saddening corn plant - please help
Nick M
7 years ago
Hi Everyone, joined the forum to ask about my Dracaena fragrans (corn plant) with an issue I can't work out.
It sits about 2.5 metres from a NW/NE facing window with blinds angled away so as to not direct light directly at the plant.
Over the last few weeks I have seen a lot of yellowing starting to appear on the big stalk and the lower stalk. The middle one seems unaffected at this point.
Due to it being winter - I haven't watered it in about a month. I have a moisture meter that advises of different measurements depending on how far into the pot I push it. (not sure how to make sense of the readings exactly). The last photo I took shows the amount of natural light the plant gets. Taken at ~1pm. Have found some roots protruding from the pot as well but the plant has been doing fine with this for at least 6 months
Any help greatly appreciated. Don't want to see one of my favourite plants die off :(
~Nick
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Comments (14)
Nick M
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Root Cutting? HELP! - Dracaena Fragrans (Corn Plant)
Comments (1)If you still have a piece of the stalk left, you could try rooting that. It doesn't have to have leaves on it. You can find instructions at the following link. If you still prefer to try root cuttings, you'll need to cut pieces of the root that are 3 to 6 inches long. You can keep track of which end was closest to the plant by cutting that end off straight, and cutting the other end at a slant. Some people prefer to lay root cuttings horizontally about 1/2 inch under the soil. And some people prefer to plant them upright. If you plant them upright, you need to be sure to plant them with the slanted end down and the straight end at the surface of the soil. It's best to use Pro-Mix or some other sterile potting mix instead of actual soil for cuttings. And you'll probably want to cover the container loosely with a plastic bag to keep that mix damp but not soggy. Hope this helps! Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Corn Plant...See MoreCorn Plant in Distress - PLEASE Help!
Comments (2)Hello! First, the name. This is not the corn plant (Dracaena massangeana, aka Mass cane), what you have is Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig', JC cane or Janet Craig for short. This looks like flouride damage as a result of being too dry (you can tell simply looking at the leaves, how they are all wilted looking that its been going way too dry!) As the soil dries down, salts in the soil-water become more concentrated, and the plant takes up that concentrated salt-water. Once in the plant, the salts create this yellowing that you see. The yellow itself will never go away but theres a few things that will help: 1. That looks like its in strong light: WATER!!!! JC canes can be relatively heavy drinkers in high light. Do NOT let them dry down too much. Let it get down to the consistency of a wrung out sponge, then give it a solid half gallon...this should last about a week or so in that light. 2. Buy horitcultural lime from lowes/home depot/local gardens center and apply it to the soil, making sure to follow the label directions. Raising the pH of the soil with lime will help lock out the flouride so the plant won't take it up. 3. Since you have this at home, you have the luxury of leaching. Once a month or so, take it to the bathroom or outside and run lots of pure water through the pot. This will wash out any salts that have accumulated in the soil, preventing this damage. 4. When was the last time you repotted your plant? Fresh soil will definitely benefit the plant if it hasn't been repotted in a long time. Nows a good time of year to do it. 5. Consider cutting down the stalks to within a few inches of the soil line and letting it branch out. The yellow will not go away, pruning them down will give you new, lush, green growth and reinvigorate the plant. A 2nd chance, if you will. 6. Barring that, remove all the old dried reminants of cut leaves. Pests can hide in there and breed, unbeknownst to you! 7. In the meantime, consider cutting off as much of the yellow as you can. If its concentrated at the end of the leaf, you can simply cut the leaf below the yellow, making sure to cut it into the shape of a leaf instead of simply cutting right across. It will look more natural this way. Good luck with your plant! I have a lot of suggestions here, but really this is a common problem that can be prevented and corrected with just a few simple steps! Most important are don't let it dry down, add lime, and leach the pot, in that order. Just doing these will improve the whole issue 100%!...See Moresyngonium and corn plant - please help
Comments (6)You said you've had this combo-plant for 9 years (which is GREAT!) and repotted it a year ago. When you repotted it, did you move it to a different location? Maybe it's not getting as much sun as it used to? What side is the window where it is? Without knowing where you are, it's hard to know how much sun it is getting. You can find your zone here. If you include it in your profile info, it will show up next to your name automatically when you say something on these forums....See MoreI need help reviving a corn plant
Comments (8)Sorry to disagree Menthe, but look again at their posting: "now there is no sign of green. The stalks are now soft and wrinkled. When I lift the trunks up it seems to wiggle a lot." No green, soft & wrinkled stems are dead; & finally trunks that lift up indicate root rot (they've lost their anchor). Sorry to see folks try to bring back something that is gone, tho' it's their time to spend (or waste). Normally I think it's no problem & sometimes worth trying, but I hate to see folks wasting effort on things are are gone, gone, gone....See More
Dave
7 years agoNick M
7 years agoDave
7 years agoNick M
7 years agoHey Dave,
Checked the drain holes on the bottom, soil feels moist and not dry. Have moved blind so plant gets all the sun it can. Found roots sticking out as pictured, should I do anything regards to this? Have bought distilled water to use for misting and at next watering time instead of using tap water.
Dave
7 years agoNick M
7 years ago
Vance Evans
7 years agoNick M
7 years agoVance Evans
7 years agoDave
7 years agoNick M
7 years agoChecked pH over the weekend and it's about 4.5. Wondering how to increase it easily. What I have read indicates I should use dolomite lime due to its good magnesium content but I am wondering how to do this without over watering the pot as it's currently winter here.
Nick M
7 years ago
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Dave