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Wilted leaves

The two rooted leafed out cuttings pictured below both have some leaves that suddenly wilted.  The larger one is about 3 weeks, the smaller 2 weeks since being transfered from a Root Riot tray to the miniSIP.  Both have been kept relatively dry to avoid rotting, the top of the potting mix is dry, the bottom slightly moist, with some slight condensation noted inside the plastic SIP bottle.  Each were in a large plastic tub with plastic wrap over the top to hold in humidity, with a good bit of condensation in the sides of the tub.   I started a few days ago cracking the plastic covering for an hour at a time to start getting them used to dryer air, and noted the condensation on the sides of the tub lessened when I did so.  Then yesterday AM these 2 plants looked sick, while the other ~20 cuttings in the same tub look fine.  The smaller plant in the pic labeled leaf1 has both leaves looking very wilted, the larger plant has the lower leaves affected, the top leaf looks pretty normal. The pics were taken last PM, they look the same today. 
Is this due to exposure to dryer air?  Something else?

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Ed I would put them back into the humidity bin and make sure the soil isn't too dry. Maybe they just need a bit of water for roots closer to the surface.

Are they different cultivars than the others that are doing fine?  Some cultivars just don't take changes in humidity too well.  LSU Tigers were like that for me, whereas peter's honey didn't care if it was humid or dry.  

Definitely back in the humidity chamber.  As mentioned, some are very sensitive to the dry air.

try 1-15 min at a time.. an hour is too long for first time out of humidity bin. even my month old cuttings will start looking dried up once the lid is opened on humidity bin for over an hour. 

Thanks for the reassurance that there was not something else wrong.  Neither was out of the humidity bin before the pics were taken, and have been in it with the top closed and a little extra water given since.  

Both cuttings have another one of the same type doing ok in same bin.  Tony - the smaller one was one of the San Pietro cuttings you gave me in Nov.  It looks the worst, and I really want that one to recover. 

Do wilted leaves like that usually recover, or do they die and the plant sends out new leaves, or do they often croak when they look that bad?

Quote:
Originally Posted by eboone

Do wilted leaves like that usually recover, or do they die and the plant sends out new leaves, or do they often croak when they look that bad?


Some of those leaves may be too far gone to recover.  If so, they'll turn yellow and drop.  If they do recover, they may show severe dryness around the edges, but will be okay.

If they do drop, as long as the roots are good and not too stressed, it'll send out new leaves.  Keep the roots happy and it'll eventually do well.  I had one that dropped leaves after up potting and it finally put on new leaves 2 months later.


Ed as long as the leaf isn't crunchy there's a good chance it can rehydrate and be ok. I had a couple do that this winter but they survived.

If your cuttings don't make it and as long as my tree isn't freeze dried from this winter I'll give you more or do an air layer for you.

Yep, if the leaves start to harden on the edges, it's probably not going to recover.  The leaves will be replaced otherwise.  I went through this a bunch last winter.  Even when spring arrived, I had made a hoop house that was very humid during the day, maybe too much, and I still had lots of 1st year cuttings that wilted.  Most of them gradually acclimated a little more each day and eventually pulled through.

Check to be sure there are no fungus gnats flying around.  Wilt is a result of their damage to roots.  If you see no gnats, then humidity must be the answer.

Good luck with them!

Suzi

Same as Suzi said. If you have or get a couple of stick traps to make sure they are not around and have managed to
get into your plants and hatched out.

I have been watching things very closely, no gnats have been noted.  Thanks for the tip, will watch even closer. 
I would have to order such sticky traps online, as no local stores have things for the spring gardening season out yet.

Hi eboone,
Just my two cents of the day:
I would remove all the water from the sip. For me the potting-mix is holding too much water.
It could be that the cutting set too much green for its roots . Were they already rooted ?
It is hard to tell with the photo, but how much of the cutting is exposed to the air ?
I would say, that you left too much length of the cutting out of the dirt.
Is it possible for you to pot them deeper ?

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