As bad as it looks?

[jonnyq]

Happy black Friday, all!

Quick question... I've got a Nep unknown (putative thorelii x maxima?) that I obtained as an unrooted cutting a little over a year ago... I rooted it, it pitchered and grew to this size:

But this morning I noticed that a segment of the stem has browned all the way around...

Now, this is my first really established rooted cutting...

1) Is this is a normal process of the lower stem turning into a woody vine, or is this infected as it looks to me?

2) If it's infection, I should chop this up into cuttings as early as tomorrow and start re-rooting, yes?

3) After clearing away the live LFS from the top of the pot (not pictured) I also noticed that a second basal shoot has begun to emerge... If it's infection, is there any way of saving the second shoot?

Thanks, folks!

 

[Dexenthes]

You know it's hard to say. But to me it looks like the main vine is just losing juice, and so it might die completely, but might not. The basal, however, is probably being produced in response to the main stem not being able to support itself anymore.

So I would watch the main vine over the next few weeks, if it is really starting die much further up, I would divide into cuttings. The basal should grow out nicely.

 

[mass]

Most of my taller vines are just dead, woody stalks anyways. The new growth I see there at the base suggests your plant is rooted, growing, and happy.