I just checked on my two Bogbubbles and noticed that something chewed the heck out of one stem last night. I don't know if was a squirrel or a rat. How can I save her?



I wrapped the stems with chicken wire. Is this enough protection? Should I treat the stem with something to keep the plant from dying?



Also on my other plant, all of the leaves are upturned. Is this due to lack of reflective side lighting? It has dense side branching a very thick stem. I was hoping that with additional stretch and eventual pruning it would grow out of this. The girls are 12 days in flower under a 430 watt HPS.

[GMT]

wow, gorgeous plants by the way, no need to hope they grow out of being like that.
The pointy uppy leaves are a part of the natural watering, using, drying, cycle of the soil, over water them and they'll droop, up like that and they are waiting for the rains.
The biggest prob you will have with that stem will be drying out. Also a minor prob with reduced ability to transfer the goodies from root to tip. I'd put some more soil in there up and over the height of the damage. This will help to stop the moisture escaping and may encourage new roots to form from the damaged part, and thereby ensuring that all of the exposed trunk is still healthy. I'd also water them up to saturation point and the damaged one, I think I'd put a bit further away from the light for a while, (stop drying so quickly, and also reduce the demands that the top of the plant puts on the bottom.

[Mr GreenJeans]

Hi Ainsley

If you can find some raffia at your local plant store, I'd wrap it in raffia and then cover the rafia with one of the soft waxy wound sealers. That will give best chance at full recovery.

If you can't find the raffia, I'd wrap it in sphagnum moss ( moisten the moss and then squeeze out the extra water ), then wrap the moss in a small wrap around of plastic wrap.

GMT - great tips mate!

Thanks for the great advice and kind words.

Unfortunately the villain struck again last night.



Now that the stores are open today, I am going to run out and get some raffia and a few rat traps. I hope she can pull through this!

[GMT]

Is it attacking both plants or the same one each time?
Have you sexed them yet?
Are you sure the rat isn't just taking out your males for you?
Perhaps you should get him some cheese rather than a trap?

[DrLongbottom]

There is a good pile of information on the eradication of varmints by Carl Spackler available somewhere D.L.

Originally Posted by GMT

Is it attacking both plants or the same one each time?
Have you sexed them yet?
Are you sure the rat isn't just taking out your males for you?
Perhaps you should get him some cheese rather than a trap?

No, I haven't definitively sexed them yet. They've been under 12/12 for 13 days now. That plant does look lankier than the other one. And it might have balls. This pic was inconclusive to me, but maybe somebody else can tell.


It took some searching, but I finally found some wax at a Bonsai store. The wounds are covered up now. That second attack was pretty vicious - I think it's probably a goner. I sure hope it was a male.


I strung up a chicken wire fence and laid a several traps. If that rat has developed a taste for MJ then I am afraid it has to go!



Last but not least, here is a pic of the other plant. Hopefully she is a girl.

[Mr GreenJeans]

Strong work! You got the right idea. Some of my garden plants I have to put a circular cage of wire around them when they're young to keep out the damn little rodents. Cageing them you should be good to go!

[GMT]

Lol, that rat really is trying to help ya out, thats the male he chewed, did he really leave the girl totally alone?

Originally Posted by GMT

Lol, that rat really is trying to help ya out, thats the male he chewed, did he really leave the girl totally alone?

So far he has left the other plant alone (which I am hoping is a female). Hopefully the chicken wire will keep him out for good now.

So you think that really was a male that got eaten? I am never 100% sure until I see pollen sacks developing.