy looking root system, at least by my non-expert observation...the thin roots were really dried and spread out (not really a ball), and had become tangled (I suspect due to the fact that I had potted up)...most of the other small roots were also dried out and dead looking...after allowing the unpotted plant to dry out overnight, I unbraided the trunks and cleaned out the old potting medium, then pruned the roots, leaving behind the healthy looking thick and yellow ones , and a little bit of the thin ones...sorry I had not started taking pictures at this point...

- next day made a batch of potting mix based on what i'd seen in a post from Josh: pine bark, lava stone, perlite, Osmocote, little bit of charcoal (to replace what Josh called "wood ash")

- 're-braided' (not exactly) the trunks and re-potted, watered thoroughly, then placed the plant in a spot in my living room that does not get direct sun.

- removed four of the healthiest looking leaves to try to propagate, in styrofoam cups with brand name bonzai mix (bark, lava stone, perlite), and watered...

Current state of things after a few days:

- The plant doesn't seem too happy, but, thankfully, not so sad that the leaves have immediately started turning yellow and dropping. Leaves that were healthy prior to the re-potting seem to still be healthy for the most part, but in general the plant seems stressed

- I've noticed that some leaves now have some black stippling on them (see picture, sorry that my gnarly foot is in there too!), something I had not noticed before the re-potting, perhaps due to stress?

- I also noticed that one of the trunks had several pock marks on them that I'd never seen til now, kind of like a pimple but with a black center...Any ideas what this is?

- I watered again today because the medium had dried. But I still have the plant in a space that does not get any direct sun. Before, I had the plant in a south west facing window which got indirect sun most of the day, and direct sun in the evening...I'm in new jersey and it's been in the 80s recently...I wonder if it would be beneficial to move the plant back to this spot?

- The leaves being propagated seem to be doing quite well.

Anyway, I've attached a pic of the black stipple on the leaves. I have more pics but could not figure out how to post multiple pics. I'm sure I made a lot of mistakes so I would love for anyone to give me some feedback so I don't repeat them. The plant was fairly healthy to begin so I suspect it will rebound, hopefully the root pruning and new medium will have positive results. Any advice or encouragement that anyone would care to give would be much appreciated, prayers too because I really love this plant and don't want to lose it!

Thanks a lot!

Greg

Comments (49)

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey, Greg!
    I'd say move it back to where it was (as long as it's indoors). Now that you've
    gotten it into porous mix, you'll want it to start making energy to repair roots and leaves.

    While the plant is recovering, keep the mix moist...don't wait for it dry out. In the Winter,
    then you can let the mix dry between watering...but not now.

    After two weeks, resume fertilizing the plant. Start with a half strength dose.


    Josh

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Josh,

    Thanks for your reply.
    Today I moved the plant back to its favorite sunny spot (still indoors). Hopefully it will help, because the plant seems pretty weak right now, more leaves have turned yellow and dropped in the last few days. A picture is attached to show the current state.
    I'll make sure to keep the mix moist.
    I'll use the Osmocote to fertilize, but not sure what constitutes a half strength dose. What's your regular regiment for fertilizing?

    Thankfully the propagating leaves seem to be doing quite well still. These are still in a spot that gets only in-direct sunlight. Think I should leave them there?

    At some point I hope I will need some advice about next steps for turning these propagating leaves into actual trees!

    Thanks again for your help!

    Greg

  • stewartsjon
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's amazing you've kept it alive so long. We used to use this in offices and they were so unreliable we gave up.

  • PRO
    The Ficus Wrangler
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Money trees can be finicky, in my experience. I have one now that's been in the same pot/soil for 3 or 4 years -you're giving me inspiration to repot it. It looks like your new potting medium is way more porous than the old stuff. I agree with the advice to keep it moist for now - it has to develop alot of new roots. I would put a dilute mix of high-phosphorous fertilizer on it,(high middle number, good for roots as well as flowers,)no more than once a month. And then be patient - it may drop most of its leaves, but you should see new growth at the top. You might try pruning back one of the trunks if it gets bare, and try rooting that. If that experiment goes well, you might want to prune back all, or some, of the others to create a pleasing shape. And once it's growing well, let it dry between waterings - being too wet is probably what rotted your first trunk.

