Newsgroups: alt.drugs
From: wmoreno@ringer.cs.utsa.edu (William Moreno)
Subject: Re: Strange Plant Death
Message-ID: <1993May3.190756.1181@ringer.cs.utsa.edu>
Date: Mon, 3 May 1993 19:07:56 GMT

In article  v129qpm9@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Joseph M Kusumoto) writes:
>
>Here is the set and setting:
>
>I have an eight inch plant that was growing like a weed until a few days ago.
>It was started in regular soil from my yard in a two-cup tupperware bowl and 
>the entire thing was transplanted a week ago into an 8in potter filled with
>potting soil mixed with perlite. I am using a 150 watt grow bulb about two feet
>from the top of the plant on an 18 hour cycle. It is in a ventilated, 72 degree
>room and is watered daily. Also, when I made the transplant, I sprinkled some
>scotts herb and flower fertilizer (18-11-12) around on top of the soil.
>
>Question:  Why is it dying??  Any help would be appreciated. It appears to have
>about 2 days left.
>
>

There are a few things that may be wrong:
1) If the leaves are turning brown or wilting you may be over fertilizing it.
   Solution: Flush the soil of the fertilizer salts with clean water.
2) You may be over watering. The plant's roots need oxygen.
   Solution: Don't water as often. It's O.K. for the soil to dry out a little,
             just don't let it get to dry. 
3) It may not be dying. It may be in shock from the transplanting.
   Solution: None that I know. All you can do is wait.
4) The change in the light spectum from natural sun to artifical light can
   damage a plant (not getting the spectrum it needs or the spectrum it is 
   used to).
   Solution: Get a different light, or put it back outside.
5) The soil may have a nutrient difficiency other than what is in the 
   fertilizer you are using. (You will have to describe what the plant
   looks like for a diagnosis.)
6) If the light is on 18 hrs, you want to use a vegetive fertilizer instead
   of a flower ferilizer. Or, turn down the light cycle to 12/12 (light/dark)
   to force flowering (if this is what you want). I do not think this would
   kill it, but I could be wrong.  

I hope this helps.  

Will M.
wmoreno@ringer.cs.utsa.edu
Disclaimer: blah blah blah yak yak yak....