Problems with my Portucalarias!

[f1pt4]

I've been growing Portucalarias for the past three years. They spend their summer outdoors, and winters indoors under 16hours of HOT5 lights.

This year after bringing my trees in, they haven't been doing that great.

First the dramatic leaf loss. No problem, they re-adjusted and grew new leaves.

Then the new leaves started growing tiny pimples on them. They are usually plump and smooth. Now they were plump but gritty feeling. Fearing scale, I treated all my indoor trees with neem.

I should note that pre-emptivly, before bringing in my trees for the winter, I treated all of my indoor plants with bonide granules. The neem spray happened about 12 weeks after the bonide treatment. Since I use an inorganic substrate for my ports I noticed that some of the granuals would sift through and end up in the trays. Hence the neem approach.

So far they've received two neem sprays, approx 3 weeks apart. No leaf drop, except for the gritty leaves, which fell and were quickly replaced with clean smooth new growth.

Now I noticed that my branches are developing black spots. They eventually shrivel up about half way on the branch, and fall off, even though new growth is pushing out on the tips.

The alarming part is that more and more branches are showing the spots. All 10 of my ports seem infected plus about 25% of about 50 cuttings. I'm loosing finer branches/ramification on the bigger more developed trees. I'm pretty sure it's not over watering as I don't water them more than once every 5-7 days, and it's a constant 22-25 degrees Celsius. And 100% inorganic. Is it fungus? Is it an insect? Someone anyone Beuller?

Thanks for any input.

 

[fredman]

Man that is a bummer. Sorry I cant help, but I'm watching this with anticipation. Know very little about funguses and sicknesses in general. This is going to be a long winter for you. Hope someone can help sort this out. Good luck mate !!!

 

[LanceMac10]

These things, in my experience, don't like chemicals of any kind. Never had any bugs and such with mine, virtually bulletproof.

Should pull thru, I bet......

 

[LanceMac10]

Any sort of exposure to cold?

 

[GrimLore]

Someone anyone Beuller?

Here that would be the result of way to much humidity, been there and have seen exactly the same thing. We no longer keep them when we have them in the plant room because of that. They stay a foot or two from a Western exposure window and do best there with an average humidity all Winter of 40 percent.

Grimmy

 

[f1pt4]

Any sort of exposure to cold?

Well at night I notice that the temps drop to 19C as we prefer a cooler house to sleep in, and the basement is always generally cooler. But less than 19? Maybe 18, but that's about as low as it gets in there for the 8 hours the lights are off. Although recently it hasn't dipped below 20.

 

[f1pt4]

Man that is a bummer. Sorry I cant help, but I'm watching this with anticipation. Know very little about funguses and sicknesses in general. This is going to be a long winter for you. Hope someone can help sort this out. Good luck mate !!!

Ya this had me cursing. Almost thinking of selling all of them next year if they pull through and get back to some decent health.

 

[fredman]

I don't think cold is a factor. Where they grow naturally the temps dip below zero every night in winter. I'm with Grimmy....humidity.... especially combined with lower temps.

 

[aml1014]

I've had neemy oil burn the shit out of my succulents on more then one occasion. I use alcohol for my jades if they get mealy bugs which is the only bug I've ever had them get.

Aaron

 

[f1pt4]

Here that would be the result of way to much humidity, been there and have seen exactly the same thing. We no longer keep them when we have them in the plant room because of that. They stay a foot or two from a Western exposure window and do best there with an average humidity all Winter of 40 percent.

Grimmy

I hope that's the case, although my thermometer on both the two top shelves say 43 & 38% humidity respectively. I rarely mist them if at all, plus there's forced air and an oscillating fan moving air when the lights are on.

The only thing re humidity is a possible elevation when I mist my ficuses, which are in very close proximity. Those get 1-5 thorough mistings a day!

 

[f1pt4]

I've had neemy oil burn the shit out of my succulents on more then one occasion. I use alcohol for my jades if they get mealy bugs which is the only bug I've ever had them get.

Aaron

I've used neem on ports before as well as my crassulas. Lower concentration (diluted) then for other plants/trees and I use a wetting agent with it as well. Bio glue I think it's called.

But maybe this batch of neem is expired or toxic or what have youze.

Maybe I'll hold off on the third round due in about 2 weeks

 

[f1pt4]

I don't think cold is a factor. Where they grow naturally the temps dip below zero every night in winter. I'm with Grimmy....humidity.... especially combined with lower temps.

It could be the case. now that I think about it, I did do some late (20min or less before lights out) misting for consecutive days, a couple of weeks ago when I got home from work late.


jees.. who wouldve thought plants/trees were so fickle.

 

[fredman]

One thing that needs to be said about them. People see and treat them as tropicals. They are not. They are succulents. They thrive in hot arid areas. Just thought ill mention that

 

[f1pt4]

One thing that needs to be said about them. People see and treat them as tropicals. They are not. They are succulents. They thrive in hot arid areas. Just thought ill mention that

You're right! Guilty as charged.

 

[fredman]

Guilty as charged.

All because we love them so much

 

[GrimLore]

I hope that's the case, although my thermometer on both the two top shelves say 43 & 38% humidity respectively. I rarely mist them if at all, plus there's forced air and an oscillating fan moving air when the lights are on.

The only thing re humidity is a possible elevation when I mist my ficuses, which are in very close proximity. Those get 1-5 thorough mistings a day!

Bring up the heat about 20 degrees if that is 43F or bring it down if it is 43C. At 60 - 70F you should be able to water them once a month with the lights and air you have and they will do ok. Seems to be that cool they would be sitting in any watering to long with almost no added evaporation. Also if watered and fertilized the fertilizer would be sitting on the roots far to long...

Grimmy