OPP Posted March 9, 2013 A while back I was given a broad leaf khat plant by a generous person. It was about a foot tall and was leaning over slightly. I thought ny tying it to a stake to straighten it up would help. Now its 3 feet tall and has spent all its energy growing up instead of supporting itself. When it is untied from the stake it bows over and the top of the plant rests on the ground. I'm worried that if I leave it it will start growing up again but the trunk will remain curved down to the ground. What is the best way to get it growing straight up again? Can I cut it back bit by bit until it can support its own weight? Can I propogate the cut off limbs by planting in soil? Do you need photos? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted March 9, 2013 there are two schools of thought, one that stakes, and the other one who doesn't, i belong to the second group. if you don't use a stalk, new upright shoots will form which will be stronger, and which will stay upright. a plant which never has experienced for example wind will be bending over, same happens if you stalk it, the tissue will never get tough, because of the stalk. we did discuss this topic before, and i advice you to use the search engine! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OPP Posted March 9, 2013 (edited) I understand the theory and won't be using stakes in the future except for tomatoes. Didn't realise that this was going to happen though. What can I do to salvage this plant? Edited March 9, 2013 by OPP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted March 9, 2013 if it would be my plant, i would do nothing, and let nature do the rest. but i'm going circles already... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anodyne Posted March 9, 2013 Yeah, catha seems prone to this - I wouldn't worry about it unless you want an upright plant purely for aesthetic reasons. The sideways branches tend to send vertical shoots up from each node - so you'll actually end up with many upright stalks eventually. But if you're worried about the plant being top-heavy and tipping over or something in the meantime, you could cut it back and hope for a straighter plant from one of the cuttings? There are many threads around detailing how to take khat cuttings, or you could try the ground-layering technique with the bendy branch(es). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted March 9, 2013 Yeah I was thinking couldn't you just chop the bit that's hanging over off? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shamanistic Posted March 9, 2013 I had the same problem not too long back with an acacia. I just topped it before the start of it's bend hoping for the best and the best did happen - she looks great now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
santiago Posted March 9, 2013 we did discuss this topic before, and i advice you to use the search engine!we did discuss this topic before, and i advice you to use the search engine! http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=26929&hl=%2Bshaped+%2Bkhat easier said than done, to find it you would have to enter specific key words ie shaped khat, the forums here to answer questions young and old, not to be a geeks playground i believe. search engine smearch engine, its such a fickle search engine i primarily rely on memory. it the fact i remebered yogibear and f shaped, as i would never bother with utse. just goes to show humans still control the world. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indigo264nm Posted March 9, 2013 Man you should see the neglected state of the Cathas up at my parents house. Must be hitting around 30ft tall easy... shoulda all been topped a long time ago hehe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted March 9, 2013 If you stake a plant use something that will give some support but still allow some movement. The idea is to assist the plant but also force it to grow stronger to support it self. If this has gone to far I would take the top out so it can support it self with a little assistance. There is nothing worse than a plant that will grow into a tree laying down and hanging out the side of its pot as it will never grow to support the amount of weight that it will have to in another five years. Cheers Got 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gilligan Posted March 9, 2013 You could layer the plant, and in doing so get a new plant, but once that happens, cut the main stem breaking the two plants, which will resprout and hopefully bush out a bit... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted March 9, 2013 If you stake a plant use something that will give some support but still allow some movement. The idea is to assist the plant but also force it to grow stronger to support it self. If this has gone to far I would take the top out so it can support it self with a little assistance. There is nothing worse than a plant that will grow into a tree laying down and hanging out the side of its pot as it will never grow to support the amount of weight that it will have to in another five years. Cheers Got but cathas never grow, into a tree laying down, your reasoning does not apply to catha edulis. catha aborts low laying branches after a while. catha get's confused if you suddenly stake a part which was lined up to be aborted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Illustro Posted March 9, 2013 SWIM hypothesises it is more or less due to babying, exposing plants to more moisture and nutrients they'd have naturally, promoting fast unnatural growth which results in limbs too weak to support their own weight, something which is also a problem in other semi-arid trees such as olives. SWIM recommends less nutrients and less water, combined with an approach intermediate between staking and not-staking: using flexible chords tied to stakes ~50cm away to secure the plant from falling over, but also allowing enough trunk flexing to trigger stem reinforcement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigred Posted March 10, 2013 a tip i do with other plants is when young stress the stem by bending and light pinching helps make a stronger stem Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted March 11, 2013 but cathas never grow, into a tree laying down, your reasoning does not apply to catha edulis. catha aborts low laying branches after a while. catha get's confused if you suddenly stake a part which was lined up to be aborted. Cant say I have ever seen a branch abort unless it has no light what so ever. It will grow until it can grow vertical from what I have seen. I really don't see what you are getting at with this talk about branches aborting I have never seen it happen. Cheers Got Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted March 11, 2013 Cant say I have ever seen a branch abort unless it has no light what so ever. It will grow until it can grow vertical from what I have seen. I really don't see what you are getting at with this talk about branches aborting I have never seen it happen. Cheers Got probably your plants are very small, that's why. and that's why you hang onto your idea, anyway do what you wanna do. go against nature, if that makes you happy! every plant aborts useless branches and shoots, you never seen that? according to you an old qat bush would still display it's infancy shoots, and that's incorrect. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted March 11, 2013 probably your plants are very small, that's why. and that's why you hang onto your idea, anyway do what you wanna do. go against nature, if that makes you happy! every plant aborts useless branches and shoots, you never seen that? according to you an old qat bush would still display it's infancy shoots, and that's incorrect. I am sorry I have no idea what I am talking about and I have never seen a large Catha forget I even posted in this thread as I obviously am not up to your standard of expertize. Cheers Got 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted March 11, 2013 ??? anyhow, i'm all good with you, no need for this, pa behaviour, aswell on my behalve... it is hard to draw the line between, not offending and still speaking one's truth. i respect your truth, even if i don't believe in it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted March 12, 2013 Ok I over reacted but I don't like being treated like a kid that has no experience in growing Catha or in gardening in general. I have posted threads and photos of my plants and other mature Catha and I am from a state that probably has or had the largest number of mature Catha in au so yes I know what a mature Catha looks like. If you had read anything that I have posted over the last 4 years you would have a bit more of an Idea where I come from and what I am about I expect to be treated with respect as I believe every one on these boards deserves to be including you PH. So I would like to apologize to you PH for my outburst and to OPP for derailing his thread and may all of our Catha grow strong vertical. Cheers Got 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OPP Posted March 12, 2013 Thanks for the help everyone. Haven't had time to do anything yet but will in the next few days. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KhatManDo Posted November 2, 2015 hey dude , quite simple, cut it back. it will shoot new shoots growing straight up, even back to 10 cm from the ground, i get it about 5 out of every hundred that do the bending over, no problem just cut it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
