Question
Hello Will,

I have been reading your excellent plant care answers and calls for help with fascination and finally am asking for help with one of my own plants.

When I moved into a new apartment mid-January I received as a gift this beautiful, healthy plant that my sister identified as a split-leaf rhododendron, although from my readings online it may be a philodendron. Since the spring it has been constantly growing with bright green new leaves, often very large, spreading both horizontally and vertically. The new leaves are much bigger than the older ones, which I take to mean that the plant gets much better light in my home than it did in the flower shop.

The plant is in a 10" pot set inside a 14" cache-pot close to the livingroom window where it gets a lot of indirect light - no sun. I water it generously once a week and fertilized it once this spring with Miracle Grow. It is a clean, bug-free plant but has become very pot-bound in the last month or so, with roots pushing out of the bottom of the pot. I was away here and there over the last few weeks and its watering schedule was changed a bit. I believe I overwatered the plant. I found several leaves lightening along the edges - not yellow but going to a paler green. First I thought it needed fertilizer again since it was pot-bound and growing so much, so that was done. Then I checked the pot and emptied a couple of inches of water collected in the cache-pot and let the pot sit in my kitchen sink to drain. I was surprised to see how much the roots are spreading out of the pot.

My questions for you are: 1) Was the lightening of the leave edges due to overwatering or something else, and can this be reversed if corrected quickly (all brand new leaves are very healthy and not affected); 2) should I be repotting the plant? I have heard you cannot repot during the summer growth months and this plant is constantly multiplying its leaves right now.

My thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
- Judith

Answer
Hi Judith,

It is not often that I receive a question that starts with a compliment and then goes on to provide carefully written detail about the plant in question. I am delighted to be able to help you! Flattery definitely works with me. LOL!

First, your plant is a Philodendron, not a Rhododendron.

The lightening of the lower leaf edges was most likely caused by the saturated soil. Fortunately you apparently caught it soon enough to prevent more extensive damage. It is usually the lower leaves that are affected first. Once discolored, the leaves will not recover their original color. You can either leave them as is or trim off the discolored portions or remove the entire leaf.

Repotting may or may not be appropriate. If you have a mass of roots growing out of the drainage holes, it is probably because of all of the water that the pot had been sitting in. I suggest that you cut those roots off as they are adapted to growing in water and you are going to deprive them of that in the future!

If your Philodendron can go 3 or more days between thorough waterings, then it can probably stay in its existing pot as long as you can water it frequently enough. If not, then move it into a pot one or two inches wider.

Alternatively, you can remove the plant from its pot. If you find that the roots have completely enveloped the soil, then it may be appropriate to move the plant into a slightly larger pot.

Repotting can be done at any time of the year.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. Feel free to contact me directly at any time.


Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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

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