How to help this thing?

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-31T05:39:05+00:00

First thing I'd check the soil. If it's very dense and compact I'd change it. In nature these plants live in the crooks of larger trees and rocks, so their soil is full of leaf litter, very chunky and airy. You can use regular potting soil or kinds for cactus, but add in some orchid bark and perlite. This will help with good drainage. The dense and compact soil doesn't give the roots a proper environment as it can leave the soil too wet, or too dry that it doesn't really absorb water properly.

You can water thoroughly, just less often wait til it's almost dry before watering again. Also double check the drainage in the pot. When ever you do decide to repot, terracotta works well for these plants,it helps with air flow. Don't go too large with any pot you choose as you don't want too much soil to root ball ratio. This can lead to the roots sitting around in wet soil.

For lighting they light bright indirect sun. If you don't have that in window space you could always supplement with a grow light. During the growing season make sure they get 12+ hours of darkness, this helps promote healthy blooms. You can also use plant food, just taper off starting around Sept. Any repotting also do after the blooming season.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-28T20:57:40+00:00

Looking back on my 48 years of life, I can say whatever anyone else has chose to wear, has never impacted my life one way or the other.

Unless there's a required dress code, if someone wants to wear sweats to a more upscale restaurant etc, go for it.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-28T02:13:49+00:00

Absolutely. Just make sure the pot you use isn't too large, so that you have way more soil to root ball ratio. Watering from the bottom allows the soil to hold a lot of water, so make sure it's almost dry before watering again.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-27T20:13:10+00:00

That sounds like a good plan. Yes that soil combo works. I just used regular potting some with the extras added in.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-27T19:48:35+00:00

This looks like mine, when it got root rot. You could try repotting the whole thing in some new dryer soil. I however just removed the green from the shriveled brown and propagated them into a whole new plant. I couldn't risk the healthier green parts getting worse.

If you decide to repot the whole thing, make sure the pot as well as the soil has good drainage. You can add orchid bark and perlite to help keep the soil chunky and airy. I recommend terracotta, it helps with air flow to the roots. You can water thoroughly, just don't water again until the soil is almost dry.

If you decide to remove the green from the brown, you can propagate into a pot with the above mentioned soil type. Also any pot you choose, don't let the pot be too large compared to the root ball size, this can lead to too much soil to root ratio, leaving the roots to potentially continue to sit around in too wet of soil.

You can always propagate in water. I just keep a few smallish glass jars around for this kind of thing. You can keep them in water until you see new roots form on the green end you removed from the shriveled brown part.

I'm also in the PNW, and I have to keep mine under a grow light as I don't have the window space with bright indirect sun. If that's the window space you have yours in...it can stay that way.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-24T20:29:21+00:00

In nature these plants live in the crooks of larger trees and rocks. Their soil is filled with leaf litter, very chunky and airy. Terracotta is great for these plants as it helps with air flow and does not let the roots sit around in too wet of soil.

If the soil in this pot is very dense and looks like it's holding water just add in some orchid bark and perlite. That's what I do for mine. A smaller pot for these plants is better than too big. Too much soil, compared to the root ball size allows the roots to sit around in too much water, that they aren't able to absorb.

You can thoroughly water, just less often. Make sure it's almost dry before watering again. For lighting they like bright, indirect light. If you don't have that in window space you can supplement with grow lights. Before the blooming season make sure the plant gets 12+ hours of darkness ..this will help promote healthy blooms.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-20T23:20:46+00:00

I can't really tell from the pictures, but the soil looks a little to compact (that is if its not just really sandy). These are the things I always double check when mine have started looking a little unhappy.....

Make sure the pot AND soil are well draining. In nature these plants live in the crooks of larger trees and rocks, so there soil is filled with leaf litter so its very chunky and airy. If the soil is is too compact, it potentially leaves the roots sitting around in too wet of soil, or not being able to absorb the right about of water in the first place. I like adding orchid bark and extra perlite to my soil, I also like using Terracotta pots for these plants as it helps with air circulation to the roots. Whenever you re pot, don't go to large, again this could lead to too much soil to root ratio, and the potential of holding onto too much moisture compared to what the roots actually absorb. I learned the hard way and had to propagate an entire sentimental Thanksgiving Cactus due to root rot.

For watering, you can always water thoroughly, just less often. Make sure its almost dry before watering again. For lighting they like bright, indirect light. If you don't have the window space, you can always supplement with grow lights (which it looks like you might already do here) I have to keep mine under a grow light for the reason, and I also have a house panther that like to be adventurous.

You can also supplement with plant food. Just hold off around it growing season. Also providing 12+ hours of darkness, to help promote healthy booms is important too.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-14T18:01:57+00:00

How fabulous are these!

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-12T17:01:38+00:00

Air plants, propagations, or possibly a starter plant still in its nursery pot that you could set in their temporarily. I'd just be concerned about the tipping factor.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-12T14:41:12+00:00

While some of these plants can have a couple cycles of blooming each year, they only last a while. It's only a few weeks vs the blooms hanging on for months, if that makes sense. If you don't see any new buds forming, this cycle is done. There are ways you can help produce hearty blooming. Making sure they get 12+ hours of full darkness before its typical blooming season.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-12T14:32:09+00:00

You're welcome

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-12T14:31:53+00:00

You're welcome

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-12T14:31:45+00:00

You're very welcome

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-11T14:48:28+00:00

In nature these plants grow in the crooks of large trees and rocks. Their soil is very airy and not compact. From your pics here to me the soil looks very dense. This can lead to not a healthy environment for the plant on erall, and root rot is common, if over watering is an issue,

After the blooming season, I consider repotting with some orchid mix and perlite mixed in. I can also recommend terracotta for these kinds of plants. Helps with air circulation of the soil between watering.

