Can someone clarify whether it’s normal for the leaf of a node prop to die off? The first ones to die off have been pale/cream/white leaves, but my first adansonii has yellowed now. They were all in water for about a week, then I transplanted half to soil, half to shpagnum/perlite, and they’ve been there for about a wee, I’d guess. (I know, I should make notation of dates.) All advice appreciated!
by Individual-Toe112
2 Comments
When I propagate something, the first thing I do is make sure every cutting has a node. I can either propagate by putting it in water in a window, putting it in perlite in a prop box, or by placing it in perlite/spagnum moss mix in a prop box. Looking at what you have here, id highly suggest putting them all in a prop box, with a grow light on it, or in a bright window and forgetting about them for a few weeks. I’ll attach a picture of what I do, but for some reason the humidity and heat of the box really just helps them skyrocket in growth. Yellowing of the leaves indicates that the plant isn’t growing roots fast enough to keep up with water needs, so it’s dying off. You can still keep the node and prop it In some moss in a box. They’ll go limp, and then go yellow, followed by drying up and crisping off. (I am not a professional, this is just what I do and the information I’ve gathered)
Did you wait for roots to grow before moving to soil/moss? If not, id recommend either moving them back to water until you see roots growing (multiple roots at least a few inches long), or create a humidity dome over your plants by popping a clear plastic bag over each one. Without roots to pull water from the substrate, your cuttings can only get water from the area immediately surrounding/touching the cut end, and once they’ve used that up, they can’t draw anymore in. Without a humidity dome to keep the air moist, the cuttings are losing all their water through their leaves, and are unable to replace it.