Hi there,

I recently did an gardening experiment. I'd recently bought some
decent (i.e not grown on really fast - properly grown stuff) mint at
the local market here in London. I'd also got some of those water
crystals - the ones that expand to 100 times their size in water. I
asked for some advice about growing this mint, and it was suggested
that it would grow in almost any condition. So, I hydrated these
crystals and stuck a big bunch of mint in them before I went on hols
for 2 weeks.

I was really hoping to come back and find that they had grown. As it
happens, it looks like they have, but several things have happened -
see the pic below:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4831/dscf1928.jpg

All the lower leaves went yellow - guess the light was being obscured
by the higher leaves.

More concerningly some white fungus appears to have grown on the top
surface of these balls. The balls apparently contain some fertalizer,
though I don't know what sort.

Does anyone please have any ideas about what might be causing this
fungus, or what I could do to remove it!

Also any idea if there's anything I should to do improve the growth of the mint?

Many thanks in advance!

Tom.

On Nov 8, 11:44*pm, tjrundy
wrote:
Hi there,

I was given a spiraling Yucca plant that was just out of control. I
got a lot of people advising me to just bite the bullet and lop off
the uncontrolled growth and see if the Yucca takes off. So, intrepidly
I took the hacksaw and went through the trunk. I reported it, and put
it a nice aluminum planter.

This is what it now looks like:http://tinyurl.com/yeq6e5z

Now there was some speculation that it would bud, though it hasn't yet
(about 2 months ago since I lopped it's head off).

Someone mentioned that I should stab the stem with a screwdriver where
I want it to branch out - can anyone verify this? Is there anything I
should / could be doing to promote some leaf growth? The trunk remains
rigid, and there is water and shingle in the base of the planter to
produce some natural moisture...

I did manage to keep the head and put it into another planter, and
it's looking good, though I've no idea if it's rooting:http://tinyurl.com/ycx7tmd

So, please, if you have any idea what I should do, please advise. The
Yucca trunk is in a warm area with as much light as I can give it in
my flat - right by a SE facing window!

Thanks in advance,

Tom.

--
tjrundy

well i definetly dont think you should stab it with a screw driver!! i
would think that would damage it even more!

On Nov 8, 10:44*pm, tjrundy
wrote:
Hi there,

I was given a spiraling Yucca plant that was just out of control. I
got a lot of people advising me to just bite the bullet and lop off
the uncontrolled growth and see if the Yucca takes off. So, intrepidly
I took the hacksaw and went through the trunk. I reported it, and put
it a nice aluminum planter.

This is what it now looks like:http://tinyurl.com/yeq6e5z

Now there was some speculation that it would bud, though it hasn't yet
(about 2 months ago since I lopped it's head off).

Someone mentioned that I should stab the stem with a screwdriver where
I want it to branch out - can anyone verify this? Is there anything I
should / could be doing to promote some leaf growth? The trunk remains
rigid, and there is water and shingle in the base of the planter to
produce some natural moisture...

I did manage to keep the head and put it into another planter, and
it's looking good, though I've no idea if it's rooting:http://tinyurl.com/ycx7tmd

So, please, if you have any idea what I should do, please advise. The
Yucca trunk is in a warm area with as much light as I can give it in
my flat - right by a SE facing window!

Thanks in advance,

Tom.

--
tjrundy

hello there. looked at your pictures. Give the trunk time to get
over the whack. As for not seeing roots yet, go to Lowe's or Home
Depot and buy a jar of rooting powder. Dust the cut end of the cut
off piece with the rooting powder and shove it back into the dirt and
water sparingly. Give it time. it will root. The cut trunk will
branch eventually. South or western sunlight. Let the soil dry out
between waterings.
Eva Shovelful