Why is my Zebra turning brown on the tips? I water every ...
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It’s hard to tell- what do you mean by 2” of draining? Do you water it thorougly each time and then dump off all the excess water? My xanthosoma doesn’t need water more than once every couple of weeks, and it’s in super well draining soil and lives in a south window under a bunch of other plants. I don’t water it until it’s nearly dry. @stephongreg and @DreamMachine are great resources on this plant.
@MoneyedBibi36 I'm also curious what you mean by 2" of space for draining. Does the pot have actual drainage holes at the bottom where water can freely pour out? These guys do best in a chunky, airy soil that offers plenty of air around the roots. Regular indoor potting soil without any additional amendments added is much too dense, so when you water the soil will compact around the roots, cutting off their oxygen supply and suffocating them. The ideal mix looks something like 3 parts potting soil, 2 parts orchid bark or coco chips, and 1 part perlite. The bark and perlite create air pockets throughout the soil, allowing more oxygen to reach the roots.
The brown area at the leaf tip looks like the result of root stress, possibly from inconsistent watering (the soil stays too dry or too wet for periods of time). Another possibility is burn from salt or fertilizer buildup, which is more likely when a pot doesn't have proper drainage. Humidity levels are also a big factor with these plants. They're known for being fairly dramatic when humidity levels are too low.
Is this the only leaf showing this type of damage?
The brown area at the leaf tip looks like the result of root stress, possibly from inconsistent watering (the soil stays too dry or too wet for periods of time). Another possibility is burn from salt or fertilizer buildup, which is more likely when a pot doesn't have proper drainage. Humidity levels are also a big factor with these plants. They're known for being fairly dramatic when humidity levels are too low.
Is this the only leaf showing this type of damage?
@MoneyedBibi36 what size pot do you have? Watering every week seems a bit much, unless it’s in a very small pot. 🤔 My 6” pot needs water about every 10-12 days. What does 2” of space for drainage mean? Do you have a layer of something like perlite or rocks at the bottom of the pot? That has been shown to not help with drainage, so if that’s the case you’re going to need to amend your soil with perlite, orchid bark, coco chips, pumice etc. Are you using the soil straight from the bag as is? My recommendation for a basic mix is 1/3 coco coir or peat, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 orchid bark.
And also, if you are replying to a certain person, you will need to include their tag/name (like for me you would include @DreamMachine ) in your comment, otherwise they won’t get the notification since it’s your post!
And also, if you are replying to a certain person, you will need to include their tag/name (like for me you would include @DreamMachine ) in your comment, otherwise they won’t get the notification since it’s your post!