Question
QUESTION: I have a wonderful Ming Aralia, which was, until about a week or so ago, quite healthy. I admit that I can become over-attentive to my house plants at times, and given it's past vigor, I thought no harm would come from an extra watering (to flush out salts/deposits before fertilizing). To my dismay, the leaf stems on almost the entire tree were drooping by the next morning.

   I know Mings don't like 'wet feet' so I decided to let it dry out some and see if it would clear up. I used a copper soap fungicide (Concern brand) on the lower trunk letting it seep into the soil and into the roots, as well as the leaves and stems. I made sure that a lot of it seeped into and immediately surrounding the root-ball, which, after days seemed to have no effect, at least none which I could note.

   As the plant worsened, I decided to remove it from the soil it was in and re-pot it in better-draining, sterile soil. After a few days, and with the plant looking worse, (almost all leaves deteriorating rapidly), I took an emergency step and re-potted in a high peat content, well -draining, 'seed-starter' soil. I gently removed the damp roots, and found the soil around them heavy and caked-on, really saturated but not 'muck' like swamp mud or something.

        I normally water with a mixture of h2o and h2o2 (hydrogen peroxide, as I'm sure you're aware). I have never witnessed negative results from this practice, (at least not that I could definitely contribute to the practice).  So when I re-potted I briefly soaked the root ball,after gently removing the old soil left w/ a light rinsing in room-temerature water. It looked reasonably healthy, (no dark or black roots/spots), the soak was a 2 part water, 1 part hydrogen p. solution, in a small container which just accomodated the mass. It was kept up-right throughout, and the soaking lasted all of maybe five minutes. I then gently re-potted the tree (after thoroughly cleaning out the ceramic pot it was in). I watered the new soil lightly, so that it would have some moisture, and added a small (1/2) dose of fertilizer (standard miracle grow all purpose food).

    After a little research, I learned that the extra oxygen I was feeding the roots could have been feeding some of the root rotting organisms dependent on oxygen for growth and reproduction, (unless I was mis-lead). I could have kicked myself.

   Next, (2 days later) I Saran wrapped the entire plant, creating a greenhouse like environment, (supposedly aiding root development?). This, however, I gave up on after a few days of even worsening conditions. I now have literally a few small 'branching' stems with green ends, which look like they might produce new leaves, though some of the stems looked quite bad,(had turned brown to almost black from the bottom up). After cutting them back, however, they seemed healthy at the base, below the rot.

      After that, being very poor, at least at the time (I wait tables at a descent French fusion restaurant in NYC) I created my own anti-fungal,anaerobe, and insect spray, using a mixture of a lot of smashed garlic, a little orange rind, baking soda, sage oil, rosemary ,cayanne peper, tea leaves (for folic acid), olive oil (just a bit) and hydrogen peroxide. I may have left out something, but I researched every natural anti-fungal and insect substance I could find on the Internet which I might have had at home. I lightly boiled (not quite a rolling boil, just a little heat to kill any germs) and then cooled the mixture over night in the fridge, letting it all steep. Finally I strained the liquid through a lose-leaf tea strainer (very tight nit, perfect for creating clean liquids w/out small particles of solid matter) and through a funnel into a spray bottle. This I used all over my Ming, soil, stem, base, everything. I poured some of the mixture into the water tray underneath, hopefully to be absorbed slowly by the roots. Still, it looks no better. Perhaps in my panic I have killed it, but I can't help but feel that it is still hanging on, and just needs some extra TLC. I ordered a product called 'Messenger' which came highly recommended to help expidite new growth. It seems too good to be true, reading the web site's claims, but who knows?

