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#1
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Rubber plant...
My mum kills plants.
She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? |
#2
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Rubber plant...
Jake wrote:
She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? depends on what she's doing to it to kill it. :-) Too much water, too little, no light, feeding it vodka? |
#3
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Rubber plant...
On Thu, 4 Oct 2012 13:48:56 +0100, "Jake"
wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! The rubber plant may be too wet, or too dry, or too cold etc. Feed it, sponge the leaves with water with a little milk in, and maybe try a different place. Pam in Bristol |
#4
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Rubber plant...
"Pam Moore" wrote
"Jake" wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! The rubber plant may be too wet, or too dry, or too cold etc. Feed it, sponge the leaves with water with a little milk in, and maybe try a different place. Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. -- Regards. Bob Hobden. Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK |
#5
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Rubber plant...
On Thu, 4 Oct 2012 Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. We do everything wrong with our five cymbidiums and yet they flourish. They are kept on a sunny window sill which, in winter, is warmed by a radiator. They produce flowers which last around six months. As soon as one flower spike has finished blooming the plants grow another, sometimes two, and thus we have a constant display of flowers. David -- David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK http://rance.org.uk |
#6
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Rubber plant...
"David Rance" wrote
Bob Hobden wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. We do everything wrong with our five cymbidiums and yet they flourish. They are kept on a sunny window sill which, in winter, is warmed by a radiator. They produce flowers which last around six months. As soon as one flower spike has finished blooming the plants grow another, sometimes two, and thus we have a constant display of flowers. Good grief David, you must have big windowsills. Not one of our cymbids could fit on ours. -- Regards. Bob Hobden. Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK |
#7
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Rubber plant...
On Thu, 4 Oct 2012 Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Rance" wrote Bob Hobden wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. We do everything wrong with our five cymbidiums and yet they flourish. They are kept on a sunny window sill which, in winter, is warmed by a radiator. They produce flowers which last around six months. As soon as one flower spike has finished blooming the plants grow another, sometimes two, and thus we have a constant display of flowers. Good grief David, you must have big windowsills. Not one of our cymbids could fit on ours. I must have small ones, then! ;-) David -- David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK http://rance.org.uk |
#8
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Rubber plant...
On Thu, 4 Oct 2012 18:49:01 +0100, David Rance
wrote: On Thu, 4 Oct 2012 Bob Hobden wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. We do everything wrong with our five cymbidiums and yet they flourish. They are kept on a sunny window sill which, in winter, is warmed by a radiator. They produce flowers which last around six months. As soon as one flower spike has finished blooming the plants grow another, sometimes two, and thus we have a constant display of flowers. David David, do you feed them? Pam in Bristol |
#9
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Rubber plant...
On 04/10/2012 18:33, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote "Jake" wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! The rubber plant may be too wet, or too dry, or too cold etc. Feed it, sponge the leaves with water with a little milk in, and maybe try a different place. Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. Oh dear! I put my three Cymbids out all 'summer', but although they had plenty of water, I forgot to feed them :~(. I brought them indoors at the weekend, but only to an unheated garden room. If I start feeding them now, do you think I stand a chance of seeing flowers? I thought I'd cracked it this year; stupid to forget the feeding. -- Spider from high ground in SE London gardening on clay |
#10
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Rubber plant...
"Spider" wrote...
Bob Hobden wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote "Jake" wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! The rubber plant may be too wet, or too dry, or too cold etc. Feed it, sponge the leaves with water with a little milk in, and maybe try a different place. Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. Oh dear! I put my three Cymbids out all 'summer', but although they had plenty of water, I forgot to feed them :~(. I brought them indoors at the weekend, but only to an unheated garden room. If I start feeding them now, do you think I stand a chance of seeing flowers? I thought I'd cracked it this year; stupid to forget the feeding. You could try a half strength Tomato feed. -- Regards. Bob Hobden. Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK |
#11
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Rubber plant...