  • PRO
    The Ficus Wrangler
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Money trees can be finicky, in my experience. I have one now that's been in the same pot/soil for 3 or 4 years -you're giving me inspiration to repot it. It looks like your new potting medium is way more porous than the old stuff. I agree with the advice to keep it moist for now - it has to develop alot of new roots. I would put a dilute mix of high-phosphorous fertilizer on it,(high middle number, good for roots as well as flowers,)no more than once a month. And then be patient - it may drop most of its leaves, but you should see new growth at the top. You might try pruning back one of the trunks if it gets bare, and try rooting that. If that experiment goes well, you might want to prune back all, or some, of the others to create a pleasing shape. And once it's growing well, let it dry between waterings - being too wet is probably what rotted your first trunk.

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thanks TFW
    I'll give the high phosphorous fertilizer a shot. In the past I had used those Miracle Grow root sticks, and the plant seemed to like them very much. Not exactly sure if they're high phosphorous though.
    It will be difficult to be patient but I know that's what it is going to take. I will consider pruning the trunks once there is new growth, but I suppose that will probably take until the fall which maybe is not the best time to do it?

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Greg,
    I use a liquid fertilizer, applied once a week during the Summer.
    I would discourage a high phosphorous fertilizer, as plants don't use more phosphorous
    than nitrogen, and it would be a waste of money. The middle number should always be the
    smallest. Here are two very good Threads on the Myth of Bloom Booster fertilizers:
    Bloom Boosters - How Much P is Enough? and The uselessness of high P fertilizers

    The yellow leaves on your plant could be indicating over-watering and compromised roots,
    a lack of nutrients, or lack of nutrients from over-watering. The Osmocote will help,
    but in a free-draining mix it won't last as long.

    Josh

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi, Greg. I agree with Josh.

    Some notes you can consider if you choose: If you get your soil right (and I think that deserves significant attention because it probably holds more sway over how successful you're likely to be than any other factor), stick with a fertilizer that supplies nutrients in as close to the same ratio as that in which plants actually USE the nutrients, get the light right, and at least get close to reasonable with your watering habits in combination with a forgiving soil, you're 90% of the way there. Becoming an accomplished grower isn't difficult. It has much more to do with knowing how to cover the basics than anything else. Concerning yourself first with what I noted already - your soil choice, a good nutritional supplementation program, good watering practices, and getting your plant into favorable light ..... and the rest is quite easy - even the basics aren't all that difficult if you get reliable information to work with.

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond.
    Your information and insight are much appreciated.

    It's been one week since I re-potted, so I've included a recent picture of my plant. We were paid a visit yesterday by my two young nieces, who decided the yellow leaves were unbecoming, and proceeded to pluck them off one by one! LOL...no harm, no foul, young ones!

    The optimistic news is that the newest leaves still seem quite healthy a week after re-potting. These leaves are still bright green; no black speckles; no signs of yellowing (yet). Their nodes (where leaves attach to branch) are engorged rather than shriveling, which leads me to believe that water / nutrients are making their way up from the roots to sustain these healthy leaves.

    I moved the plant to its favorite sunny place.
    I've kept the mixture moist, which amounts to watering every morning. The mixture is definitely fast draining!
    I read the posts about fertilizer; then took a trip to a local nursery, where I was able to find a 24-8-16 fertilizer, which was the closest I could find to the 3:.5:2 "normal plant usage" ratio. I plan to start using this fertilizer next week, then every two weeks after, then maybe once a month when Fall / Winter arrive. From reading the posts on fertilizer, I figure the plant just won't use the extra phosphate; so, I hope the extra phosphate won't become a detriment.
    My other worry about the 24-8-16 fertilizer I found is that it is a powder dissolved in water, and therefore might not as effective as it should be, because the mixture is so fast draining.

    Any insight is more than welcome!

    I'll probably post an update every few weeks unless there are objections.

