Help! suicidal Zamioculcas
By Piers_austin
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Happy New Year to all fellow plant lovers!
Please help, yes the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas) just can't keep them going. A house plant I know. Bought from garden centre they grow until they outgrow their pot then the trouble starts. Re-pot in 50:50 sand and compost mix, water infrequently but soon the leaves go black and they rot from bases of stems and kaput, thats the end! If ever there was a suicidal plant this is it!
They are supposed to withstand neglect and abuse, maybe I should try that. Are there any experienced growers out there who can tell me where I'm going wrong? Cheers
- 10 Jan, 2011
Answers
Well thats very informative. I have one too that looks great at the minute but the pot is starting to distort as the tubers develop. I was thinking of potting it on so thats great info on that Tug, thanks.
11 Jan, 2011
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First, don't use home-made garden compost, and make sure that any commercial mixes you use don't have loam or peat in them. Then, make sure that the sand is a coarse, horticultural grit, rather than play sand, or something fine like that. Next, add a generous amount of pumice or volcanic cinders to increase the drainage and aeration further. Also, don't increase the size of the pot more than about 5 cm in diameter or height--too much unused potting compost is an open invitation to rot. If the roots or tubers are damaged at all in transplanting, you will need to apply a fungicide to prevent rot--they are very sensitive to root rot fungi! Pot up in barely damp mix, and leave dry for at least a week after repotting, to let any damage heal. Then you can water. We usually water once about every two to three months, here in the desert.
11 Jan, 2011