Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

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FredBW
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:52 am
Location: Kansas City

Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

Post by FredBW »

I live in the Kansas City area and have been overwintering this Euphorbia in a cool bedroom with a west facing window. It bought it last fall and it was extremely healthy. But I elected not to repot it since it was pretty close to time to be bringing things inside.
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It has really gone down hill in the last couple weeks. I have been giving it a drink once a month since October. I keep a lot of cacti in the same room and they are doing fine with the same watering schedule. The temp in the bedroom has never been below 50 F. and not much above 60.
I am thinking my problem might be not enough light,but thought i would ask for opinions :) There is just one window in the bedroom and any real light is probably only 3 hours a day.
Today I gave it a good watering and put it under a grow light on a heat mat. It might not look that bad in the picture. but in person and compared to what it was going into fall. I'm really worried the big one isn't going to come out of it. Some of the pups are still green.
Any opinions?
TIA.... Fred
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ohugal
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Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 10:45 am

Re: Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

Post by ohugal »

I think the combination of not enough light, 50-60°F and watering 1x/month might be the cause. Did you check for rot? That's a lot of brown-ish lower stems on the plant. In my opinion radically changing growing conditions is not good. Perhaps more detailed pictures could help. Also, did you check the roots and what is your soil mixture?
My euphorbia's are in hibernation in similar temperatures (with perhaps a bit more light) and I've only watered them very lightly when temperatures suddenly went up a few weeks ago.
Location
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temperate, maritime climate with mild winters and cool summers
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FredBW
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:52 am
Location: Kansas City

Re: Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

Post by FredBW »

I opted to radically change conditions because they looked like they were/are going down hill in a hurry. I bought them last fall right before winter so they are in the soil they came with. I don't really want to uproot them because that goes under radical changes. BUT. Since this is my first winter with this type of euphorbia I thought maybe this was somewhat normal. But it doesn't really sound like it is. Also I have some other types euphorbias in a different south facing bedroom with more light and they are doing fine.
In the back of my mind I have suspected root mealies or some type of critters. I was going to give it a week. But I might just give it a look today,or maybe excavate a few of the pups and look closely at the roots.
FredBW
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:52 am
Location: Kansas City

Re: Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

Post by FredBW »

I somewhat unpotted it and didn't really see any varmints. Looked a few roots over with a magnifying glass. Soil is typical cactus potting mix heavy on Perlite . Moisture from my recent watering is definitely getting to the roots,and no sign of rot. Where it was it really wasn't getting much light,and for now i guess I will blame it on that.
Sooo I guess I will just leave it under the grow light and heating mat and hope it comes out of it.
I ordered some systemic liquid insecticide I will give it after the soil dries out.
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ohugal
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Re: Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

Post by ohugal »

Ok. If a plant is in rest, the systemic insecticide won't be properly taken up by the roots. I don't how it exactly works when a systemic is applied as a foliar. Why are you applying a systemic when you don't have a pest? You could use it in a preventive way, but better to wait when the plant is actively growing.
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
temperate, maritime climate with mild winters and cool summers
hardiness zone 8a
FredBW
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:52 am
Location: Kansas City

Re: Euphorbia Horrida overwintering problem

Post by FredBW »

I am going to do it in case of root mealies. Although I didn't see any,I am not certain there aren't any there. The perlite in the soil could make them hard to detect. Plus I didn't completely clean all the roots off. I was trying to find a problem while disturbing as little as possible. I went far enough to see several roots on dried out plants to see the roots looked OK. I am pretty certain there are no critters above the soil but not positive underneath.
This time of year i would rather use insecticide, than clean off all the roots and repot it.
I just find it odd this one plant dried out when 15 or 20 others are just fine. I think the pups might be showing signs of green,or it might just be my wishful thinking. If it shows definite signs of improvement before I water it again,I won't use the insecticide. On the heat mat it 'might' be dried out again by next weekend. There are a LOT of roots in that pot,and it might just be the mother and the pups needed more water than all my other pots with single plants. Iduno. :)
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