DC Carnivores Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 Hi all, Sooner or later it had to happen, here in Italy we are suffering for more than a month, a wave of heat and moisture. Sunday evening I noticed that these 3 cephalotus were slightly wilted, I thought it was cause to leave them without water for a few days, yesterday the situation was worsened and I immediately understood that it was not simple dehydration. The ground was very wet and hot, and the plants are constantly overshadowed in the greenhouse under a table, with a good air recirculation ... What can i do? Preying i suppose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Carnivores Posted July 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) The strange thing is that it just happened at the same time at three plants in differents pots, that's why I thought it was simple dehydration Edited July 21, 2015 by Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilacina Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Hi Aidan, I´m sorry I have to tell you,but your plants have been killed by colletotrichum,a fungus that exists in all our plants,but does not harm them until the growing-conditions are o.k,which also includes moderate temps.Due to the heatwave you´ve been talking about the temp in your GH raised too high and the fungus makes your plants wilting. Concerning my experiences (I had many losses of helis in the past due to this fungus)I´d throw the dead plants away a.s.a.p.to prevent more harm to your other plants. If you want to separate the small plant in the first pic which still looks healthy I´d place it far away from the rest of your collection and keep the conditions in an optimum level. Colletotrichum can kill several plants immediately and at the same time,so it´s very annoying,but absolutely typical that three of your cephs died the same day. As far as I know until today there´s no fungicide the plants can be "healed" with once they´re wilted. There´s are just preventive ones,but honestly I don´t remember their names and sources for it has been several years ago when my plants have been hit by Colletotrichum. Maybe another grower can help? Edited July 21, 2015 by lilacina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Carnivores Posted July 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Thank you for your fast replying Sonja, I’ve proceed immediately to isolate the 3 cases, but now that you tell me, I keep all in the same bathtub with the same water, hope i’ll not to have to set fire to everything! After 5 years of cultivation is sad to see your beloved plants shrivel up in 3 days just because of a little hot. For preventive methods i know that most people use trichoderm or mycorrhiza each month, but seeing what is capable of doing this disease, I want to remove the peat from the cepha's substrate of cultivation (if it is the cause). Media as pure quartz sand seems to work well being careful to give it a good water supply Edited July 21, 2015 by Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilacina Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Hi Aidan, it´s never just one cultivation-factor that makes Colletotrichum do harm to the plants. It´s the interaction between several points that are suboptimal or even bad. So I suppose in your case it´s not the kind of soil,but the high temps in connection with too low light-levels and probably a short lack of water. However,plants that are wilted through this fungus just recover very,very,very rarely. I´d almost say it´s hopeless. So if I were you I´d really put these plants into the bin. Edited July 21, 2015 by lilacina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 How upsetting Aidan No one wants to find there cherished plants in this situation... Apart from the young offshoot in the first pic they all really do look too damaged now for any of the top growth to recover. I'm not able to make a judgement on whether it's a ' colletotrichum' issue or something else but I can understand your reluctance to throw the plants away. I think if I was in your position I would remove all the top growth, repot the rootball in fresh substrate, move them away/ outside of your collection and hope for new growth from the roots in the coming months. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Carnivores Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) Hi Aidan, it´s never just one cultivation-factor that makes Colletotrichum do harm to the plants. It´s the interaction between several points that are suboptimal or even bad. So I suppose in your case it´s not the kind of soil,but the high temps in connection with too low light-levels and probably a short lack of water. However,plants that are wilted through this fungus just recover very,very,very rarely. I´d almost say it´s hopeless. So if I were you I´d really put these plants into the bin. Hi Sonja, I understand, but it is also true that an organic substrate as the peat and Sphagnum may attract many fungus, In fact two my growers friends are using inert substrates and this kind of diseases are not shown for years, even with temperatures of 46° and very high humidity. Might be a way! How upsetting Aidan No one wants to find there cherished plants in this situation... Apart from the young offshoot in the first pic they all really do look too damaged now for any of the top growth to recover. I'm not able to make a judgement on whether it's a ' colletotrichum' issue or something else but I can understand your reluctance to throw the plants away. I think if I was in your position I would remove all the top growth, repot the rootball in fresh substrate, move them away/ outside of your collection and hope for new growth from the roots in the coming months. Hi Blocky, I think now there is nothing left to do: The roots are turned almost black with a lot of white spots, but the young offshoot seems to be safe and moved away in quarantine! Edited July 22, 2015 by Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewoud Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Hi Aidan, I've read the hole discussion and I have to say: Earlier this year, 5 of my ceph's were suddenly dying.. I thought it was because I kept them too dry, I was surprised because I thought that the pitchers would warn me (by closing them, to protect the liquid level inside the pitcher).. In one week, almost nothing was left.. I removed all dead plant rests and gave them more water, and after a couple weeks I saw some green stuff. When there was more, I repotted them without disturb them. Now, I think they all survived it (2 of them are still very vulnerable, but I hope they will do well). So, I hope you still have the plants, because there is a chance :) (if I had the same 'problem', but it look so) Regards, Ewoud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Carnivores Posted September 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Hi Aidan, I've read the hole discussion and I have to say: Earlier this year, 5 of my ceph's were suddenly dying.. I thought it was because I kept them too dry, I was surprised because I thought that the pitchers would warn me (by closing them, to protect the liquid level inside the pitcher).. In one week, almost nothing was left.. I removed all dead plant rests and gave them more water, and after a couple weeks I saw some green stuff. When there was more, I repotted them without disturb them. Now, I think they all survived it (2 of them are still very vulnerable, but I hope they will do well). So, I hope you still have the plants, because there is a chance :) (if I had the same 'problem', but it look so) Regards, Ewoud Hi Ewoud, sorry for late replying, Unfortunately my plants unlike yours, were attacked by the fungus mentioned above, I have always been paying attention to my watering conditions and learned to recognize a thirsty plant from a sick, the first symptoms may seems to be simple dehydration, but after a few hours the situation becomes clear. And nothing, all the mothers plants are gone, were left only a couple of cuttings. I decided after that, next year I will use only inorganic substrate, with light monthly fertilizations, the surviving cuttings seems fine in only quartz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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