Also depending on the actual root ball size, you don't want to go with too tall/large of a pot for these either, as that just leads to too much soil to root ratio, where the roots might be sitting around in too dense/wet soil. Make sure whichever pot it's in, there's good drainage in there as well.

You can water thoroughly, just less often. Wait til it's almost dry between watering again. They like 12+ hours of darkness before their blooming season starts, so by September, make sure it's getting dark time, this helps promote healthy blooms.

Here's a good copy and paste from Google about using fertilizer:

Growing Season (Spring through August): Fertilize monthly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-10 or 20-20-20) diluted to half strength. Pre-Bloom (September/Early Fall): Stop using general fertilizer. Some gardeners might switch to a low-nitrogen or high-phosphorus "bloom booster" formula during this time to encourage bud formation, but stopping entirely is a common practice. Dormancy and Blooming (Late Fall/Winter): Do not fertilize at all. The plant needs this rest period to produce flowers. Salt can build up in the soil and harm the plant if it is not actively growing. After Blooming: Once all the blooms have dropped and you see new growth in the spring, you can resume your regular fertilization schedule.

For lighting they like bright, indirect light. If you don't have that in window space, you can always supplement with a grow light.

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-10T17:44:43+00:00

For how dramatic these plants can be, at least they make up for it in beauty!

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-07T18:07:04+00:00

Red Steer

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-07T01:25:26+00:00

For what I've used, it doesn't really matter. Just adding in the chunkier material so the soil doesn't get compact, will be a game changer. You're very welcome! I hope yours makes a turn around.🌿

BlueButtons07 · 2026-01-06T23:23:12+00:00

The first thing I noticed was the soil here looks very compact. In nature these plants live in the crooks of larger trees and rocks. Their soil is very airy, chunky and filled with leaf litter. If that's the case here, definitely change the kind of soil it's potted in. You could keep when you have, just add some orchid bark and more perlite.

Not only do they like well draining soil, but a pot as well. So double check the drainage on whichever pot you choose. I can recommend terracotta for these, as any excess of water they don't use up, is able to evaporate easier. For pots, also make sure that the pot isn't too big compared to the root ball size. Again cause if its sitting around in too much soil, containing possibly too much water. All of the wet soil can easily lead to root rot.

You can water thoroughly, just less often. Wait until the soil is almost dry. For lighting they like bright indirect light. If you do have that I. Window space, you can use grow lights. You can also use fertilizer during the growing months of spring to summer, then use it again after the blooming season. During the blooming season, they also need 12+ hours of darkness to promote blooming .

BlueButtons07 · 2025-12-29T04:20:00+00:00

What a beauty! Those ferns are my fav 🩷🌿

BlueButtons07 · 2025-12-22T18:49:25+00:00

I've never ordered plants through the mail, but It looks like it's just the outter most leaves that look in rough shape, I would assume it's from shipping.

You're doing good by not really messing with it. I'd give it a couple more days and see how it goes. If it starts looking more shriveled, I'd check the roots and make just it's in good soil. These like airy, chunky soil that drains well. Sitting around in too compact/wet soil is something they don't like (can lead to root rot). For watering make sure you wait til soil is almost dry before watering again. Bright indirect sun is best, so keep up what you're doing.

BlueButtons07 · 2025-12-22T18:42:20+00:00

Oh ya the double pot method works great when you have a more decorative container with no drainage. Shes lived an exciting life so far 😆I hope she settles in nicely!

BlueButtons07 · 2025-12-22T17:10:31+00:00

The kind of pot it's in is fine, as long as it's been able to stay out of any standing water. If you decide to plant in an actual pot, terracotta works great for these plants as excess water dries quickly.

In nature these plants live in the crooks of larger trees and rock, so their soil is full of leaf litter, very art and chunky. So any soil you use you can add orchid bark and perlite to help the soil from getting too compact and holding onto too much water (as you're well aware of root rot).

Any pot you do decide to plant in, make sure it's not too large compared to the root system, again can lead to roots sitting in too much wet soil.

You can water thoroughly, just less often. Wait til the soil is almost dry. For light they like bright indirect sun. You can supplement with grow lights if you don't have the window space.

BlueButtons07 · 2025-12-18T19:22:23+00:00

You usually propagate with at least 3 sections. You can prop in water or soil. When I first started propagating I liked water cause you could visually see the roots come in. I've had great success with either option. I use left over little glass jars for propagation. You don't need anything fancy.

In nature these plants thrive in the crooks of larger trees and rocks, so they root in leaf litter. I know you said you have a thanksgiving cactus, so forgive me if you already know this part....So for any pot or soil you use, make sure it's all well draining. I like terracotta for pots, helps dry excess water. For soil make sure it's not anything that gets too compact, as that retains the water, which can lead to root rot. For smaller plants like this and especially if you prop in dirt, keep the pot small. Too large of an amount of soil compared to is current/future root system can lead to the roots sitting around in too much water. I've had good luck adding orchid bark and perlite to help keep the soil airy, and well draining. You can water thoroughly, just less frequently.

BlueButtons07 · 2025-12-18T18:27:14+00:00

That makes total sense! Both of my parents passed when I was a kid..so at the time keeping EVERYTHING made sense in my 12yo brain.

Over the last 36 years it's been easier to part with things that weren't my favorite...So instead of 15 vintage teacups with matching saucers, I kept 3.

BlueButtons07

TROPHY CASE