Question: On our adenium pot we are getting a crusty white substance. I am concerned about the health of my adenium. I know root rot is a potential problem, so I want to make sure I shouldn’t be doing something to protect my plant. I purchased two other adeniums from a local green house and the caudex(s) of them seem firmer than my original.
Upon receiving my adenium plant I let it sit for about 3 weeks. Then my pot arrived. I followed the desert rose planting included sheet of instructions:
- Created a soil mix based on information from your site: perlite, silica sand, your fertilizer, coco fiber
- I Soaked the plant for 20 minutes in Dyna-Gro K-L-N
The very few leaves that were on the plant have fallen off (which I understand is normal form shipping, etc.) but nothing new has grown. Areas of caudex is green which means it in good health.
I’m also not sure what the crusty white substance is that appeared on the outside of the bonsai pots after I watered them (24 hours after potting). They’ve been watered only once a week since and seem to drain well. I wonder if it is from the Dyna-Grow K-L-N?
Looking for any advice you may have.
Adenium pot Answer
I would think the minerals deposit on your adenium pot is from the water seeping though the pot or type of deposit from something outside the pot. The pot is porous so as the water evaporates it leaves behind mineral deposits. When you choose a pot, select one that is glazed around the side, but not on the bottom. The bottom should have a least two holes and no glazing. Glazing will prevent water evaporation on the sides.
You left the plant out for three weeks after receiving it (so almost 4 weeks) it will take a while to recover in addition it is close to dormant season. When the plant is out of adenium pot over 7..10 days it will drop all its leaves to conserve water (normal desert plant trait) .
In your area (Northern USA) its the start of adenium plant dormancy. If you want new growth you need to give the adenium plant 8-10 hours of full sun light a day. Plus, warmth above 70 degrees to make it think it’s still spring/summer. Otherwise you will get very little or no growth until next spring. Adeniums go dormant during the winter months and drop leaves (usually all leaves in your area).
Dormancy period length of your desert rose plant depends upon your growing area (amount of light, temperatures, humidity, etc). Do not water your adenium pot more than 1 time every 7..10 days during dormancy. Make sure the soil dries out completely between watering your desert rose plant. The caudex (see image) has a good color and shows recent growth (green areas). When you potted it do you make sure at 2 Inches of smaller fine roots are under the soil?
I am happy to see you are writing from Florida. I live in the Tampa Bay area. My desert rose is looking so sick. Its dropping leaves have yellowed with brown on the ends or sides. There is a bit of moisture 2″ down in the soil, but maybe I watered it more than it needed. This is a new plant for me. I have moved it to try to find the best spot. It was getting 6 hours of sun, now it gets 5.
It is in a plastic pot.
Increase the sunlight to 8 hrs or more a day. Cut off any rot or oozing areas. Make sure the soil is very porous. Look in this blog for soil composition. Make sure the plastic pot is not a dark color or better yet switch to a clay pot not glazed.