     My Ming is roughly 5-6" in diameter around the base, maybe larger. When I bought it, (about 18 months ago) it had obviously been partially, if not entirely successfully 'Bonsai' trained, many of the thicker parts of the spreading trunks were cut and sealed (with what I do not know). It is currently around 2' tall, despite all the trimming down. In it's "hey-day" it was probably 3' tall, bushy and absolutely beautiful. It sits within 2' of a south-west facing window, and is supplemented with both red and blue spectrum compact florescent bulbs strategically placed around the plant. It is surrounded by other plants (all currently healthy), and I even keep a bowl of water near all of the plants, (under he heat of the lights)to produce some extra humidity, since our little window-unit air conditioner, I'm sure, dries things out. It has never shown any sign of disease or infestation in the time i have had it. I love this tree. It has proven to be tough. It was once knocked over by one of my feisty felines, and sat that way, pot shattered and roots exposed and many broken, for some time before I arrived home. My girlfriend had tried to help by scooping some of the dirt around the roots, but failed to bag the root ball until i found out and asked her to do so while I prepared the new pot and soil. I LOVE this plant, and will do almost anything to save it. PLEASE help me if you can in any way. Thank you in advance for your consideration, and for tolerating my ridiculous, and no doubt, verbose rant. I feel I have little time to act.

Warmest of Regards,
Micah Metts

ANSWER: Micah!  

All I can say is WOW!  You have taken some very careful steps in treating this plant.  My best advise is to let the plant rest for a while in the new potting medium and water sparingly.  If you saw no indication of root disease (as evidenced by a foul smell or slimy feel), then let the plant try to recover from all of these well-intentioned assaults.

I would never suggest that anyone use H2O2 when watering the plant.  H2O2 is a very damaging to the cells of the roots, and as you mentioned provides oxygen for aerobic soil microbes.  

Since the plant thrived in the lighting conditions in your apartment, place it back in the same light environment.  If it is still green, then if there is no disease (or pests), then the dormant buds will eventually emerge and regenerate foliage.

Be patient, plants have a remarkable capacity for recovery.  Do not add any fertilizer until the plant has regenerated foliage-monitor watering and avoid the urge to water too frequently.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well, I have treated the Ming with 'Messenger' after scooping out the damper soil around he plant and briefly soaking the roots, again, in the 'Messenger' solution, which contains a special protein meant to accelerate plant cell growth. The soil is lightly damp, but not 'wet' and it's consistency, as i said before, is very light and airy, perfect for encouraging new root growth (lots of peat moss, vermiculate, bark bits, etc.) The soil was sold as "seed starter soil" which, I assumed, in my plants current condition would be best. Can you recommend any safe and helpful additives to my normal plant waterings, like garlic oil, etc? I live in a rather small apartment, tiny by most standards, but 'small' for NYC, with two cats. Could they be contributing to any of my problems, despite the fact that they cannot, or rather, choose not to get to my plants? I find, for instance, fine bits of cat hair in the foliage of my plants all the time. If so, can I combat any negative effects with a simple routine of (     )?

My Ming Aralia has, at this point, no green on it anywhere that I can find. As each green end of a shooting stem began to wither and turn brown, I would trim it back as far as possible, hoping to save healthy tissue. Is it possible that my Ming, without any leaves or green stems, only woody material which looks healthy under the bark line, come back to it's former glory? I really love this plant. If you know anything about Messenger, the protein growth formula, (I assume you do), can I use it repeatedly as a fine misting on the plants branches and trunk areas? Can it, with persistence, bring this poor plant back from the near-dead state it is in? I really LOVE this plant, it was the first plant i purchased which inspired my interest in collecting and rearing rare and beautiful plants. My collection has since grown considerably, but this Ming is still my first love. Help if at all you can with any tid-bit of info concerning the re-growth of this dying beauty....!

Thank you in advance, again,
Micah Metts

Answer
Hello again,

The most important thing to remember is that no additive will have much effect when a plant has no leafs to produce energy.  Your plant has a limited supply of "stored" energy sufficient to regenerate new leafs from dormant buds on the stems.  At this point, wait to see if any of the dormant buds sprout new leaves.  This may take a couple of days to a couple of weeks.  Presently, your plant, if still alive, has been stressed by repotting, application of additives, etc.  You provide evidence that the tree may still be alive (the green underbark).  Again, I urge patience.  

Good Luck.