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Old 07-18-2008, 06:05 PM   #6 (permalink)
microfarmer
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Default Re: Ensete Superbum Leaf Problems

Quote:
Originally Posted by bananaman88 View Post
Does the pseudostem seem firm and stable? (snip) How well-draining is your soil media?
P-stem is fine, and except for the creeping blackness, the plant is otherwise healthy. Soil drains very well, but holds moisture for a while

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tropicallvr View Post
Maybe changing the soil and putting it outside in the fresh air would help. It kinda looks like some sort of leaf mold.
I have it out side this year and last, and I thought it looked more fungus like. Our humidity is 30% or less (mostly less), with no spraying of the plant, so I thought it was too warm and dry for molds or fungi

Quote:
Originally Posted by proletariatcsp View Post
I overwintered my large peace lilly in the garage and the leaf tips turned black just like that. This came right after some mushrooms had grown in the same pot, so I wonder if it was a leaf mold. The black eventually spread into the whole leaf and killed the plant.

Not sure if that is actually mold, but I have heard of certain deficiencies and chlorosis causing leaf rot.
That is what happened last year. The black just kept spreading and I cut the leaves off to keep it from spreading and to look for problems inside the plant. I saw none. The soil I'm using is Kellog's patio mix with worm castings, bat guano and other organic ingredients. I can imagine if the mix didn't get hot enough, it could harbor a fungus.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdog View Post
I've seen that before on Ensetes. I think that it is a type of fungus, possibly from the potting soil you used. I would take it out of that soil and completely defoliate it (as painful as that may be). Mix up a fungicide solution and soak the entire plant and corm (the fungus is probably living in the corm) in it for a while (how long depends on what type of fungicide). Get a new, sterile pot and some new, sterile potting mix and pot it up. I would have some extra fungicide mixed up in a spray bottle to spray it once a week for a few weeks after that, just to make sure you got it all. Also, I notice some organic matter collecting on the leaves and in the pot. Not good! That may not be the cause, but it certainly isn't helping.

Hope that cures it! It's a nice-looking little Ensete superbum otherwise.
It was very large last year. Is there a fungicide you would recommend? I have Daconil concentrate (clorothalonil 29.6%) but it doesn't give instructions for soaking, just as a spray. The organic matter is recent and dropped off the crepe myrtle since I pulled it out of the garage. It was in the back yard last year, but out fromt now.

So hacking the top and roots, and soaking the rest is the plan. What got me was that I used a fresh soil to plant it. It was very depressing.
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