    Thanks again!

    Greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Organic particles in houseplant soils have a fairly good ability to retain nutrients, it's just that because the bulk density of container media has to be so much less than mineral soils in order for plants to grow well that, by default, the bulk density of container media plays a significant part in the soil's o/a ability to retain nutrients. This is a factor no matter whether you use a synthetic soluble fertilizer or rely on organic soil amendments as your nutrition source. The flip side of the coin is that organic sources of nutrients become available very slowly in container media, and as soon as they ARE available in an elemental form that CAN be utilized by plants, they are actually in exactly the same chemical form as synthetic soluble nutrients - salts - and as such are equally susceptible to being eliminated from the container in the watering effluent.

    The focus of a nutritional supplementation program should center around the grower taking responsibility for ensuring that all the essential elements plant normally take from the soil are in the soil and available at all times, in a ratio as close to that at which the plants actually USE the nutrients, and at a concentration high enough to ensure there will be no deficiencies yet low enough to ensure no toxicity issues or difficulty for the plant to take up water and the nutrients dissolved in the water.

    If you are interested in the most efficient and reliable method of achieving the above mentioned end, it's very difficult to make a clearly defined case against soluble synthetics for houseplants without basing it on an ideological issue. Soluble synthetics deliver nutrients in a way that leaves you sure of the 'what, how much, and when' of what you're providing, and you can be sure the nutrients are always immediately available for uptake.

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Al,
    That makes a lot of sense.
    So now the pertinent questions are:
    How do I determine my plant's optimum concentration level of nutrients?
    How do I measure the concentration level of nutrients in the medium?
    I'm just being rhetorical because I suspect the answers are empirical. It's up to my own curiosity and desire to grow the plant to find the answers!
    Thanks for your help!
    Greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How you should fertilize for best results is inextricably linked to your soil choice and watering habits, so it's difficult to give a specific instruction w/o some knowledge of the variables. In general, you can usually obtain the best results by way of utilizing a soil fast enough to allow you to water copiously at will to flush the soil, and frequent applications of fertilizer at lower than the recommended doses. The frequent flushing of the soil and replenishing of nutrients keeps the nutrient ratio from becoming skewed by residual nutrients that build in the soil, and keeps the EC/TDS (roughly, the salt level) of the soil solution low, so the plant can readily take up water and nutrients. This is especially important for plants known to express their disapproval of a high level of dissolved solids in the soil solution by displaying spoiled foliage, usually in the form of necrotic leaf tips and margins, as a first indicator.

    If you want to fine tune things like EC, TDS, PPMs of various nutrients for each plant type, that's fine, but it takes some serious involvement. I don't. I just follow one plan for the summer and another for plants over-wintering indoors, with both strategies producing very good results.

    Al

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great info, Al!

    Greg, the fertilizer you bought is in a favorable ratio for plants to use.
    The only thing that might be missing is the Calcium - check the package to confirm that.
    Calcium is easily supplemented, if so.

    Al and I like to wait about 2 weeks to fertilize after re-potting *most* plants, which gives
    the roots time to establish themselves in the soil as they go in search of nutrients.

    If it has been 2 weeks, start out with a 1/4 or 1/2 strength dose of fertilizer
    to measure how the plant reacts. What are the directions on the fertilizer package?


    Josh

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just to add to what Josh said, the 24-8-16 also lacks Mg. Neither nutrient is likely to need supplementation in the first year of a planting if you're using a commercially prepared soil, but if you're making your own soils (a good idea) it's an issue that does need addressing. Also, it's possible that if you press a commercially prepared soil into use for more than a single growth cycle, and your fertilizer doesn't contain Mg, that you may need to supplement that element. The reason is, commercial soils are almost ALWAYS pH adjusted with dolomitic lime, which supplies Ca/Mg; but the Mg fraction of the dolomite is about 125X more soluble than the Ca fraction, and as such will be depleted at a much faster rate than the Ca fraction.

