Question
Hello Will,

Many thnks for yr quick and detailed reply.

1st i will try to change water and most probably i will switch to distilled water, since even new leafs have this problems.

another question is should i spray water over leafs? is it good or necessary to do this?

many thnks again,

best regards,
Daniel


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Followup To
Question -
Hello Will,

i have 2 indoor cyperus alternifolius abt 1 year old, and abt 1 meter high.

tip of the leafs started to get brown few months ago. they are planted in a flower pot and have water above "ground level". they also have a lot of light, as they are put near my window.

what can be wrong?

many thnks for yr support

Best regards,
Daniel

Answer -
Hi Daniel,

I don't often get inquiries about Cyperus alternifolius as they are often not available. They are one of my favorites, as I used to grow dozens of them because they are so easy to propagate.

The brown leaf tips might be a water quality issue. If your local tap water is on the hard side, switch to filtered, distilled or rainwater. Be careful not to over fertilize, especially fertilizer that contains superphosphate. Perlite should not be usd as art of the potting mix.

If your Cyperus has been in the same pot for a year or more, you should check the roots to see if they are completely coiled around the outside of the rootball. If so, it may be time to move it into a larger pot. As an alternative, you can trim off the mass of coiled roots, add some fresh soil to the original pot, and replant it.

Check for spider mites on the undersides of the leaves. They can cause these symptoms.

It is also possible that the older Cyperus stems are simply aging and gradually dying. However, they should be replaced by newer stems emerging from the soil that remain healthy, if everything alse is OK.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

If this information has been helpful, please remember to give me an AllExperts rating and nomination.  

Answer
Hi Daniel,

There is some limited value in misting as a deterrent to spider mites. If you have not had spider mite problems, then there is little reason to mist, although it certainly does no harm. Misting does not increase humidity, as is commonly believed.

Will