Can this sedum be saved?

Hi,

I have a sedum "Cherry Truffle" that had been a bit unstable for a while i.e. I would sometimes find it at an angle and I had to secure it. Following strong winds on Sunday, I found it completely on its side and snapped.

I picked it up, thinking there is no harm in trying to get it to root (probably indoors by a window as the temperatures are not great for that). But some of the root is still there, so I am wondering if rather than leaving it in water, it would be better to move to a pot with some compost. Or whether I am just wasting my time in general.

What do you think?

Thank you.

 

It looks as if it never rooted out into the ground properly. Was there any sign of one of those "teabag" mesh things around those roots? Lots of commercially-grown plants have them and sometimes the roots never really grow out through them. Or maybe something has been eating the roots. I don't know if that's something that vine weevil grubs like - if so they could be the culprits.

If that were mine I think I would cut off the top (about where your little finger is in the photo), pot the root section up in a smallish pot, put it somewhere outside but fairly sheltered (cold frame, greenhouse, against the house wall under the eaves, etc) and hope for the best. Check carefully first for any grubs etc lurking in the roots, just in case.
That kind of sedum (hylo-whatsit these days) die back in the autumn and regrow from the roots in spring, so I don't think any of the top growth will be viable as cutting material.

 

Interesting, thank you. I can do that and keep it in my conservatory. No, there was no mesh. I suspect that some of the finer roots may have broken off at an earlier point and that the wind on Sunday finished the job.

 

@JennyJB you were completely right. I popped to the garden for a bit and checked out the soil where the sedum used to be. I didn't see any broken roots but I did find these buggers

 

Bad sign @CostasK! Your plant may recover if you cut it and pot it as @JennyJB suggests. I'd check any other plants nearby for similar signs, particularly Heucheras if you have any.

 

Thank you, I will. No heucheras in that area - there is a lavender and 2 roses though in close proximity. I will have to do some research. Based on a quick search they could be the dreaded weevil larvae. The name should probably be tweaked to "we evil larvae". Apparently there are nematodes that can help, but the weather might be too cold for them to be effective now.

 

Yes - those have been the problem. They won't affect your roses etc. Heucheras are a target, although more common when potted than in the ground. I lost a new sedum [hylotelephium ] many years ago due to them. If you can lift them and scatter them somewhere, the birds will eat them.
It looks like there are new buds forming at the base, so if you cut it back as described, and stick it in some gritty compost, it should root. Wash off any soil first though, to make sure there are none there.
As long as you have those little 'nubs' at the crown, it should be viable.

 

Thanks for the information @fairygirl
To be honest the roses were my primary concern so that's good to know, but I will still try to address as much as I can now and continue in Spring. Ideally I would like to have a sedum in that spot eventually, but I need to make sure it won't have the same fate first...

 

There are nematode treatments for them, but you need the right conditins/temps for them to work, and this isn't a suitable time of year. For many plants, you just get a bit of cosmetic damage from the adults on foliage, but it's when the grubs get the roots, that's the problem.

Your plant may not survive, but it's worth a shot if there's a little bit of viable material there. Just keep it somewhere sheltered where it won't get too wet

 

There is a systemic insecticide that will kill vine weevils Bug Clear "Ultra Vine WeevilKiller" down side is it contains a neonicotinoid Acetamiprid as the active.
A lot of people find vine weevil more of a problem in pots rather than on plants in the ground, adding grit to the compost and top dressing with grit can help.
Adult vine weevils cannot fly so they walk everywhere.
I have a number of Sedum like yours (now Hylotelephium) and found that they can be brittle and stems like yours readily break off with a few roots and buds. I just replant them in the ground or stick them in a pot water and stand somewhere sheltered. Coldframe would work well if it's not already full.

 

Thanks @NigelJ

When I planted the sedum / hylotelephium (I can never remember that name, it's like they are deliberately trying to make it difficult!) I had added plenty of grit and compost, and planted on a bit of mount, as my soil is mostly clay.

You are right that they are quite brittle and it is an exposed location with the sedum planted on a mount... but the fact that I found weevil larvae right in that spot can't be a coincidence I think. During my lunch break (I work from home) I dug up some of the soil around that spot and couldn't see more of them beyond where the sedum used to be.

I think I would rather give the nematodes a try in spring first and see if they work, than insecticide. If the sedum survives I will have 3 identical ones (the other 2 are in pots). They were all meant to go in the same border but if needed I can look to move them somewhere else.

 

If you only planted it fairly recently I'd guess it was infested while in the pot.

Just dig up the rest of the plant and the ones you still have in pots, check the roots.
If all clear I'd not take anymore action, just replant in spring after a bit of cultivation of the area before hand.

 

Good points, thanks @pete

I got it in the summer, from a garden centre. The other 2 I got a couple of months ago after ordering online from a different supplier, with the intention of planting in spring.

I have already removed all the larvae I could find and will try with nematodes in spring, to be on the safe side.

 

I get the feeling nematodes might work reasonably well with pot plants, but cant say I have ever seen vine weevil on plants growing in the ground. Maybe they are there occasionally but established plants can probably live with them unlike pot plants.
Its your choice but I wouldn't bother.

 

I agree they were probably in the pot if you got it that recently. They're more common, and mrore problematic, in containers.
It's probably not worth forking out for nematodes next year, and you'll probably find that if you've exposed the existing ones, and they get eaten, you're probably ok, especially if you clean everything off the roots on the plant too. It's your choice though.