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I grew my Crepe Myrtle early spring and then knowing that winter was coming, I slowly put it inside to get it used to the indoor dark light and dry atmosphere. It's been two weeks now that I let it always inside and the lower leaf are starting to dry and die. I added an Humidifier yesterday hoping it could help. But for the light, I can't make any miracle as my window isn't really facing the sun anytime during the day. Just some low ambient light i'd say.

Is the lower leaf dying a normal behaviour of three during winter? Or is it slowly dying? What could I do to save it?

Side note: I live in Quebec Canada, so it's gonna be 6-7 month of cold temperature so I must keep it inside...

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Older picture:

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Jaythaking
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2 Answers2

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Those are the cotyledons, the first set of leaves and this is totally normal. Your plant looks very healthy. How big is this pot? I am having trouble with scale. This has been a bit of work for you to grow a crepe myrtle hasn't it? I'd go get a grow light of some sort for the winter. Check out the 'pot' stores the ones that sell all kinds of wonderful stuff for greenhouse and house plants. They will have the best assortment and also have staff that know a thing or two about plants. My hubby just told me that lots of people use 300 or 400 watt (spiral bulbs) or a high output T5 fluorescent bulb. Good job!

stormy
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    The pot is quite small (I added a new picture). Yeah it was such a pain to get just one seedling out and keep it alive more than a week... What scares me is that those 'cotyledons' were fine before I put the plant inside and the leaf seems to keep getting lighter. – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 19:04
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    Forget it. Those leaves are unable to make food for the plant and need to go. Leaves that don't get enough light in relation to say, the top leaves, are a waste of energy and the plant will cut off supplies and abscission occurs. – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 19:35
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    But eventually, there will be no more leaf to abscission? lol I hope it will go through winter before having lost all it's leaves. I'll try to get a growing plant light bulb tonight – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 19:40
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    Pruning is the art of helping abscission along, speeding up the removal of plant parts that are wasting energy, causing disease, increasing air flow, improving crop production, or not aesthetically pleasing for humans. – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 19:41
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    Isn't it a little soon to prune though, I though I should wait 2 years... What if I cut those two cotyledons? Would it help? – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 19:42
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    If you left this little guy outside for the winter ALL leaves would fall in the process of dormancy. – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 19:43
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    Some advise me that it was risky to let it outside as it's still a weak seedling... It a tropical plant so i'm not sure either it would survive 8 month of cold winter... – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 19:51
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    Yes, it is too soon to do any pruning. Those leaves will fall off by themselves. Keep him in a draft free spot, no forced air vents. I'd think about a tiny 'green house'...plastic tent around the whole plant and pot. Not sure what I'd work out for the lighting, careful not to get the bulb too close to the plant. But then you could add a little tray of pebbles and water in the 'tent' to increase humidity. Then you'd need to add air flow, temp Have you used fertilizer yet? Pelleted ext. release Osmocote (14-14-14), very small amount would get him thru winter. – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 20:00
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    I added fertilizer at first but then I read that I should water it less frequently during winter and stop fertilizer... I'm confused – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 20:06
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    That is why they produce a lot of seeds. They don't like the cold of winters but I had one in zone 4-5 OUTSIDE. It thrived, it wasn't a seedling when I planted it and it never flowered. I planted it in a protected micro environment in a raised bed. You did just fine to get one very healthy plant. Watch for color changes in the leaves, the shape of leaves getting larger and thinner and keep an eye out for spider mite. – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 20:07
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Stormy's recommendations would work well for you. In addition, to your comment about the cotyledons getting lighter, you might be over-watering your sapling.

Also, be sure that you can confirm they have gotten lighter. These things are subjective depending on the lighting conditions you have when you look at them, and the sapling might be doing just fine.

I would wait a few days and see how things go.

Srihari Yamanoor
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    Thank you! I'll keep you posted then. Also, how would a lack of light would manifest itself on the plant if that happens? – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 19:18
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    I meant, please check if the cotyledons have actually gotten lighter, sorry. And, that if you looked at it under bright light, it might appear lighter than usual. As to whether the sapling is getting the appropriate light exposure, what is your current set up? – Srihari Yamanoor Oct 04 '16 at 19:30
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    It's hard to explain the level of light, but it look pretty much like the second picture, I just putted the plant inside near the window of the second picture. It never gets direct sunlight, and the weather is often gray these days... I read everywhere it's a plant for the outside, that got me worried too. You can see comparing the two picture that the leaf were way more dark before also – Jaythaking Oct 04 '16 at 19:35
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    The leaves are adjusting to the reduced light of the indoor environment. That bulb will help tremendously. The plant doesn't care if it is grown outdoors or indoors as long as it gets what it needs. This is a great way to learn about plants, to grow JUST ONE from seed away from its normal habitat. You could also go find a thriftstore aquarium to make a 'green house'. Find one with a screened top. Also turn the light off at night and back on in the morning at regular times. Later, you could actually make this little guy into a bonsai which is the ultimate human/plant symbiosis. – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 20:22
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    I didn't remember you already have a perfect indoor greenhouse/terrarium!! Sweet. Big enough to even put a little teensy fan for ventilation. Be careful with temperature and humidity inside, don't put in direct sunlight ( this is where we started, huh)? AND AND AND you already have a bonsai pot! Gotta go take a class!! – stormy Oct 04 '16 at 20:27
  • I'm really disappointed with that greenhouse though, it doesn't hold humidity at all and there are gap everywhere... I need a new setup ASAP! I also just notice today that the tip of one of the strong leaf is burned... That's usually a sign of a future issue no? :( – Jaythaking Oct 05 '16 at 14:23
  • Send a picture, Jay. When tips of indoor or tap watered plants turn yellow, brown with some margins doing the same that usually is because of the salts and chemicals in the tap water. Can't believe I haven't brought this up. For your little baby, go get distilled bottled water. You ARE using bagged potting soil, yes? Have you fertilized, yet? Careful careful careful with fertilizer. That Osmocote is the safest fertilizer I have found...sort of human proofed! Grins! – stormy Oct 05 '16 at 20:35
  • My goodness how the HELL could that darling perfect little greenhouse NOT hold humidity. Of course it does! You WANT air exchange NOT air tight!! Did you find a cheap thermometer and humidity level detector? No no no, that little green house is to die for!!! I'd find a shallow tray, fill with pretty pebbles one layer deep, add (tap is fine) water to the top of the pebbles or even those glass flat florist beads then place the pot raised off the the surface of the pebbles and water. Shop around for a tiny little fan to move the air around and allow the top to be opened often. – stormy Oct 05 '16 at 20:42
  • No trust me, all the review says the same, aka this greenhouse is strictly decorative, as the top doesn't event close correctly and there is a gap of 1cm... I though about adding plastic paper to fill the gap as you are right... It IS pretty ^^ – Jaythaking Oct 06 '16 at 22:43
  • I just want to say, it's still alive and well :D Even if it's winter here. The tips of some leaf are burned out but overall it's green and it seems like he will survive winter ! Thanks to you both guys! – Jaythaking Nov 30 '16 at 16:43