dying vine

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Natbug, Dec 10, 2004.

  1. Natbug

    Natbug Member

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    I've had this vine since I was about 10 or 12, and now i'm 18. It's been through a lot including at least a couple of years of not watering or being near the sun. It amazes me that it survived. I started taking care of it and it just kept growing.

    I decided to replant it in a larger pot outside, a big stone pot. This was near the end of summer and it has been doing well. But now that the season is changing it's been raining more often, and the plant was out there for a couple nights that it dropped below freezing. It may have been looking bad before then, but I can't remember. Now all the leaves are dying. I have now brought it back inside, stone pot and all, and set it next to my window - the vine seems to like plenty of light.

    What is strange is that these little sprouts, not leaves, are growing off the vine. They have only started since the plant has begun to die. One day I found the vine was laying over another plant's pot and it seemed to have rooted itself with one of these. Maybe it's some way of preserving itself? On one of the 3 to 4 vines on it, all the middle leaves are dying first and the middle of the vine is turning brown and black, while the ends still look yellowish, which is how the vine usually looks, and the leaves look somewhat better. I decided to bury the middle of one of the branches that has these things growing on it in hopes that it might take root and be able to get nutrients and maybe save the end of it that looks like it still has some life in it. Does this sound like a good idea?

    Also, I've read a little about dying plants and in a lot of the cases they suggest pruning back the plant significantly. It's hard to bring myself to do this since my logic is, 'aren't the leaves the only way the plant gets sunlight, and I know the plant needs sunlight.' Could it be a fungus? Any help would be great. Like I said, I've had it a long time and would really hate for it to die. Thanks.
     
  2. Natbug

    Natbug Member

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    Surely someone has some advice. Any help would be appreciated.
     
  3. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    Re-potting can stress a plant and cause it to indulge in reproductive activities such as layering (which is what it is doing in the neighboring pot). Often you may see drought stressed conifers produce a huge crop of cones. The name of the game is survival.

    Moving it outside would be another stress, and getting frozen yet another.

    How much to prune is something I cannot advise you on; maybe someone else can help with specifics. After a month or more, you should be able to cut the newly rooted section free of the "mother" plant to give yourself a new vine, but if there is a lot of vine beyond the new roots you will have to prune that back as well (to match the new plant's size to the new root's capability to provide nutrients).

    Good luck
    Ralph
     

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