    Thanks, Josh ..... BTW - someone was calling for you here in a thread about repotting/root pruning epiphytic cacti. I was itching to jump in, but didn't want to step on your toes. ;-)

    Take care.

    Al

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good catch, Al! Yes, Mg, too ;-)

    I think I might know the Thread....a Thanksgiving Cacti?
    Lots of help there already, so I didn't want to jump in, either.
    I think Inna mentioned that I use bark for those jungle Cacti, so I figured I'd leave it at that.
    I guess I *could* post a pic of my regularly pruned bonsai Christmas Cactus ;-)


    Josh

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No - this one .... see Aug 20. I don't think the hose is going to cut it - maybe wedges .....

    Please excuse the cross talk, Greg - we're trying to get Josh's pages figured out. ;-)

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Josh, Hi Al,

    I don't mind the cross talk at all. In fact I went to the other post to see what was cooking; I'm trying to soak up as much info as possible right now!

    Glad to know the 24-8-16 fertilizer is suitable.
    You're both correct: the fertilizer is missing both Ca and Mg.
    I am using my own mix (similar to what Josh recommended on another post), so I'll have to supplement the Ca and Mg myself. Any suggestions?

    Directions on the fertilizer suggest 1/2 tsp per gallon of water, every one to two weeks. Monday (8/27) will be two weeks since I re-potted, so on that day I plan to start fertilizing with 1/4 tsp per gallon every two weeks.

    Thanks for any additional insight!

    Greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If you're using a fast soil, you can double that fertilizer dose while plants are growing strong - especially if they're outdoors. How did you make your soil?

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    soil:
    1 part (filled 8" potter) pine bark
    1 part (filled 8" potter) lava stone
    1 part (filled 8" potter) perlite
    two handfuls of charcoal
    one cap worth of Osmocote
    (it seems pretty "fast" to me!)

    plant is indoors; i live in a townhouse and really don't have a place i trust to leave it outdoors.

    not particularly sure if the plant is growing "strong" right now; older yellow leaves have dropped; newest leaves are nice and green and appear strong, their nodes are engorged and not wilted as mentioned in previous posts; though one or two leaves do have some minor yellowing, it's nothing that is alarming to me; i must admit i haven't noticed any new growth or change to the tops of the branches where new growth is formed...

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hello,

    it's been a month since i re-potted my money tree and i am happy to say it looks like it is now on the road to making a strong comeback.

    leaves that remain look vital; and two of the four remaining branches have thrown out new growth (one is circled in red on the picture). the other two branches seem "dormant" so far; no new growth yet, but also no signs of deteriorating either. their leaves are still bright green and healthy looking, so, i am hopeful that these two "dormant" branches will start to grow again after a little more time.

    i've used the 24-8-16 fertilizer once a week for the past two weeks; it seems to have had a positive effect.

    i'm still looking for a little advice on how to supplement Mg and Ca into my homemade potting mix.

    also, it seems that i have hard water, because i've noticed a white residue building up on the outside of my planter. should i filter my water? any advice on this would be most welcome.

    thanks a lot,

    greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There are several ways to ensure your plant gets adequate amounts of Ca/Mg. You can use a liquid supplement called Cal-Mag Plus, mix a small amount of gypsum into the soil and add a little Epsom salts every time you fertilize, switch to Foliage-Pro 9-3-6, which has both of the nutrients in a favorable ratio, check your water supply to see if both need supplementing or if only one needs to be supplemented ....

    The foliage looks light in the picture. If it's not deep green, you can increase the amount of fertilizer you're giving the plant.

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi al,

    thanks always for the insight.

    yes, i would qualify the foliage as "light", although the new growth sprouting since the re-pot and fertilizing looks darker...

    a few questions:
    1. do you suggest to increase the concentration of the fertilizer, or the frequency at which it is used?

    2. will existing foliage turn darker green as more fertilizer is introduced? or should i only expect new growth to be darker green?

