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[Leopardgecko44]

I can get pics but basically the top of the plant dried up brown and then stopped ,threw out a node which eventually dried up again and now it's like a necrosis on the plant that keeps going down. Right below all that nonsense is a beautiful green leaf that is perfectly healthy ,still less than an inch long. Should I cut the top and wrap it with Saran Wrap sterilized with alcohol? Or will it die? Thanks for your tips .

[Hummingbird]

It could happen because of variety of reasons. Maybe you could share some more info on conditions it was growing in?
Could be root rot, humidity too high/low, bugs.. Well, mine always thrived in open air with occasional spraying. Whenever I put them in tents and stuff, they die fast in a similar way.
Root rot is another common problem. You can pull the plant out of the pot, smell it. And if it smells bad, the roots are probably rotten.

[rakeandbake]

I am only new to growing salvia but I'll respond to the best of my limited knowledge and from my research of others success. If it's dying from the top down I think I'd give it a clean cut with a clean razor blade just above the node with the leave. When I did that mine TOOK OFF from that node. And then the new leaf tips started to turn brown and what not a few days later. I figured out I think it's from excessive misting creating highs and lows. I stopped misting all together and made the humidity in my tent 60% steady and she's growing like a champ again. I know that is unrealistic in open air but I'm getting the impression salvia typically dies from over care rather than under. Seems like the more I pamper them the worse they do. I'm learning to give her some space 😉 I hope things work out for your plant. Please keep us updated. If mine pulls through and yours doesn't I would be happy to send you a cutting in tne the spring.

1 Like plantlight likes this.

[MRTree]

Mine die from time to time, I've had one completely lose leaves , stalk, everything, and I changed its soil, moved it outdoors into shade and it's come back great. I've discovered over the years before I grew it in Illinois before it became illegal it loves root room. Planting in the soil outdoors is the best for it. Indoors, you may get a season or three of heavy heavy growth and then death, at least in my experience. I keep them in pot s now and they always get sick over winter indoors S.A.D for salvia if you will. I've heard virus is associated as well but I'm not well versed with that. Mine are in room humidity and grow very slowly, but they re not pampered much at all, and seem happy this way, for winter. They do grow back from root well if...cared for properly.  I think she likes respect, I alway took cuttings and harvested leaves when I wanted in the past and eventually I think she felt like a beast of burden and gave up. Now I take what she gives. And she is still here

So how to help you, if it is rooted, don't mess with cutting, reduce the humidity slowly over a few days, let the dead stalks harden and then cut off, if they are molding, cut them immediately, let the buds grow, but try to reduce humidity, very slowly, days. Watch your light, nothing too bright, behind blinds in a sun reaching window for a few hours plus a nice lamp near her and even temps, if the soil is always damp it s bad, at least for mine, let her dry a little, just a little then flood with rain collected water, I collect a few gallons if I can and save, ph is also key , but difficult for some, she likes slightly acid soil, rain water is perfect, mist with rain water if you have too, but I almost never, it's more of a treat while they winter indoors, the leaves will wilt and brown often, bad hair day, dunno, but her roots are strong and she always sends up pups . Wait till you can get her outside and find a decent high organic strong organic nitrogen based soil, I use chicken manure composted soil that's been mixed with hay that's been outside getting bio organisms into it for months before I use it in pots, but you could prob buy some cow or chicken bagged compost bags from anywhere mix with your yards soil , throw in some wheat or hay straw for moisture, let it sit in or on the ground to get the right guys renting rooms in it for your special lady.  Then repot, put her in a shade lightly lit spot and hose her down from time to time. This is all the advise I can offer you, it's worked for me and believe me it breaks the heart when a cutting dies, but you move on and start another, eventually you get a beautiful lady pal, looking after you looking after her.

Oh and watch for bugs, certain white root eating bugs and white fly, again in my experience, are certain death, I take a tooth pic to small pots and stir the upper layer a few times over a few months, keeps them pissed and they move out

[rakeandbake]

Mrtree obviously has some experience. I'd post a few pics. I'm sure him or someone else could help ya solve it.

[BubbleCat]

I read MRTree s report and I do believe he has greater experience than I do. Yet I want to share mine. So far I took no more than 2 cuttings of the plant I believe. One is in the making the other one safely arrived at a members place after a long journey in winterly mail.

The first cutting was a long section, first airlayered until it had small roots, then cut, potted and kept bagged up. It has then been shipped all bagged up at an uncertain stage of rooting. The bagging was mainly so it could survive a unknown duration of shipping. But also I fear it to dry out more than I dread it rotting a slight bit. I may add a bagged plant doesnt need much care. I keep the mother and the cuttings in the same temperature to avoid shock. It is fairly cold as I keep theese in my bedroom which I dont heat, I'd hate that and I believe its a good temperture for sally to survive on the little light that is available at this time of the year, plus maybe cooler temperatures prevent mold. The mother does grow, despite the temperature, low inhouse humidity and small pot.

The second cutting is not more but a tip. I've cut it directly, put it in a glass of water and bagged it. Once in a while I check it and vent it. I feel I should change the water soon. So far root growth begun. The older leaves have brown tips, I suspect they have already been this way before cutting. The dead matter of course became soggy in the bag but its not progressing or rotting. Now I noted this: It curled up strangely forcing me to put it into the glass in an odd way, as I do not want to risk it to dry out, even if it should be humid enough in the bag for rooting, submerged or not. (Pics related [2 early pics two later pics] thanks to country side internet I must update the pics gradually ).

[MRTree]

Most people think, myself included , until now, that salvia is a fragile plant. but just today I'd found a rooted stem, it was from a near dead salvia I'd grown last year, I had sort of watered it , the  root off and on , even after every leaf fell off, and it's stem nearly decayed to the soil. well today I moved some plants outdoors and would you know it the main stem is still alive, it's been without leave s for months, it's root I should say, still stable, I m betting it fills out this spring! These are tough plants, don't chuck them at the first white flag.

2 Likes Frog Pajamas and nikshaz like this.

[BubbleCat]

Mine too seems to do best when neglected and pampering might harm at least it doesnt seem to help. As you might observe with countless other plants: It does better when outside, planted in the ground.

More pics of the cutting, taken at two different times. It seems to do good, remaind bagged 24/7 and brown spots that were there before havent developed at all and so are completely independent from baging it up, I still have to find out about them. Probably too dry actually.

[BubbleCat]

Story of the cutting goes on, rooted in water and bag to the state shown, potted and bagged up, a little later the roots developed healthily and break the surface of the potting mix in some places. Still keeping it bagged, poking a little hole soon.

2 Likes nikshaz and just one seed like this.

[Cashback]

If you put an air pump in the water of your cuttings it should be enough, even if didn't get moist enough to the leafs in the air you have all that the cuttings need in the water...

[Frog Pajamas]

Evidence of their tenacity...,

4 Likes BubbleCat, plantlight, MRTree and just one seed like this.