It's near comical how sad looking he is. I got him a good few months ago, where he was healthy with lots and lots of leaves. I had bought him at a local coffee shop that only had the name of the plant and the price, so no other accompanying information.
I have really struggled with my mental health, which affects my memory and motivation, which is how he has gotten to this sad state. I don't have a very consistent watering schedule, so I would just water him when he drooped, but I left for a trip and forgot to water him, and it has been a crazy uphill battle since to keep him alive(?). I previously lived in a decently shaded dorm, but now my only living option is in a sunroom (I will be getting blackout and sheer curtains when I can afford it) so I am not completely sure how I should handle his sunlight needs. I think his leaves are burned maybe?
This also might be a good time to mention that I have only ever owned two plants, him and a marbled queen pothos named Queenie. Queenie was also in poor shape when I returned, but I've finally found the balance that she needs, and she's sprouting so many leaves, it's so exciting!
Anyways, to summarize, I am at a complete loss for what to do with Jerry. I'm terrified to do anything with him because I really don't want him to die, but he's in such a pitiful state I cannot handle it anymore. Please help!
by EuphoricMeds1915
7 Comments
I am sorry for the horrific wall of text! I am still a noob to reddit and typed it up on my phone, thinking there was spaces. I can’t find the edit button but I will try to fix it as soon as I can!
I think Jerry might be dead mate đ my coffe plant looked the same when I gave up on it. but for the sunlight problem, I recommend getting growing lights for future plants! đȘŽ âïž
Jerry doesnât have any healthy leaves and has some black changes to the stem which unfortunately does not make me optimistic for his recovery. I strongly suspect insufficient drainage and/or insufficient light- I know you said you think you underwatered but root rot looks more likely to me.Â
Luckily Ikea frequently has Jerryâs at a reasonable price. Take heart- I have killed many many plants in a similar fashion. It doesnât say anything about you as a person.Â
My coffee also wasnât doing well for a while. I cut off the dead parts and it sprouted new branches. Took a while though.
Coffee are understory plants and donât want direct light. Indirect bright light is good. You donât need (or want) to water on a schedule. Use a chopstick to check the soil and completely drench it in the sink when the top inch or so is dry. They donât want to dry out too much.
As someone who let more than a hundred plants die during a really bad bout of depression, I get how easy it is to forget about plant care. I hope you wonât be too hard on yourself if it doesnât bounce back and I hope you feel better soon.
There are so many walls of text here. Has anyone mentioned thrips? The overall damage may be from soil staying moist for too long, lack of light. But that kind of ugliness makes me think of thrips.
The distinct blackening of the stem and wilting of the leaves without total browning looks a lot like what killed some of my much larger coffee plants a few years back. I all but confirmed it to be some kind of fungal infection present in the stem itself, unfortunately a death sentence even for my fully mature established plants. Also possibly just got too dried out making it more vulnerable, but usually if that’s all it is they can bounce back unless fully crispy and that doesn’t tend to blacken the stem and growth tip before the leaves.