Please help this poor croton!!

S

Sihara

Active Member
69
26/10/08
0
26
Hi all,

I have a baby croton that I cherish, and something terrible happened. The 3 leaves it had all came off - over a several week period of time - and I don't see any new growth.

No pests that I can see, and I doubt there's any reason it would get root rot - it's in a well-draining mix like all the others and hasn't had water standing in the pot, nor was it over- (or under-) watered. Of course, I guess root rot is still a possibility, don't know.

Its stems are still green at the extreme tips so I'm hoping it can be revived. What would you all do if one of your very small crotons was in this condition?
:(
 
Once the leaves are gone it's an up-hill climb. Keep your fingers crossed and your eyes open for a new one. From my experience, it seems like small plants have less reserve energy and are harder to keep alive than plants that have more size. Even the best green thumbs have lost cherished little jems like this. Hopefully some of the more experienced growers can give you advise that's more promising!
 
The biggest thing now is to not overwater the croton. As long as the soil remains moist, I would not water it any further. If possible, keep it in a warmer area where it will not be exposed to cool/cold nights. Keeping the humidity up will also help its recovery. I often treat plants like this as if they were cuttings by enclosing the plant with a clear plastic bag. This traps the existing moisture and creates a miniature greenhouse around the plant.
 
Thank you, Koki & Ray, we've done as you suggested. I think it got rained on too much. There is a smidgen of green at the tips of the only two branches, but no buds - I'm afraid it's toast.

It's bad enough when a beautiful croton dies, but if it has a special meaning to you, it's worse. I feel guilty. plant-killer. waaah.

(OT palm footnote: we brought the baby D. albos, ambositraes & R. glauca indoors for today so they won't drown.)
 
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