YOU can help save the life of a houseplant!

[dolcezena]

I am completely hopeless when it comes to indoor plants. Gardens, OK - they seem to survive my benign neglect. Houseplants, not so much.

A little while ago, DH & I had a fight. I broke our weekly "date" because I had to work overtime. He works in the same business, so it ticked me off that he didn't understand. Anyway, big fight.

The next day, he went to buy eggs & other necessities, & came home with a small potted rosebush for me. (Don't you love it? I broke the date, he apologizes!!)

After the first couple days, it started to look a little dry, so I watered it. Then I watered it some more. In my mind, dried-up shriveled leaves means the plant needs water. Therefore, I watered it more. All the flowers died, & the leaves kept getting...shrivelier? What stems(?) there were got a little brown-looking & I'm pretty sure if a plant could scream, this one would have.

DH informed me I was over-watering. This is what I don't get...how can the plant look dried-out if I'm giving it too much water????

Anyway, I insisted on trying to save it, put it in the sunniest part of the house, added Miracle-Gro to the water, & yes, stopped watering on a daily basis.

So, things start to look up. Plant gets new green leaves. I now do the "pencil test" to see if it needs more water. But now there's a weird grey......fuzz on top of the soil & the leaves are getting shrivelly again. What the heck am I doing WRONG???

 

[rickyratsmom]

It's mold, from overwatering. You should repot with fresh potting soil. Just get a new plant container, put some fresh potting soil in the bottom. Gently remove the plant from the old container. I turn mine upside down and tap the bottom, kinda like getting cupcakes out of a pan. Once the plant and old soil in out, gently remove the old soil from the roots. You don't have to get it all just the majority of the soil. Then place the plant in the new pot and add soil to completely cover the roots. Water and fertilize as needed and you should be fine . I like to use soil with vermiculite in it to prevent the soil from hardening, I notice some soils now come with it already. Good luck!!

 

[dolcezena]

I turn mine upside down and tap the bottom, kinda like getting cupcakes out of a pan.

Also beyond my domestic abilities...



So, re-potting (assuming I do it correctly), won't put the plant into shock or something????

And where is the best place to keep an indoor rosebush? Full sun? Part sun? In the closet with the door closed, so I can't see its pain?

And what is that verm-whatever? Can I get it at Home Depot?

My grandmother would be so ashamed of me....

 

[Plantlady]

Symptoms of overwatering and underwatering are very similar.

I would go get some miracle gro soil, it will have the vermiculite already mixed in.. repot as directed. it won't go into shock. it will like it.

Put it in full sun. Nice sunny spot.

You can also plant it outside. If that's easier on you. If a rose bush can survive in your climate, this will do great.

Water when the soil is just barely dry.

good luck!

 

[All American]

Oh, I hope you can save your plant. I am not much help in the recovery department as I rarely have plants that last a week or two. I do, however, have some ivy that I have had for over 3 months. Color me shocked, but at the insistence of our 4-year-old I bought the AquaGlobe. That thing actually works. I love not having to worry about watering too much or too little.

 

[dolcezena]

I would go get some miracle gro soil, it will have the vermiculite already mixed in.. repot as directed. it won't go into shock. it will like it.

Excellent - simple enough even for a houseplant-challenged twit like me.

You can also plant it outside. If that's easier on you. If a rose bush can survive in your climate, this will do great.

Again, I'm lost...

Pretty sure it wouldn't survive....I live in a city that's nickname is Winter-peg. It snowed this morning (not a lot, it didn't stay on the ground, but still...) We hit -40 (Farenheit/Celsiuis, -40 is -40!!) on a regular basis in the winter.

BUT - can I let it live outside in the summer & bring it in to hibernate for the winter????



(Yes, I really am this inept when it comes to plants......)

 

[Plantlady]

Excellent - simple enough even for a houseplant-challenged twit like me.



Again, I'm lost...

Pretty sure it wouldn't survive....I live in a city that's nickname is Winter-peg. It snowed this morning (not a lot, it didn't stay on the ground, but still...) We hit -40 (Farenheit/Celsiuis, -40 is -40!!) on a regular basis in the winter.

BUT - can I let it live outside in the summer & bring it in to hibernate for the winter????



(Yes, I really am this inept when it comes to plants......)

Do other people have rose bushes outside?

If yes, then it will live. But, maybe try to keep it alive, until it stops snowing.

PP had a good idea, aquaglobe.

SO, new advise. repot, miracle gro, aquaglobe, move outside this summer! You can do it!

 

[dolcezena]

Actually, planting it outside was one of DH's intentions when he bought it for me (love it, constant reminder that he was wrong!!! lol) But seriously, we have really harsh winters.

I truly have NO idea if roses can survive a winter here. Everything I put in my garden, I assume will be gone in the spring, & we start all over.

And I figure roses are like grapevines - different varieties do well in different climates (I'm a professional wine geek), so I asked DH what KIND of rosebush it was.

His response......"It has flowers."

 

[golfgal]

There are plenty of winter hardy rosebushes. It should say on the tag that came with the plant otherwise call the store where he bought it and they can tell you. If it isn't winter hardy, in the fall, after the first frost, cover the bush with a styrofoam plant cover filled with leaves. That will insulate the plant through the winter. In early May or so when the temps stay above freezing overnight, uncover. I live in MN and this is what everyone here does with rose bushes. You might want to pick up a book on rose care too.

 

[disneyhand]

I'm a rose freak, but I live in Southern California, so I don't know much about growing roses in a cold climate. But I do know that people do it all the time. I think they just prune them down for winter. I'm sure there is lot's of info on the internet about cold climate rose care.

I am pretty sure that those small potted rose bushes are not meant to be long term indoor plants. They will always do what you have described. This is just my experience however and I am not an expert.

Many people grow rushes successfully in pots outdoors, but mine have always done best in the ground. I have planted many of those little ones out doors and they do fine after that.

When you replant I recommend pruning them. Plants go into shock when transplanted and it helps them not to have to keep the leaves alive. The leaves grow back rally quick. Roses are very strong and hard to kill.

 

[Abbie]

And where is the best place to keep an indoor rosebush? Full sun? Part sun? In the closet with the door closed, so I can't see its pain?

I'm married to a man with a horticulture degree who manages four wholesale nurseries. Here's what I do with a dying houseplant.....

Put it outside on the deck and pretend you don't see it. Eventually it will be beyond hope or help and you can throw it out in good conscience.

My house is full of silk ficus and ferns and philodendrons and one lousy real plant from my mil that refuses to die no matter how much I neglect it. (Ironically enough it's called "mother in law's tongue"!) It always looks good though so I can't bring myself to subject it to the deck treatment...

Seriously, I don't think a rosebush is meant to last too long indoors, I'd plant it outside and try to protect it through the worst of your winters and hope for the best.

 

[dolcezena]

I'm married to a man with a horticulture degree who manages four wholesale nurseries. Here's what I do with a dying houseplant.....

Put it outside on the deck and pretend you don't see it. Eventually it will be beyond hope or help and you can throw it out in good conscience.

OK, that's Plan B