my poor mother in law's tounge!!

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KittieKAT
Posts: 1246
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:49 pm

my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by KittieKAT »

I told everyone about the neighbor who has been killing my and the children in the program's plants (topic: thank you...NO! & what's wrong with the people in the world today (or something to that matter)) many of my plant's were killed many survived with horrible burns and frost bite, one of those survivors was my Mother in law's tounge that i nursed back to health after rescuing it from a dumpster in Lowell a long time ago. I was hoping it would recover they are pretty strong plant's, But today on inspection of the survivors my heart dropped looking at the poor thing with its leaves drooping turned a dark almost black color soft and not pretty looking, Thoe it has some new growth from last summer that is healthy looking the rest of the older leaves look pathetic and sad. I decided to chop half way down the leaf stalk where it stopped drooping to the floor in a sad effort to see if pruning the dying leaves would help, Thoe it looks a little better its very patchy :(

Just wanted to ask if i should keep the dead leaves how i cut them (at the bending point where they started to droop) or if i should risk unpotting the thing and completely remove the whole growing point of the leave? Its been thru freezing temps and scorching sun should i leave it be till spring?
I hope the leaves die off naturally and replace themselves with new growth in the summer, but I'm assuming that the growing point will stay there unless removed Completely from the bulb/rootball. As long as it lives I'm not worried about a few stocks that have cut marks, it had some dried dead spots and tips missing when i first found it and brought it home, but i do want it to live i would hate to watch it slowly die from all its been thru from THAT monster next door :(

Anyone ever have to remove this plants leaves before? What did you do? Did it live? Did i make the right call in removing the dead drooping leaves?

Looking for some help thanks
HarryUpNorth
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:58 am
Location: Anchorage, Alaska USA zone 4

Re: my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by HarryUpNorth »

Is there any chance you could send a photo of your "mother in law" plant or otherwise properly identify your plant? Many of the so called common names are not always common to many of us.
Thanks, Harrry
KittieKAT
Posts: 1246
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:49 pm

Re: my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by KittieKAT »

Sansevieria trifasciata i think the all green one not the yellow stripped one
HarryUpNorth
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:58 am
Location: Anchorage, Alaska USA zone 4

Re: my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by HarryUpNorth »

KittyKAT you are right about them being strong plants and I think you did the right thing by cutting back the damaged leaves. Be careful not to overwater this time of year, especially for those of us in the northern latitudes.

Over time and with some patience the plant should recover nicely with new growth. It's fun to watch them poke new shoots up in their containers.

I wouldn't repot it unless your house mate has another accident with your plants!

Best to you, Harry
KittieKAT
Posts: 1246
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:49 pm

Re: my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by KittieKAT »

I was thinking the same Harry, i was so excited last summer too see it growing new shoots after the damage it took when it was stolen from my house by my brothers x wife. And repotted in basic dirt from the backyard and she covered the whole to of the pot with fertilizer pellets!! I was so sad - and i stole it back and nursed it back to health and then this happened :(
Its looking a little skanky leave wise at the moment but i had to get rid of those drooping black soft leaves, the sad part was that some of them where new shoots amongst the old ones aswell, i only water the succulents that aren't cacti every 2 weeks or so sometimes longer since they are inside now the slightly warmer temps dry the soil but i only give them a squirt or two when they start looking sad.
Outta all the plant's that i and the children from the non profit growing progtam lost because of the monster next door I'm even more determined to keep the few i have left ALIVE! But I'm thinking outta all of them this old snake plant will overcome all odds inn the end
HarryUpNorth
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:58 am
Location: Anchorage, Alaska USA zone 4

Re: my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by HarryUpNorth »

Well you can't say your plants haven't had interesting lives.

This guy was rescued from the garbage bin in Lowell, scorched and frozen by the crazy neighbor, over fertilized by a plant-napping ex sister-in-law, then rescued once again.

Whoever said Sansevieria's we're boring plants never met this one!
KittieKAT
Posts: 1246
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:49 pm

Re: my poor mother in law's tounge!!

Post by KittieKAT »

My thoughts exactly
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