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Rank: Newbie
Joined: 8/3/2009
Posts: 2
Location: Ohio
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Okay, I'm a total newbie in every way possible. Not only am I new here, but I have never owned a plant without killing it before in my life. I (Much to both my Mother and Grandmother's dismay as they have wonderful green thumbs and beautiful gardens) But last week my Husband's Grandmother passed after battling illness for over 6 months and her plants needed a home. Her son (my father in law) had been caring for them for the past 6 months and they are in a very sad state. I took them in thinking maybe I could come to enjoy this. I'm actually loving reading your board, have been finding GREAT information and have identified a lot of the plants already. I'm getting into this! :-) But, I'm still a bit lost with a couple of them. Maybe I missed a post, or maybe it looks just a little different,I don't know. So if they are reposts, sorry. I'm just hoping I don't kill these poor things. They are already close to dead and really not in the right hands as I'm just starting to learn. Any help is appreciated. There are 3 plants here. Plant #1 has kinda thick and waxy leaves if you can't tell by the picture. There may be a problem though as the leaves all have this "dusting" of a white and brown stuff on them. It CAN be taken off. It's not easy, but it can. Is it just dirt? The 3rd pic shows it, so if you can tell, let me know. (this "dust" is on plant #3 as well. Again, it could be dirt as dad in law is a bachelor so his home isn't a "clean" haven:-) But I don't know plants either!) Plant #2 I'm thinking is a dracaena of some sort but mostly I'm wondering if anyone has advice of what I should do to save the poor thing. And #3 I have no clue about. All I do know is it has that same dust. Any help is appreciated! Thanks! Plant #1 http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/cragsdale1728/Plants/DSC05858.jpghttp://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/cragsdale1728/Plants/DSC05859.jpghttp://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/cragsdale1728/Plants/DSC05860.jpgPlant #2 http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/cragsdale1728/Plants/DSC05861.jpgPlant#3 http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/cragsdale1728/Plants/DSC05863.jpg
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Rank: Member
Joined: 7/12/2009
Posts: 25
Location: Portugal
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Hi there!
Okay, firstly, houseplants are not my speciality. I'm a gardener, I do outside, but I do know plant care in general so I'll see if I can help. First, the dust - neither of the plants that have dust should have it, so clean it off. Second, I think less water (try two/three times a week, just a little, and water into the dish at the bottom so the roots can soak it up) and perhaps not placed in direct sunlight. Take the dead leaves off Plant 2, and cut Plant 1 down a little (like to about half its size). Don't worry, it seems harsh but the plant usually thanks you for it.
Hope that helps a little!¬
TW
'To Forget How To Dig The Earth And To Tend The Soil Is To Forget Ourselves'
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Rank: Newbie
Joined: 8/3/2009
Posts: 2
Location: Ohio
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The Wanderer wrote:Hi there!
Okay, firstly, houseplants are not my speciality. I'm a gardener, I do outside, but I do know plant care in general so I'll see if I can help. First, the dust - neither of the plants that have dust should have it, so clean it off. Second, I think less water (try two/three times a week, just a little, and water into the dish at the bottom so the roots can soak it up) and perhaps not placed in direct sunlight. Take the dead leaves off Plant 2, and cut Plant 1 down a little (like to about half its size). Don't worry, it seems harsh but the plant usually thanks you for it.
Hope that helps a little!¬
TW Thank you so much for the advice! I'll try less water for #2 and I think I'll keep using distilled too just in case. FIL would let it go for weeks with no water then dowse it to make up for it for a few days. Plus, I had to move it as soon as I got it as it was in a TINY pot with roots coming out of the bottom and it smelled awful...poor thing. I'm wondering if the "dust" like stuff may be mealy bugs? it is on the top and bottom of the leaves which I can't imagine dust would do. And those two plants were in the same section of the house. For now I have those two plants quarantined and I'm trying to decide what to do. If it is mealy bugs #1 is BAD off. But it's a plant that "means a lot" to my husband (grandfathers funeral) so he won't let me simply toss it. I still have NO clue what #1 is. So any ideas anyone? #3 I'm thinking could be a corn plant but it doesn't have a yellow stripe on the leaves. I've read they don't all have that though. And it doesn't seem to have as much of the "dust" issue as the other plant, which is COMPLETELY covered. I think I'll follow your advice though TW and trim #1 down. Maybe I'll even clean a couple trimmings off with alcohol in case and see if I can make a start since I have no clue what it is! It couldn't hurt! Thanks for the help!
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Rank: Newbie
Joined: 6/20/2009
Posts: 8
Location: buffalo, NY
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sorry, I don't know what your plants are, but I would definitely wash the buggy ones with insecticidal soap. AND water them with it too. Mix a little dish soap with water and add a blop of alcohol. Spray all leaves thoroughly and water it with some of the soap mixture.
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Rank: Newbie
Joined: 8/23/2009
Posts: 2
Location: Michigan
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Plant 2 is a draceana. Not sure which type, but they all have similar care requirements. I can't tell you what the others are...sorry!
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 1/20/2009
Posts: 53
Location: Cape York QUEENSLAND
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NO 1 , IS A SUCCULENT . DON'T KNOW WHICH SPECIES BUT IT DESPERATLY NEEDS DIVIDING AND REPOTTING INTO 3 POTS WITH NEW POTTING MIX ,ALSO TRIM SOME OF THOSE LONGER STEMS OFF. SUCCULENTS NEED WATER ONLY WHEN THE MIX DRIES OUT , TEST BY PUTTING YOU FINGER IN THE MIX.
NO 2 . IS DRACAENA DERMENSIS , JUST TRIM DEAD LEAVES. WATER WHEN MIX DRIES AND FERFITISE WITH SEAWEED FERTILISER 3 TIMES A YEAR . THE PLANT PROBERLY NEED TO BE REPOTTED ALSO IN NEW MIX.
NO 3 IS DRACAENA SANDERIANA COMMON NAME IS LUCKY BAMBOO [ ITS NOT A BAMBOO]
TREAT AS ANY DRACAENA .IT ALSO COULD BENSFIT FROM REPOTTING.
IF REPOTTING HOLD OFF FERTILISING FOR A MONTH.
I HAVE MANY DIFFERENT DRACAENA IN FILTERED SUN/SHADE
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