Kat2

Sorry for cropping the top...I really need to work on my camera skills...or figure out where to put my new babies...like the lantern hibiscus on the right.

Rajapuri pup with apparently healthy (green) 2' Pstem but no leaves. Suddenly this. Is this going to be the 1 or are there 2? After nearly 5 months I finally have 3 pups on my DC; the tallest is 2' so this doesn't seem normal to me. But what do I know?



Whoops! Wrong section.

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sunfish

yes

Kat2

Cryptic much?

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Abnshrek

watch it grow. :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

Kat2

I planned to do that. I was merely curious about whether there might be 2 in this pot. (Don't Rajapuri pup a lot?) As evidenced by the picture, there are a couple of rogue tomato plants in the mix which will not be sacrificed; everything deserves to live so asking me to thin plants is futile. As winter approaches, I have more volunteers in 4 other pots to deal with; so much for "hot compost".

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Kat2

That's what I thought. Come spring we'll know.

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Kat2

I only picked this up 10/3; it was dug and potted in mid August. I gently cleaned up the lower "leaves" when I got home then set her aside to rest; there were no "bumps" at that time.

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Kat2

I was so absorbed at figuring out why an apparent pup showed up on the side that I didn't take a total picture of the "project". I didn't notice that I do have leaves of sorts the main pup. (And, yes, I have plans for that tomato seedling TYVM.)

2 or 1? I suspect my tidying up the lower leaves last week inspired the baby to get cracking.

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Kat2

Yes on both; they're obviously 2 plants. The new one looks better than the original but both are growing fine. I plan to just let them be until spring when I'll, with fear and trembling, perform my 1st pup surgery. BTW, a friend recommended using a recip for divisions. I only have my little folding serrated landscaping saw. Any reason why one can't use a saw?

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Kat2

I'm not sure a picture will show much right now but I will post one by next weekend. I've read about the larger pup dying then another coming but not 2 growing from the same root together.

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Kat2

Crap. I went out to check on the babies and it appears "letting it happen" was the wrong thing to do. The larger pup has a mushy P stem on the side where the other is coming on as does the baby at that point. (I now think I should have cut the attaching leaf stems where they were Siamesed at least a week ago to prevent water collecting water in the split but I'm a total noob on this stuff and hindsight is just that...)

They're both trying to survive with the smaller much happier but I'm wondering if I should cut the "baby mama" down and see if she regrows. I've cleared the rotting stuff away but neither have perfect P stems on the shared side though the upper parts are firm. Can I plant the mass deeper? Or should I just watch and hope at least 1 survives? Should I sever the twins and hope at least 1 survives? (I haven't dared cut a pup from my DC but this would be pretty easy I suspect.)

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Kat2

I calmed down. The "baby pup" has sent out a new leaf; her P stem seems to be okay and perhaps healing. The "mama pup" has a P stem that's 1/3 mushy at the division point so iffy but is still green and she's not falling over so I'm watching and refraining from action. We needed rain so I watered then it rained which the girls didn't need. Pictures Saturday--promise.

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Kat2

As promised pictures. I didn't realize Mama has lost vigor until I saw the other picture. She's lost leaves; baby has grown at least 1 more. Allowing water to collect where they were joined was definitely a bad idea.


Her upper stem is not mushy but she's wounded as you can see. Baby seems to have recovered.


Cut her back? Wait and watch? Will baby be hurt if I do nothing?

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sunfish

Cut it off and be done with it Re-pot the pup in a bigger container

Kat2

Pot is plenty big for pup and mom though I am, fingers crossed, getting larger containers along with some decent soil Wednesday. (If not, I have resources to repot them--just not my other plants.)

If I cut her off, must I separate the pup? (That would be my 1st surgery; I'd much rather experiment on 1 of my 5 DC pups this spring than chance losing the RP.)

If I cut her off below the rot, will she regrow? Or could I divide her corm in spring and play around? Or will that not be an option if I do nothing?

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sunfish

I wouldn't try separating pup I would try and remove the mom and let the pup take over.

Abnshrek

I don't think its a pup @ all I think its a break out the mother forming a new stem, Mother's old stem is decayin' if you look at the old pic versus the new one.. I do agree w/ Tony's earlier statement.. Cut her old stem and repot it.. :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

Kat2

Grabbing my handy dandy folding saw from my landscaping days and taking Mom down in the AM. (It's little but I used to trim 3" pine branches with it so it's a great tool.)

I will leave her mess there but move the pot where it's out of rain. I'll grab a saucer and only water from the bottom. Baby seems to be growing well now. Will Mom send up more pups? I hope. If not, she won't/shouldn't hurt anything by being there. I'll watch. If she causes issues, I'll separate. (I hope she doesn't because, though I have diagrams and have read a lot, haven't the confidence to sever pups--yet.)

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