    3. what are early signs (if any) of too much fertilizer (if that is possible)?

    thanks again!

    greg

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi al,

    just noticed from one of your previous posts in this thread, that you already answered my first question:

    "and frequent applications of fertilizer at lower than the recommended doses"

    = )

    greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    1) Either is fine

    2) Often, new growth emerges lighter than mature foliage or a different color entirely, and darkens or turns green as it matures. Light/chlorotic mature growth can occur as a result of something nutritional, cultural, or cultural/nutritional. Several actual deficiencies can cause chlorotic tendencies, 'actual deficiencies' meaning there is an actual absence or insufficiency of the nutrient in the soil. Sometimes poor root function or low oxygen levels, usually due to water-logging, can make certain nutrients difficult to absorb. High pH can also cause Ca and many of the micronutrients to bind with other elements in the soil so they are insoluble and beyond the reach of the plant, even though they are present in the soil in quantities sufficient to meet needs were they soluble.

    In your case, since no lime was used and you're using an acid-forming soluble fertilizer, I doubt pH could be an issue, and we can probably eliminate water-logging, so it's likely you're just not fertilizing enough. There is a possibility it's a Mg deficiency, and you can test that idea by spraying a few leaves with 1/2 tsp of Epsom salts in a gallon of water. Note which leaves you sprayed and if they turned greener, which would signal a need for more MG.

    3) Increasing internode length during increasing day length, leggy succulent growth with large leaves, burned leaf tips and/or margins, spoiled appearance of blooms in some plants, wilting during the day and perking up at night ..... can all be early indicators of over-fertilizing.

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hello again,

    well, it's been about 6 weeks since i repotted, and a little more than three weeks that i've been fertilizing. i've added some epsom salts to the last round of fertilizing to get some Mg into the mix. things are going quite well, the plant looks healthy in general and there is now new growth from all four branches. i couldn't be happier with the plant's comeback!
    thanks a lot to al and josh for their expertise!
    i would like to say to anyone with a similar plant or in a similar situation as i started: follow the advice on this forum as best as you can, and your plant will grow better than it ever has!

    now, i've encountered a new problem: recently something has been nibbling at one of the new leaves, see the red circled area on the attached picture...i've noticed small little silver / white crawling insects hiding in the potting medium, and a few black flying insects that look kind of like fruit flies...they're difficult to detect, and i kill them on sight when i can find them...i haven't caught any in the act, but the nibbling keeps getting bigger so i know they are still there! i would like to nip this problem in bud so any advice would be very helpful!

    thanks a lot,

    greg

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hello again,

    OK, so i did two things today:
    1. treated the nibbled leaf with some diluted alcohol and rinsed with water as suggested on another post
    2. removed about 1" of the top layer of soil to see if there were any signs of the fungus gnats; one or two of the small black flying creatures emerged when i did this...i suspect they are fungus gnats but there is nothing else i can do right now because i am leaving today for vacation

    when i removed the top layer of soil i was happy to see many new looking white roots, a good sign i think...

    anyway, i am going to leave the plant without water for the next week or so while i am away, hopefully the mixture will dry out and this problem will go away by itself

    greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Josh is good at growing money trees, so he might have something to add. Your tree looks good. It's getting late for repotting, so unless the plant is pretty rootbound, I'd wait until around next Father's Day to do the work. You COULD repot whenever you want, but easiest on the plant and fastest rebound comes when you repot in early summer (mid-late Jun) or late spring (early June) if you're south of Mason Dixon and it's warm enough.

    The terra cotta pots do absorb water, but they also allow gas exchange through the pot walls, so plants in terra cotta dry out faster and need watering more often ...... but that's a GOOD thing. Plantings that can go long intervals between waterings are great for the grower who appreciates the convenience, but the plant's opinion of that arrangement would be quite different. Plants like being in soils that demand frequent visits with the watering can in hand.

    Al

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Al,

    Thanks for the advice about re-potting.
    I'll probably wait til next year.

    Can re-potting be coupled with some top pruning?
    Or is it a bad idea to do the top and roots at the same time?

