Rescue Noid den -- is this normal?

[greg_s]

Hi everyone. I am kind of newto dens but saw this one on the rescue rack at Lowes (where all the out of bloom plants go to be abused). For 5$ I couldn't pass it up. When I got it home it looked like the watering was kind of iffy and that it may have gotten some direct sun. I had to remove a few leaves but the roots looked good (to my surprise). I repotted in a 4" clay pot with Aussie Gold and only water when it looks like it has been dry for a day or two. In the process I see that it does have a new cane starting.

The thing that has me concerned is that a couple of the canes have started to shrivel and get a little soft. Not squishy soft ...more raisin soft. And they are turning a kind of yellowish green. Some of the other older canes are also shriveled but are still green and hard ... Like a green Twisler. Not knowing what befell the plant before 10 days ago, I am concerned that it could have a problem.

Is this the normal lifecycle for these canes or could they be getting funky?

Thanks,

Greg

[greg_s]

some pictures....

[jsehorn]

It's normal for the oldest canes to eventually shrivel and die. Canes toward the front of the plant should still be green and firm, even if they have lost all their leaves. They may shrivel up to some extent, but they should still be firm and green.

Just looking at the picture, it doesn't look like the plant is really in that bad shape. It's clearly not been cared for properly, but it doesn't look that bad. It's hard to diagnose a problem from a picture, but based on the information I have, I don't think you have a problem.

You mention a yellow cane... is this yellow cane soft and gooey? If you think the cane has some sort of bacterial rot, you'd do best to go ahead and just remove, and dust the cut with sulfur or cinnamon or whatever it is you happen to use to treat wounds on your plants. If it is just yellow and withering, but without signs of infection, it won't hurt to leave it and let the plant's life cycle run its course.

The roots I can see look good, and it looks like you still have some big, green, plump canes, and there's a new cane starting, and you've got it potted in fresh media, and your watering cycle sounds right, so to me it sounds like if you just keep it up, the plant will be fine.

[greg_s]

Thanks jsehorn.

I guess that is part of my question though. How would i tell the difference between a rot and a cane just dying back? Like I said it is a bit soft but I'm not sure if it is supposed to do that. In looking at the two affected canes it seems to be starting at the base and working it's way up the cane. If it was turning black and gooey I'd just lop it off and hit it with some cinnamon, but this seems a bit different.

Think I should just give it some time and see what happens?

[krpot]

I've had some nasty looking canes still produce new growths. I wasn't sure they were infected or just dying naturally.

[greg_s]

Ok, so I may just keep an eye on it for now and see how it goes.

Thanks for the input. :-)

[orchids4me]

Can you post another pic of the cane(s) in queston with a bit more light?
Its hard to see exactly what you are describing.