On 05/10/2012 17:28, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Spider" wrote... Bob Hobden wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote "Jake" wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! The rubber plant may be too wet, or too dry, or too cold etc. Feed it, sponge the leaves with water with a little milk in, and maybe try a different place. Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. Oh dear! I put my three Cymbids out all 'summer', but although they had plenty of water, I forgot to feed them :~(. I brought them indoors at the weekend, but only to an unheated garden room. If I start feeding them now, do you think I stand a chance of seeing flowers? I thought I'd cracked it this year; stupid to forget the feeding. You could try a half strength Tomato feed. Thanks ever so, Bob! Will try that in the morning. Dark and raining now :{ -- Spider from high ground in SE London gardening on clay |
#12
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Rubber plant...
"Sacha" wrote
This thread prompted me to read up on Phalaenopsis again and I am doing everything (almost) wrong. They need a period of cool surroundings and mine are in the kitchen, on a window sill and beside the Aga! I'll remove them to somewhere a lot cooler, feed them and re-pot them and hope all that prompts them into flowering. Yes, if you keep them too warm they will not flower. Again they need a drop in temperature to initiated flower spikes but usually they get a decent drop at night even in a heated room but not with an Aga nearby. The growers that win the International Orchid competitions have Phalaenopsis with, say, 50+ flowers on them ( I think I once saw one with 78 flowers)and they get that by constantly moving them from warm to cool and back. The cool bit prompts flower spike extension so they have huge long spikes. The real secret is how they keep all the flowers on the plant and all looking superb. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a photo on the net of an award winning one for you. -- Regards. Bob Hobden. Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK |
#13
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Rubber plant...
On Thu, 4 Oct 2012 18:33:16 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote "Jake" wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? My Mum had an orchid (cymbibium) which was at death's door. I said "Would you like me to take is home and see if I can revive it?" Mum's house did not have central heating and was draughty. She couldn't see well enough to water it etc. After 10 years the plant still has not flowered, but last year I split it into 5 pieces as it had grown so big! The rubber plant may be too wet, or too dry, or too cold etc. Feed it, sponge the leaves with water with a little milk in, and maybe try a different place. Pam, leave the Cymbid out in the garden all summer feeding well and keep them moist, even wet, until the first frosts are forecast and only then bring it into a just frost free place. Do not let them get frosted though. Certainly no central heating needed, that is too warm. They need the night temperature drop to spur them on to grow flower spikes. Thanks for the advice, Bob. Last year I asked the guy who runs the Writhlington Orchid Project and he said two things: 1. Put it out until the first frost is forecast, as you say. 2. keep it standing in water all summer. I brought mine in yesterday, and though it didn't stand in water all the time it had so much rain that I think I fulfilled the object. Time will tell! Pam in Bristol |
#14
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Rubber plant...
On 04/10/2012 13:48, Jake wrote:
My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? As others have said, it could be too wet or too dry, and that's just for starters. If I were you, I would tip it out of the pot and see if the roots are wet and rotten or dry and gasping for water. If she'd spent the last 6 mnths overwatering it, I would have expected it to have drowned already, so I'm wondering if it's on the dry side. Only one way to be sure. -- Spider from high ground in SE London gardening on clay |
#15
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Rubber plant...
"Spider" wrote in message ... On 04/10/2012 13:48, Jake wrote: My mum kills plants. She has currently a very sick looking rubber plant, the leaves are very dull and are drooping, not shiny like when she got it six months ago. Any suggestions what I can do to liven it up or is it already a goner? As others have said, it could be too wet or too dry, and that's just for starters. If I were you, I would tip it out of the pot and see if the roots are wet and rotten or dry and gasping for water. If she'd spent the last 6 mnths overwatering it, I would have expected it to have drowned already, so I'm wondering if it's on the dry side. Only one way to be sure. It's not on the dry side. I just checked the soil today and it's quite damp. I was kept on a ENE facing window that's about 10 feet away from the neighbour's house wall, so I suspect it was light that was the problem. I have liberated the thing and moved it to a SSE facing window. |
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