    What you said about terra cotta got me thinking back on last year. The soil in the terra cotta was my first go at the gritty mix. I'm pretty sure the bark pieces were too large and I watered too much thinking I had a "fast draining" soil.
    The ceramic got the 2nd gritty mix which had much much smaller bark. Seems the soil was the problem, not the planter. Maybe I will try terra cotta again next year.
    Just have to size it correctly.

    Thanks again!

    Greg

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Root and top pruning should be staggered, and not done at the same time ..... at least until you get a feel for how genetically vigorous a particular plant is, and what state of vitality the plant is in at the time of the work being considered. I prefer to do my root pruning first, then wait until I see signs of new growth in the top before I prune the top. The idea is, the plant needs its food source (leaves) to make the food that fuels new root growth. Even if the plant survives without a hiccup after root/top pruning simultaneously, it's a sure thing the recovery period will be much longer than it would be if you staggered the ops.

    The only time you might consider doing both at the same time is when you remove so much rootage that it can't possibly support the volume of the canopy. In this case, the plant will shed whole branches in what seems like random fashion, but really makes perfect sense from a physiological perspective. As your plant starts to come to the point where it's starting to be what you had envisioned for it, it's better if YOU decide which branches to remove in order to balance the root:shoot ratio. This is something I often run into during the first root work session because I often push the plant hard to reduce the number of sessions it takes to build a root system I'm happy with. That's primarily because most growers only need to concern themselves with the health of the roots, while a bonsai practitioner has the added dimension of appearance to consider. Root grafting, adding roots to improve the appearance of the transition zone from roots to trunk (called nebari), is a regular part of most bonsai growers who have moved beyond the beginner stage.

    Al

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Howdy!
    Al's advice is dead-on as usual. My Pachira plants have never looked better as a result...and they're easy to keep during the Winter. No rot, no ugly foliage.

    I notice some yellowed/orange leaf-tips on the plant, which is looking so much better than last year, by the way. How often are you watering/fertilizing?

    Josh

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Al,

    Thanks again. Very interesting stuff.


    Hi Josh,

    Plant is much better now, largely due to advice from the patrons of this site.

    Some of the older leaves do have yellow / orange tips. They start like this, then eventually turn brown, shrivel up, and fall off. Since there is new growth while this is happening, I've just let it go as a natural cycle. Do you think there is something I can do to stop this from happening?

    I'm using the Dyna Gro Pro 9-3-6 @ 1 teaspoon per gallon. I use this mix every time I water, which ends up being about once a week. Before I water, I check the soil for moisture with a chop stick. If the soil at the bottom of the planter is more or less dry, I water.

    What do you think?

    Greg

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sounds good! That's the dose and frequency at which I fertilize, too; however, my plant is outdoors and I am watering about three times a week. I think a watering mid-week would help keep the mix flushed, and in a Gritty Mix that shouldn't pose a root-rot problem.

    Josh

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Josh,

    I've been doing the mid-week watering and my plant is responding quite well. Old growth seems revitalized and new growth is sprouting large, dark green leaves.
    Maybe in a few weeks I'll post a couple more pictures.

    My plant is in a spot where the sun really only hits it from one direction, so the growth is heavy and tilted on the sun side, and kind of bare on the opposite. I suppose this is to be expected. But, I was wondering: do you have a regiment for rotating the plant to balance the growth? I could experiment but was hoping you could provide a guideline or at least some advice.

    Thanks,

    Greg

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Absolutely!
    I turn mine consistently to keep the growth balanced.
    When the leaves start to angle toward the sun, I flip the plant around. On average, I do this every 2 - 3 weeks. During the Winter, indoors, the helio/photo-tropism is strong as the plant leans heavily toward the available light...so I turn it more often.

    Josh

  • gregdil
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, Josh!

    I'll give it a try!

  • gduuck
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi there all of You,

    I am new here. Have a Pachira for some time now. Sometimes the leaves get some spots when, then again they dissapear. But, today I have noticed a small plant is growing from the "trunk" of the big Pachira. i have added some pictures so You could help me more accurate. What is it, and can I plant it in a small bowl or similar. If yes, when and how?

    Thanks

    Regards

    Gordon

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome, Gordon!

