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ZZ plant question

17 years ago

I just recently took over growing a ZZ plant for a friend. The main stalk is about 15". It has two other secondary stalks that are a bit shorter and one tiny one that has just popped up. A number of the leaves have started to turn yellow and even a little brown around the edges of a couple. The plant had been in a 6" pot and just tonight I seperated the two smaller stalks and put them in a seperate 8" pot and the larger stalk into an 8" pot. Then I started reading some of the other threads on this website. I definitely realize that I have been overwatering the plant and know that I need to cut way back on how much I was watering it. But I'm also starting to wonder about the potting soil I used. I used Miracle Gro Moisture Control potting soil. It has perlite in it and seems to be a mix of other sorts. It sounds like I should be using a very porous soil - I'm not sure if I've done that. Can anyone offer any thoughts? Do you need more information from me? I'm very new at this whole thing so anything is appreciated...

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Comments (6)

webkat5
17 years ago
The moisture control should be fine if you are not overwatering...

It seems as if you will need to water even less than normal when using that....it tends to hang on to moisture....

Did you check for rot? Smell the soil, too...

This is supposed to be one of the easiest plants to grow... :o)
watergal
17 years ago
I used to love the soil you mention, but recently they changed it so that it is way too heavy and stays wet for far too long, IMO. There are at least 2 different formulas - one contains moisture crystals and one doesn't. You DEFINITELY don't want the moisture crystals for the ZZ. I would repot using a mixture of 1/3 to 1/2 perlite and the rest MiracleGro, or better yet, instead of MiracleGro, buy some Jiffy ProMix or Fafard Professional Potting Mix. They are harder to find - go to a big, full service nursery, but a much better product.

Let the ZZ get completely dry each time before you water it again. Also, although they are sold as "low light" plants, they will be floppy in low light. They get sturdier and fuller with good light.
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Just stick it in a glass of (room temp.) water so that the bottom 2-4" of the stem are in the water. I don't change the water, I only ADD to it, but I also throw in some bits of charcoal chips (aquarium grade from the pet store) which keeps the water from getting yucky or growing algae. Will take quite some time so pls. be patient, if you've got a clear vase than you can SEE when it roots, otherwise, just take the stem out to check in a couple of months & then every month or so.
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My ZZ Plant is a bit like yours... they are rather random plants I can tell you! Almost impossible to become "bushy" in the long term, because the oldest growth tends to die off with yellowing leaves after only a few seasons. However the new growth seems to always be bigger, stronger and healthier than the last which makes me think I must be doing something right! My answers would be 1) YES the new leaves are always very light green. 2) 3 weeks is a long time not to have watered a ZZ Plant unless its quite cold or been wet for long periods? 3) The Pot size looks fine to me, but it might be worth having a look at the roots and the tubers. Here is a link that might be useful: ZZ Plant Care
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In addition to the location/sun issue, I think its' pot situation is similar to this Anthurium. The pebbles are a top dressing, I'm assuming, a thin layer on top? Quite attractive, but they can slow drying quite a bit vs. exposed soil. I wonder if having the pebbles so close to the crown is more likely to aid rotting at the crown. I've not had great results trying similar setups before, but ZZ plant wasn't one of them. Fairly new to this plant but can report that being in somewhat dappled sun in the morning, until about 11:30 is not causing sunburn. If the sun shines on the plant at some point each day, I think that would help warm the rocks and bake the surface dry, which should make rotting much less likely to occur, as well as offer the natural detoxifying effects of UV rays. I might also give the crown a little more space/air by moving the pebbles away from that area.
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As you should see when you repot, these plants have large, bulbous, moisture-storage roots. This is what enables them to survive times of drought, and why they can easily rot if kept moist. Being smushed tightly against each other and the sides of the pot can also cause problems. For any plant, a porous mix with plenty of oxygen while moist will help eliminate the risk of rotting roots and facilitate healthy growth.
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pirate_girl
17 years ago
I was going to guess that the moisture control mix has some kind of water-holding agent & suggest against using it.

I'd also suggest not potting these up too large, the combination of too large a pot & too wet a mix can surely invite rot.

From my observations, these plants prefer smaller pots, they do fine rootbound or tight in their pots. They don't grow big roots, rather a potato-like tuber & some roots from there.

The 3 or 4 I have I've grown each from single leaves or a single fat water-retentive stem (don't know what they're called). I grow them mostly in unglazed clay & give a light to medium watering once a wk (the pot it's in can't take a heavy watering).

I don't remember what mix I'm using (I make my own), but am guessing it's something like Cactus & Succulent mix combined w/ perlite or pumice (abt 30% of either) to ensure the fast ddrainage.
watergal
17 years ago
pirate girl, did you find yours look forever to grow from cuttings? Mine spent months in water before I got much in the way of roots, then many more months in soil before I got any new shoots. Probably a year from stem cutting to new stems. I haven't tried from just one leaf.
pirate_girl
17 years ago
Yes, it DOES take forever (min. 1 yr.) in virtually any way I've tried. From single leaf, or from fat stem which I water-rooted. That fat stem first grew a small pea- sized tuber (little green ball), which then made a small root, after which I placed it in mix. I've had it take a yr. from stem cutting to single leaf, never mind new shoot.

This is not a plant for those in a hurry, my best suggestion is don't check it too often & then suddently, one day, one notices it's doing something new.
pistilo
17 years ago
Hi everyone, gosh I have been so busy, and seen this ZZ post. I have them, and I love these plants. The more I ignore it the better it does. Mine doesn't like too much watering. Yes they do like good light.

As I have learned from this board, so many things, one that sticks always in my mind, is not moving that plant up in too large of a pot. Before this board I couldn't for the life of me understand what I was doing wrong. That pot counts, and my dead plants are the proof. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

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