Advice please. I will explain how I got here below but it’s a long story. Here is the basic. I tried “fixing” a big leaf philodendron by cutting off the top and repotting it and then taking the middle part of the stem (is it a stolen?) with roots but no leaves and potting that up in another pot. I failed at both attempts.
The leaves on the top section eventually died and the middle section with roots did nothing. This is a pic of the middle section after I pulled it from the soil and submerged it in water. I changed the water daily for the past month or two and now it’s sprouting leaves in three places. How do I go forward with this piece? What am I looking at? Are those viable roots? Some are feathery most are not. Do I place this on top of soil or bury? Do I leave it in the water until the leaves are better established or plant it now? Should I use a chunky aroid mix or regular potting soil with additional perlite and coir?
Here is the full back story. We inherited a large leaf philodendron when we opened a store 5 years ago. The previous store owners received it as a gift when they opened their store in that building and left her for us when they vacated. She was planted in a 5 gallon plastic bucket (like the ones you get from the big box hardware stores) half full of regular potting soil. She was not very happy then but we were too busy opening our store to care for her. I put the plastic bucket in a large basket so it would not be so unsightly. We found a place where she was happier and lightly watered occasionally. She started to thrive so I didn’t think anything of her needing repotting at that point. She dropped a lower leaf occasionally over the years but kept putting out new leaves. A few months ago a visitor who knows plants pulled up the top part of the plant and showed us there was a long stem (stolen?) with no leaves, coiled up inside the bucket above the soil. The visitor suggested cutting the top off and repotting it and then rooting the middle section. I did that, allowing the cuts to heal before burying them in soil. The top did well for a while but now all the leaves have died. Maybe I should have just placed it on top of the soil? I guess I will try submerging the top section in water to see if I can bring it back. Any other suggestions on how to bring back the top section? I feel like I owe this philo an attempt at bringing her back. Is it a lost cause?
I wish I had taken a picture before I accidentally destroyed this plant because I can’t identify her now with no leaves. The last picture is cropped from a picture I found online that someone else posted with a shop review. It’s blurry but that’s all I have. I remember the leaves being large, wide, glossy medium green with no special appearance or veining. I think the cataphyll was pink, but there was no pink in the new leaf. I recently learned there are two types of big leaf philodendrons but don’t know if she was a climbing or crawling variety. Would you think she was a crawling variety because of the way she coiled in the bucket and the placement of the new leaf sprouts or does that mean she’s a climbing variety? Thank you for taking the time to read her story and for any and all info!
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Advice please. I will explain how I got here below but it’s a long story. Here is the basic. I tried “fixing” a big leaf philodendron by cutting off the top and repotting it and then taking the middle part of the stem (is it a stolen?) with roots but no leaves and potting that up in another pot. I failed at both attempts.
The leaves on the top section eventually died and the middle section with roots did nothing. This is a pic of the middle section after I pulled it from the soil and submerged it in water. I changed the water daily for the past month or two and now it’s sprouting leaves in three places. How do I go forward with this piece? What am I looking at? Are those viable roots? Some are feathery most are not. Do I place this on top of soil or bury? Do I leave it in the water until the leaves are better established or plant it now? Should I use a chunky aroid mix or regular potting soil with additional perlite and coir?
Here is the full back story. We inherited a large leaf philodendron when we opened a store 5 years ago. The previous store owners received it as a gift when they opened their store in that building and left her for us when they vacated. She was planted in a 5 gallon plastic bucket (like the ones you get from the big box hardware stores) half full of regular potting soil. She was not very happy then but we were too busy opening our store to care for her. I put the plastic bucket in a large basket so it would not be so unsightly. We found a place where she was happier and lightly watered occasionally. She started to thrive so I didn’t think anything of her needing repotting at that point. She dropped a lower leaf occasionally over the years but kept putting out new leaves. A few months ago a visitor who knows plants pulled up the top part of the plant and showed us there was a long stem (stolen?) with no leaves, coiled up inside the bucket above the soil. The visitor suggested cutting the top off and repotting it and then rooting the middle section. I did that, allowing the cuts to heal before burying them in soil. The top did well for a while but now all the leaves have died. Maybe I should have just placed it on top of the soil? I guess I will try submerging the top section in water to see if I can bring it back. Any other suggestions on how to bring back the top section? I feel like I owe this philo an attempt at bringing her back. Is it a lost cause?
I wish I had taken a picture before I accidentally destroyed this plant because I can’t identify her now with no leaves. The last picture is cropped from a picture I found online that someone else posted with a shop review. It’s blurry but that’s all I have. I remember the leaves being large, wide, glossy medium green with no special appearance or veining. I think the cataphyll was pink, but there was no pink in the new leaf. I recently learned there are two types of big leaf philodendrons but don’t know if she was a climbing or crawling variety. Would you think she was a crawling variety because of the way she coiled in the bucket and the placement of the new leaf sprouts or does that mean she’s a climbing variety? Thank you for taking the time to read her story and for any and all info!