Well since I have a few questions I'm just going to lump them all together so I don't fill up the board.

My aloe vera was attacked by ants last week and several of the baby shoots were dislodged. Should I put them in water to regrow the roots like I've done with the spider plants etc. or should they be repotted with some hormonex.

My croton had a nervous breakdown because of temp changes while traveling and I cut it back. I can't tell if it would be considered green when I scratch the bark or not. Underneath the bark it is wet to the touch.

My poinsettia also had a nervous breakdown while i was on vacation, although it wasn't travelling, and dropped all of it's leaves. From what I read that may be normal but I don't know for sure so I cut it back as well which I'm not sure if that was a no no or not do u think it will make it? My dracena did too and the roots ended up rotting thanks to the ants and whatever my husband did while I was gone.

My prayer plant I rather like but it doesn't fill up the entire pot so I was wondering if cutting it would encourage growth and what would also be a good plant for filler to mix with it?

My phyllonopsis (spelling) orchid has started some new root growth and I was wondering if now would be the time to start fertilizing it? I'm shocked it's growing at all but hey maybe I'm getting lucky.

I also bought this sad sad looking bromeliade because the price was right and the "flower" stalk thing was already starting to die so I wanted to know where to cut it back at the top where it's brown or towards the base. I don't want to make the mistake I did with the orchid and cut the whole thing off and then not have it grow back.

And lastly, for the moment anyways, Our house came with a holiday cactus which ALL of my neighbors also have growing in their little kitchen windows which is odd to me since every other house has the kitchen window on the opposite side but they all have these brilliant blooming gigantic cactuses whereas mine I killed all but 2 little stalks. My question is that the tip of one fell off into my little humidity dish (dish with rocks and water) and it has sprouted some roots. Now what do I do with this? Do I lay it in some dirt like my Jade plants or do I actually bury the roots under some dirt?


Thanks so much for your patience. I guess like all purchases, research should have been done first before rushing out and buying all these great green things.

don't worry about clogging the boards... it's actually easier if you ask one question at a time...

succulents don't usually root well in water. give them a day or two to dry some, then pot them up with the rooting hormone. we also have a great succulent section.

it is probably still ok. i'd just water sparingly and watch for new growth.

don't know about the poinsettia, i'd ask that in a separate question
you can definitly cut it back, use the rooting hormone and stick it in new soil, it will grow if there is any life left in the stalk.
i'd not mix anything in it, just cut it back, and place the cuttings in with the mother. they root pretty easily.
i don't know anything about orchids either, that's another one for a new topic
same as my answer for orchids...
i'd do it like the jade, except i'd just sprinkle a little dirt over the roots.
oh, but that is the beauty of plants, most of them tolerate our mistakes while we learn to love them the right way!

1. aloes need no rotting hormone (thats just too much work)if you set the baby on a bed of wet vermiculite or sand the humidity will stimulate root growth on its own.

2.your Croton had a nervous break down??? from what??? temperture extremes??? or dry soil??? no need to prune back crotons they are not trees... and will resume growth from the previous "active" tips.

3.samething for your Poinsettia... what caused the nervous breakdown? once again no need to prune this plant... the old flowering tips will dry back as the new growing tips fill in... them you can cut off the dried "twigs"... its normal for old leaves to drop SLOWLY... but not drasticly thats a bad sign...

4. Prayer plants are creeping plants as they get older... you can prune it but i cant guarentee new growth will come... depends on what type of plant you would like to be next to it (height, color, flowering, creeping or upright)

5. orchids put out their vellum roots just to find new moisture... mine put them out when i forget to water them... i always fertilize in spring... with onset of longer days...

6.just cut the "flower" as far down as you can with out acually touching the very center of the plant inside... it wont flower agin but will make "babies" which will grow to maturity in 1+ years...

7. yea just stand the rotting tip into some soil

Thanks so much! The Croton's nervous breakdown came because we were travelling through a cold part of the state after my grandmother's funeral and it was left in the car overnight.

The poinsettia I'm not so sure about my DH was in charge of the plants while I was away. It could have been near a draft by the door. I did cut both back since they were so sad looking.

I'm going to try doing the cuttings of the prayer plant and see if it will fill it up that way. Should I take a cutting from it and use the root hormone then put it directly in with the mother or should i try to grow some roots first with the vermiculite?

thanks again!

i usually just put it right in with the mother because that way, i know when to water (when the mother would normally get watered) 'cause i tend to over love (read "over water" ) my plants.

for prayer plant use a rooting hormone...

Thanks I'm gonna pick up some tomorrow and start with a couple cuttings for practice.