Can I save my Ghost Plant?

[Msannic]

One of my favorite plants has taken a turn for the worst! It started slowly losing the large petals. They would turn yellow and start to shrivel and then fall off at the slightest touch or move. Now it’s happening to the newest growth also!! And the stem is starting to look the same way that the stem of my Silver Dollar Jade did just before it died the same odd death. That one was a new plant and I thought I just picked a bad one but now I’m worried it had something that might be spreading to my other plants. Has anyone seen this? Is there any way I can save it?!

[Jangaudi]

not sure this is the issue here, but the soil looks very rich and humid, and there seems to be some white mold or so. When leaves start to shrivel people often think it's drying out, and give it more water, which is in itself a death trap. I'd let the soil dry out completely, even if it loses more leaves, take it out, brush off the compost soil, let it rest for a few days, and repot it in a sandy soil mix, with lots of pumice, or perlite, and wait a few days before watering again. I've seen succulents like this (is it an echeveria ?) lose all their leaves, but just restart sprouting nevertheless.

[Jangaudi]

oh, and because of the soil and too much water issue, the roots could be rotting, so you might want to cut away the rotting roots before you repot it.

[Dodi Russell]

It looks like your pot is too big also.

[Msannic]

Thank you so much! This was very helpful. I have an aloe plant that looks like it is about to suffer the same fate. I have the same soil in all my pots. It’s a cacti soil mix that I added perlite too. What would you recommend I do differently? And should I switch it out in all my plants? I fear that they are all headed this way since it seems to be taking them out one by one..

[Jangaudi]

weird cacti mix, not a trace of sand...though it looks chunky, so it probably drains well (does it ?) As it is getting close to autumn, you might as well leave them in until spring, and add sand and stones to the mix, or get another cacti mix. But then you probably have to cut back on the watering. How often do you water them ? You really need to wait until the soil is totally dried out before watering again, but then give them a decent pour. Usually an adult plant like that can take weeks without water, especially during winter, when they should be kept dry anyways.

[Msannic]

It does drain pretty well. I’m in Las Vegas so it has been really hot and dry the past few months, over 100F degrees everyday. When I first got them I was only watering every 10 days or so and they were extremely thirsty, atleast, that’s what I was told in a previous posting. So I amped it up to once or twice a week, as needed, and they were all growing really well. It’s starting to cool off a bit, getting down to the 70s at night and only 90s during the day. Maybe I didn’t cut back enough when it started cooling off?

II was also planning to start bringing them inside in the next few weeks as it gets cooler. I’ve read in other posts that once you move them in you don’t have to water them for a few months. Would you agree? And should I be using a grow lamp during that time?

[Jangaudi]

I guess extreme heat can cause drying out, but watering twice a week sounds like too often. Do you pour enough water in there to make it leak out at the bottom? Anyways, with autumn coming up, you should gradually cut down on watering. Winter time needs to be cool and bright, window sill or something. Not sure if you need a grow lamp in Las Vegas, sound more like something for Finland . Hope it works