What to do??

[dragom]

I have a Blc Toshie Aoki x Slc Wendy's Valentine that I got not long ago. I am not sure what is going on with it. The leaves are not smooth like they should be but wrinkled up in a way not sure if I am giving it too much water or not enough. 2 leaves were turning yellow and another is on its way. It just doesn't seem to be healthy. Being new I am not sure what I need to do to this beauty and I hate to lose it.

[christina waines]

I suspect that the roots are not healthy. Pop it out of its pot and take a look. If the roots are mostly brown and mushy they are toast. Cut them off and Sphag n bag the plant. Place the plant in a clear plastic bag with some damp sphagnum moss underneath where the roots should be and seal the bag like a balloon. This way you create a small very humid terarrium and keep the humidity nice and high. Put the bag somewhere warm and out of strong direct light. In a few weeks new roots should start growing. From what I can see the plant is potted in coconut chunks which are extremely water retentive. If you watered it faithfully once a week it would have stayed soaking wet and that is the best way to kill Catt roots. Catts are a little like Cactus. They like to dry between waterings, not dried completely for weeks but just a bit dry before they get watered again. Adding some KLN to the water you soak the moss in would help encourage those roots too. Remember the moss should be damp not dripping wet ok
Good luck

[camille1585]

Too add to what christina says, it could also be from underwatering, if the roots look fine.
Christina, I find that coconut chunks don't stay wet that long. I have 1 catt, in CHC, which originally was rootless but loved the CHC and grew tons of roots. I just make sure to let it dry well between watering. I did a test with that rootless Catt. When I divided it, one part went in CHC, the other in bark. The one in CHC is doing much better, no contest.

[dragom]

I took it out of its pot and looked at the roots they are not mushy and the white greenish roots are still there. It was to my own haste to get it repotted I never noticed all the Sphagnum Moss that the roots had grown around. I took it out and repotted it and will see how that goes. It is the only catt out of all my others that isn't doing well. Thanks all for the information. I will see how it goes in the crushed coconut now.

[frostedeyes]

prolly just because of the old age... i believe the best indication to a healthy plant is to look for the new growths.... the wrinkling plant- either sick or... its just the normal cycle of aging, or... it could be that its supplying nutrients for your young shoots! try not to disturb the plant. especially on new growths!

[christina waines]

Camille you are so right. I find the chc act like sponges and hold water without being wet and mushy like moss but they hold lots of water for a long time. For those who like to water frequently they can be too water retentive.

[WhiteRabbit]

I have the same plant I received in similar condition - we proly bought from the same seller
was potted in packed dried out sphag! so only good roots were at the surface and foliage looked wrinkled as well
I repotted (after soaking to get all sphag removed from it) in chc and perlite - is doing nicely now - and has only been maybe 3 weeks. There is new root growth and a new growth!
I have just started using chc myself so use skewers to check for moisture, and it doesn't seem the chc stays moist horribly long so should work well!
and keep us posted on plants progress!

[Sandy4453]

Many growers will cut all roots off Catts after the blooms are spent. I do this as well with some Catts., best way to promote root growth, in my opinion. Timing and conditions have to be just right though. Humidity, less light temporarily and kept dry (after cutting) for about 2-3 weeks, will usually get roots and new growth. I don't think CHC is a good choice on this size Catt and would consider moving it to a drier medium. Wrinkling on Catt leaves is usually caused by being over or under watered. They'll curl if underwatered and get somewhat limp and yellowing if, over watered.