Transplant Shock

[esnailme]

I recently acquired plants that I got from Walmart. I did not want to risk transferring insecticides and/or pesticides. I removed the plant from the dirt. I tried to remove as much dirt as possible. I then rinsed the roots with a water spray bottle. The roots were then placed in the soil of the terrarium.

I believe my plants are going through transplant shock, The leaves appeared wilted but not dead. Over a few days, the plants seems to be reviving some. Will this eventually pass or can I chalk this up as a loss?

Prior to this I had bought seeds and they are beginning to sprout. How do you guys work around the poison issue with your newts and/or salamanders?

Please let me know

 

[evut]

I think what you did to the plant could easily kill it. It would be better to re-pot the plant, keeping the soil around the roots but replacing what's loose, wash the leaves and leave it to grow in your house for a long time, washing the plant once in a while. Then it should be safe..but it is a long term thing, unfortunately. I think even the plant itself would be toxic straight from the shop.
Seeds and cuttings from a safe source would be easier.

 

[Molch]

Did you clip the roots a bit when re-planting? If you leave the old roots unclipped, they can bend or break when put in new soil and then die. Clipping them some will encourage new root growth.

Which plants are these? They may well recover after a bit of an adjustment period.

 

[esnailme]

The plants are fern--nephrolepsis exaltata and fittonia argyroneura.

This is what I ended up doing. I did some research on transplant shock. I read where sometimes plants recover by cutting off a few leaves. This is to remove the stress of reviving an entire plant. Less leaves less stress. So I thought to myself, I may have some poisonous chemicals in the leaves. I cut off the leaves that were lifeless. I removed them from the enclosure. I then watered each plant. I am now seeing new growth. Now the fern is still a little lifeless but not dead. I will go and try to work magic on this plant. I will keep you posted.

 

[esnailme]

After all the chopping and cutting I find that this was not necessary. I read on another website that I could have washed the plants minus the dirt in an antibacterial soap and then rinsed. Then repeat this step 3 more times. The plant at this point is said to be "safe" to use in a terrarium.

Oh by the way, the plants are all doing well except the fern. It is a no go.

 

[Molch]

After all the chopping and cutting I find that this was not necessary. I read on another website that I could have washed the plants minus the dirt in an antibacterial soap and then rinsed. Then repeat this step 3 more times. The plant at this point is said to be "safe" to use in a terrarium.

hmm...I don't know what that would do....it's not the bacteria attached to the plants that we worry about, but pesticides or chemicals. I bet they wash off just as well in an ordinary soap or maybe even just plain water. Also, the plant may have metabolized some of those pesticides and may release them over time.

 

[esnailme]

If it is alright I can post the link so you can read it for yourself.

I had a green thumb a few years ago. i did have a recipe for houseplants. It was a spring and fall cleanse. It was thought to refresh the plant in the spring when setting outdoors. There is also a tonic to cleanse the plant of unwanted bugs in the fall. To give you an idea ingredients was dish washing liquid, tobacco, karo syrup, etc. This solution is sprayed over the entire plant. Then the plant is given a rinse to remove all the soap suds. I got so good with my recipes I had neighbors that hired me to work on their houseplants. It was fun to see the growth and rejuvenation. For the lawn there is a soap suds recipe to use in the spring and fall. The soap suds recipe is said to rid lawn of unwanted insects.

Now of course I would NEVER take these measures for my terrariums. I would not trust some of the chemicals in an enclosure because there isn't room for the different tonics to escape and the buildup might be deadly.