    What you have there is a new branch. It is what I call the "Holy Grail" of Pachira growing - getting branches to form on older, lower portions of the trunk. If you really want to remove it, you'll need to wait until the branch has developed mature leaves - then you would slice the whole thing off and attempt to root it as a cutting. I have rooted several cuttings, and even grew my first Pachira from a single leaf, so the chances are good that it will survive.

    I would leave it, personally, to help keep the plant looking thick and bushy.

    Josh

  • oceanpark
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My money tress is getting sick. It seems the three trunks are ill and the new branch are dying out. Should I need to change soil ? I am moving it to the place that has more sunshine. hopefully it will help.

    {{gwi:2143108}}

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If the trunks are soft, they're rotten and dead. Remove them immediately. Re-pot in the Summer, around June, for the fastest recovery. In the meantime, be very careful not to overwater, and provide as much light as possible.

    Josh

  • Sandeep Joshi
    7 years ago

    Hi all the simple and important nutrient that u can feed your Pachira is cowdung ash. Had the same problem with my plant but this fertiliser did miracles.

    You can burn cowdung with frankincense over it which in terms will spread good aroma once it's done with burning process remove the soil mix it with cowdung ash and 1 tablespoon neem oil, sprinkle the ash on rotten stem it will regrow.

    dont put any water for first two days if soil is moist if it is dry than not more than 100 ml see the miracle within a week.

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    7 years ago

    Dang - never a cow around when you need one!


    Al

  • Katy Oxley
    6 years ago



    Hi All

    im hoping someone can help me with my Pachina, we have had the tree for about a year and I don't think we have looked after it very well.

    my husband tried to prune two of the trunks and they just died and now one of the trunks have got so tall I'm afraid of pruning it because I don't think it will grow.

    The plant has been in our lounge which gets sunlight all day and is about 20 degrees.

    i would like to prune it right back down as it is to tall but I'm scared no new growth will start and I will kill it.

    any advice would be great.

  • chiu_leeming
    6 years ago

    Hi All,

    We purchased a money tree a year ago. It was doing great: fast growing, green, lush, and lots of enjoyment. Then, it seemed to be outgrowing its pot, and about two months ago I re-potted it. Now, I am getting yellow leaves (about 1 leaf turns yellow per day). The new growth (top canopy) after the re-pot is also very lime green and droopy. But, there was fast growth at first. I am so worried, I love this plant. I want to care for it before the poor leaves/whatever is wrong spreads. Any advice? Based on the literature, I think the roots are holding too much water. But, I am worried to re-pot into more porous soil, since I just re-potted.

    I've attached a few pictures to aid in our discussion.



  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    6 years ago

    A couple lower, older leaves yellowing is to be expected this time of year, when the light values are at their lowest. Give it as much light as you can, be careful not to water too heavily, and plan on repotting this Summer. If need be, you could always slip the rootball out of the pot, and then simply downsize the container without disturbing the roots.

    Josh

  • Kelly W
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Josh, its me again. I'm freaking out!

    My pachiras were doing great! I've had them for 2 years with no issues. Now, they're both yellowing, one more than the other. Worse, one of the roots on the sicker one was rotted!! I just don't understand what happened! They're my babies and I'm so sad.

    The only thing that changed is I was away and asked my husband to water my plants. He may have given it too much. They are quickly thinning out. How can I save them?

    just unpotted it. Here's the root system. Its not much roots on it! Wth!



  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    6 years ago

    You'll need to repot in a very porous mix, very free draining, then give the trees as much light as possible. I would also apply a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote when you repot.

    Josh

  • Kelly W
    6 years ago

    Hi Josh. I repotted as you recommended and gave them both Osmocote (good thing I had some on hand!). Yellowing stopped!

    Question, how often should plants this size get water during cold Canadian winters? One gets southern sun (morning) and the other gets western sun.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    6 years ago

    Kelly-Ann, that will depend on how porous the mix is, and how large the container is. Use a wooden skewer, stuck in the mix, to determine when the mix is drying. I water about once a week this time of year.

    Josh