--- title: "Hello all! I purchased a giant white bird of paradise last year from…" description: "Hello all! I purchased a giant white bird of paradise last year from IKEA. His name is Sven! He lived well through the summer, but at some point in the…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/iB-46uUCTJqPN6HYDy0THw?language=nl" community: "Pests, diseases and problems" author: "cozetteavatar" published: "2024-06-22T14:08:09.168878Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/wO3CBRO06WBchsZYaIXTiW7q-1pJwc8B2KQsCBK02Bo/lhayKVfYQV-LKcQFj41jww.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md?language=nl) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md?language=nl) # Hello all! I purchased a giant white bird of paradise last year from… _Geplaatst door cozetteavatar op 2024-06-22_ Hello all! I purchased a giant white bird of paradise last year from IKEA. His name is Sven! He lived well through the summer, but at some point in the fall/winter he started showing signs of root rot. I eased up on the watering and he was doing well for a while, and now it’s finally warm enough again where I can repot him. He’s all set and I’m making sure he has drainage, but I would love advice on how to keep him from dying. He’s very close to death, but I got all the old soil off and gave him a good rinse before repotting, and he does have some roots that still look healthy. Now that he’s repotted, should I water him today? How often should I water? I followed Planta’s schedule but I don’t have premium so maybe I’m missing something. Any advice would be so so so appreciated!!! I live near Boston, about a mile from the ocean. My plants stay indoors year round and I do have a grow light that’s on 12hrs. I’m much better with succulents than leafy plants. Picture 1: the aftermath of cleaning and repotting Sven Picture 2: Sven when I bought him Feb ‘23 🥲 ![Bijlage 1 van 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/wO3CBRO06WBchsZYaIXTiW7q-1pJwc8B2KQsCBK02Bo/lhayKVfYQV-LKcQFj41jww.webp?size=large) ![Bijlage 2 van 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/wO3CBRO06WBchsZYaIXTiW7q-1pJwc8B2KQsCBK02Bo/sBKbkxL_RJyVHjYb9fZ0vA.webp?size=large) ## 11 reacties ### Tyler reageerde op 2024-06-22 If Sven doesn’t have many healthy roots I would put him in a smaller pot so that his roots can fill it up faster and help the pot dry out quicker. If not many roots are in a large pot it can cause the soil to stay moist for a long time and never really dry out fully because the roots don’t touch enough of it and the water can only evaporate slowly (causing more rot and stress). So I think a smaller pot would benefit Sven and help his roots recover from his rough patch. #### HarleyJae antwoordde op 2025-06-23 Omg did Sven live???? I’m going through the same thing rn ### Tyler reageerde op 2024-06-22 The soil mix looks nice thought, I think it just may be a little too much. You only want to pot up a plant in a pot that is 1-2 inches max larger than the size of the rootball. Also maybe consider fertilizing to help him get the nutrients he needs to recover faster #### cozetteavatar antwoordde op 2024-06-22 Thank you so much! I don’t have a smaller pot that’s big enough. His roots grew to the bottom of his old pot and are circular now so they fit the diameter of this pot even if they don’t go deep. I just used miracle-gro potting mix; what type of fertiliser should I use? Noted, I’ll remove some of the soil! ### Tyler reageerde op 2024-06-22 Awesome, personally I use granulated slow release fertilizer on some plants and a gentle water soluble fertilizer on others. I don’t have one of these so I’m not sure which it would prefer. I would just look up what a good NPK ratio is for the species and go with a plant food that matches that or is close. Purivied water soluble house plant fertilizer works great for me. #### cozetteavatar antwoordde op 2024-06-22 Cool, I will look into that!!! Should I trim away some of the dead stem? I’m not sure what the best method is to encourage new growth at this point I’ve had succulents since 2019 and usually I can figure them out easily, but leafy plants are so much more challenging for me lol #### Tyler antwoordde op 2024-06-22 I would leave the central stem alone, but maybe clean up other dead parts with sharp, clean, and sterilized sheers. The best way to encourage new growth on leafy plants is to keep them happy and healthy. That means proper watering, lighting, airflow, humidity, drainage, maintenance, and fertilizing or feeding organic matter. I know it can be overwhelming at first, but all you need to do it take it one step at a time and learn from every experience you have with every plant you meet. My best advice is to just to get to know your plants and their energy and needs. Research and learn about them like you would any pet you bring into your home because at the end of the day they are a living breathing being that will benefit you if you help them. 🫶🏼 good luck #### cozetteavatar antwoordde op 2024-06-22 Thank you so much! I completely agree, these plants are like children to me hahaha ### Tyler reageerde op 2024-06-22 ![Bijlage 1 van 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/OZExc-Uz0BLH1VQqmqJoZtSBgW9v2oHeFi_G4dNjUdw/EYR5DI0tSuO7OV5UVxLlHg.webp?size=large) ### Charles reageerde op 2026-08-29 Use 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar in a a gal of warm water to melt it, repeat in 3 days, cut with a clean scissors the brown burn area but not into the green part of the plant, if the whole leaf I brown cut it off at a 45-degree angle, that should do it ### Charles reageerde op 2026-08-29 After the sugar treatment and backing of the amount of over watering, moving away the bigger rocks, my bird of paradise is doing better ![Bijlage 1 van 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/qBRn-Mhy5L8xDmWBmiFYb9MT1ObL9b1ATZX2iHRQeDI/e-8vj82LRvaWnptHdgyqVA.webp?size=large) --- _De Planta-community (https://getplanta.com). Iedereen kan meelezen. 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