Hello

I bought this plant at IKEA and it was healthy

It had 3 stems (2 pictured) I read somewhere that it should be one stem per pot so I reported the small stem away and kept these two together.

Now it was browning at the tips and dropping some leaves turning yellow before but After I reported it it went even more downhill.

Browning at the tips like crazy. I can see the leaves on the right side are drooping. I am very sad.

Please help! How can I keep it alive? Is the pot too big? I don't want it to die it was my housebreaking plant!

Should I mist it? Should I water it more often?

I keep reading that one should water when the soil gets dry. Well my plants soil is dry within 1-2 days.. although websites say to take a week or so between waterings. I'm so confused!

Hi and welcome to NGA!

A few questions. What is the environment in the room that it is in? Is it hot or cold? Is the humidity really low? Is it by any chance near a heat register or a drafty window? Does it get direct sun, filtered sun or no sun?

As to watering, if you stick your finger into the soil about an inch deep is the soil is it wet or damp? Is the soil cold?

The tips will brown and leaves will die under normal conditions, as part of their senescence. As long as they are being replaced by new leaves at the top, no problem. The plant in the picture looks fine to me.

As for watering, the soil will dry out at the top much faster than it dries out at depth, so you can't get an accurate picture by just checking the surface layer. You can try poking your finger or a chopstick or a moisture meter in there to get a better idea, as Anne suggests.

In a well-lit indoor situation with moderate temperatures and humidity, you might water your plant every week or two as a starting point. You will find it drops more leaves and maintains a smaller rosette when it is being underwatered, but as long as you water well when you do water (that is, until water comes out the holes in the bottom), your plant ought to be able to take a little drought now and then.

senescence. I adore learning a new word, Baja. I cannot tell you how often you have me googling. Thanks and don't stop, we all benefit from learning.

A one-stem-per-pot rule is nonsense!

Your plant is reacting to the roots being disturbed when you separated on of the plants and repotted. When repotting and dividing, it is almost impossible to avoid damageing the tiny root hairs that do most of the work. Other things that can easlily go wrong when repotting are using inapproriate potting mix and a pot that has no drain hole.

Unfortunately, the symptoms shown are generic and your Marginata may be reacting to any or all of these factors and also inadequate light and improper watering.

I'm sorry you read that information on line.

Xeramtheum said:Hi and welcome to NGA!

A few questions. What is the environment in the room that it is in? Is it hot or cold? Is the humidity really low? Is it by any chance near a heat register or a drafty window? Does it get direct sun, filtered sun or no sun?

As to watering, if you stick your finger into the soil about an inch deep is the soil is it wet or damp? Is the soil cold?

Hello! Sorry for not providing enough info. I am a total noob. We live in PNW so it's always rainy outside. Our house however has temp set to 73 always.

I'm not sure how to measure the humidity...I used to spray it but then I read online that I shouldn't. I could continue misting it though if needed.
It's standing in the corner of the room, there's a window in front of it but it only gets indirect sunlight. So the room itself is light but no sun beams directly on the leaves. I touched the soil and it is not cold. I bought this well-draining soil at the garden supply store and it's organic. The soil is dry at the moment as I am afraid to over water it.

Baja_Costero said:but as long as you water well when you do water (that is, until water comes out the holes in the bottom), your plant ought to be able to take a little drought now and then.

I HAD NO CLUE I WAS SUPPOSED TO WATER SO MUCH? My mom taught me to water very little!!! I've been watering my plants 100-300mls!!! i am a plant murderer

WillC said:A one-stem-per-pot rule is nonsense!

Your plant is reacting to the roots being disturbed when you separated on of the plants and repotted. When repotting and dividing, it is almost impossible to avoid damageing the tiny root hairs that do most of the work. Other things that can easlily go wrong when repotting are using inapproriate potting mix and a pot that has no drain hole.

Unfortunately, the symptoms shown are generic and your Marginata may be reacting to any or all of these factors and also inadequate light and improper watering.

I'm sorry you read that information on line.

I knew it!!!!! I watched this lady on youtube and i was desperate to help the plant feel better so i only made it worse by separating....I will keep these together now. Im so glad i found this forum!