UndertheSun said:I think it's my fault for watering them in the heat. I was worried they would shrivel up and dry out. I did water them at night, but our nights are hot too. This rot is starting in the fans where they become discolored, soggy and smelly at the base. So I'm removing all of the fans and applying Comet. Right now it looks like it's snowed in those beds. I'll finish removing the fans on the infected when I stop feeling dizzy.
Or is this rot happening in the rhizomes? Do I need to dig them all up and treat them? If that's the case, then that's what I'll do.
I'm certainly no plant pathologist, Rob, but my*thoughts* on bacterial soft rot, are that there is only one kind ....when the soil is "too wet", or, the rhizome "too deep"....the rhizome is the first thing to develop rot...the fans ...leaves looking entirely normal, will just "fall over"...at the base end will be a very small chunk of rhizome....maybe the size of half a golfball....with the rot showing...it isn't in the leaves, just the rhizome, and by sticking your finger (YuK !) into the "hole in the ground", it will enter into the rotted rhizome for a 'ways" (depending on how bad the rot is"....this type is the kind I dig...and if there is anything left...scrape out all the soft tissue, dust ,or dip it, dry it a bit in the sun, and replant.
the other manifestation is when you have rain...in my case, usually heavy dew....or overhead watering.....the water collects in the leaf base, and with warm temps, the base of the leaves...just above ground level starts to discolor, get soft, and then *leans over*, until it hits the ground (vs. the "sudden unexpected fall" seen above"), it will pull off easily, often leaving a bit of green leaf remaining attached....this is the type that I "treat in place, as the rot hasn't moved too far (if at all !) into the rhizome...I scrape away all the "soft" that I can, and then either spray with Listerine, or dust with comet..or both.
*Un pulled* spent leaves....as they start to separate from the fan, have a pretty large "catch basin" to hold moisture, and in very humid conditions (lots of dew every morning), and are a good place for rot to start.
There's all kinds of advice given on preventing bacterial soft rot, and while it's all "good advice...it's sometimes impossible to follow.....you can't change the weather
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