Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

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rasu
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Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by rasu »

First time owner here and I left my plant over the weekend only to get home to all its leaves dropping and the main stem bent. Some of its branches have split, and the buds have shrivelled up. Did it rot? It's been sitting on my desk for a week and before I left for a trip, I moved it to a different window to get more morning sun. Before that, the first time I got it I watered it until just enough water seeped through the drain holes (big mistake) This was before I learned that this guy does better dry than wet. We've also just been through a very rainy week so there's been a lot of moisture in the air.

Is there a way I can still save it?
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overview
overview
IMG_20170208_074824.JPG (91.45 KiB) Viewed 1967 times
Shrivelled leaves
Shrivelled leaves
IMG_20170208_075142.JPG (61.01 KiB) Viewed 1967 times
Split in the stem
Split in the stem
IMG_20170208_075200.JPG (68.78 KiB) Viewed 1967 times
Main plant is just bent and wilted
Main plant is just bent and wilted
IMG_20170208_075219.JPG (57.88 KiB) Viewed 1967 times
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greenknight
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by greenknight »

If the roots are rotten, as it looks like, you can't save those. You can root both the leaves and the sound parts of the stems to grow new plants, though - http://www.succulentsandsunshine.com/pr ... om-leaves/
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Aiko
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by Aiko »

My first thought was it is frozen. But if it is indoors and you don't have -30C outside without heat on, I am sure that can't be it.

You could at least try to root the leaves, if they ends where they have been attached to the plant are not soggy. If they are soggy, and probably discoloured, cut the soggy / discoloured parts of until you reach healthy tissue. Let it dry out and then stick in some soil and wait (also wait with watering) until roots start to grow. Could take a while...
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rasu
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by rasu »

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll try to root the leaves but i'm not too sure I'll have any luck since there's very little sun nowadays. Would the leaves still survive in direct sunlight or would around 3 hours of morning light by an open window be enough?

And would you have any suggestions for what to do with them at night? It gets pretty chilly this season.

I'll keep looking into how to root them.
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greenknight
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by greenknight »

No direct sun while they're rooting. they should be in a warm, light place. When they start to grow new leaves they'll need more light.

You'll get a new plant quicker if you root a piece of un-rotted stem that still has leaves on it. New plants that grow from leaves will be very small at first.
Spence :mrgreen:
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rasu
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by rasu »

greenknight wrote:No direct sun while they're rooting. they should be in a warm, light place. When they start to grow new leaves they'll need more light.

You'll get a new plant quicker if you root a piece of un-rotted stem that still has leaves on it. New plants that grow from leaves will be very small at first.
No direct sun while rooting, got it. Will they be okay in drafty areas at night? Or would it be better if i move them to the warmest spot I can find in the evenings?
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greenknight
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by greenknight »

Should root faster of they're kept warm.
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Aiko
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by Aiko »

greenknight wrote:Should root faster of they're kept warm.
Downside is they dehydrate that say faster too, and you need the internal moist to grow the roots. So a bit of a trade off, and it all depends on how warm.
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rasu
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by rasu »

Aiko wrote:
greenknight wrote:Should root faster of they're kept warm.
Downside is they dehydrate that say faster too, and you need the internal moist to grow the roots. So a bit of a trade off, and it all depends on how warm.
It's not that warm out yet because of the season here and it does rain from time to time. I read that I shouldn't water them until I see roots and that it's safer to have them be too dry than too wet. What do you think though?
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Aiko
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by Aiko »

If there are no roots, they cannot absorb the moist. So no watering.

Although some will argue that moist might "attract" the roots to grow, encourage them to grow. Could be, but it is a risky strategy if you keep the soil moist while the cuttings are in it. Try to see if you can keep the roots away from moist, but very close to it by hanging the cuttings just a bit over some water. Dry, but still there is moist present. There was an interesting article in one of the MSG bulletins on this regarding rooting Lithops, in a bulletin of two or three years ago.
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rasu
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Re: Almost all the leaves fell. Can I still save this sedum?

Post by rasu »

Aiko wrote:If there are no roots, they cannot absorb the moist. So no watering.

Although some will argue that moist might "attract" the roots to grow, encourage them to grow. Could be, but it is a risky strategy if you keep the soil moist while the cuttings are in it. Try to see if you can keep the roots away from moist, but very close to it by hanging the cuttings just a bit over some water. Dry, but still there is moist present. There was an interesting article in one of the MSG bulletins on this regarding rooting Lithops, in a bulletin of two or three years ago.
I'll keep the moisture tip in mind, thanks. Not sure I have the means to hang them over water so I'll just wait for a few weeks and see if I can spritz some water when they root.
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