Plants don't age in the same way we think of people aging. Age in people is a described on a chronological basis, where plants age ontogenetically. This might be framed as, the parts that have taken the most cell divisions to produce are the plant's oldest parts; so strangely, the most recent part of the plant (say, a new branch high on the plant) to grow is the oldest part of the plant. The youngest part of the plant will be found in the root to shoot transition zone. This juvenile part of the plant is also nearly always the most vigorous part of the plant. Plants pass through life stages until they end up at the sexually mature stage. At that point they are capable of blooming/fruiting. Whether they DO or not is complicated and not entirely understood. Blooming and other environmental reactions of most healthy plants are primarily influenced by day length (technically it's night length), but more than a few plants are triggered by other factors, like moisture availability, temperature, predation. Some plants even seem to have an internal 'alarm clock' that acts as a trigger to bloom. There are species of bamboo that bloom as infrequently as every 130 years and when the bloom occurs, all plants of a given genetic origin bloom simultaneously, en masse (all at once), and this occurs regardless of environmental influences. Now, that a plant is capable of blooms/fruit doesn't mean it will produce same, no matter how much we hope. The factors that limit a plant's ability to bloom are as complicated as those that trigger blooming. The plant's internal chemical messengers that limit blooming is first influenced by the plants ontogenetic age, but then by health, stress, stored energy reserves, a significant number of environmental factors, and sometimes seemingly no more than a built-in piqued obstinacy that can be more irritating than Justin Bieber or the Kardashians, if that's even possible. How do I get it to bloom? Keep it healthy and let it do its thing. You can search online - there might be some simple ways to coax it to bloom exactly whenever it feels like it. How old does it have to be? The only age important to plants is what growth phase they're in. They have to be old enough chronologically to have reached sexual maturity. This is also complicated because the (ontogenetic) age of the parent plant from which the propagule (that is now your plant) was taken has to be a part of the equation. Example - a hawthorn tree from seed needs to survive around 20-25 growth cycles to bloom; whereas, a cutting from a blooming hawthorn tree can be counted on blooming within a few years if its state of vitality has been generally good. Al

If it's only the old leaves, and the new leaves are good, then it's just the normal process of senescence. But make sure your soil isn't staying too wet. Some Alocasias like to stand in water, some will die in it. Yours are in the category of not liking it wet, they just need it damp.

Hi John, Well, I don't know if petunias can really be classified as "acid loving" or not. However, I do know that they are very sensitive to a high pH, which will cause the leaves to turn yellow. Regarding using reduced fertilizer dosages for our seedlings, we often see suggestions that recommend one fourth strength. The problem is that any recommended percentage may be weak for one fertilizer and still very strong for another. And, of course, one fourth strength probably isn't going to be right for all plants. If you're using Miracle-Gro Miracid (30-10-10) you might try one fourth strength, at least at first to green up those leaves. I'd use it with every watering but not more than once a week. Later on you could go back to using your regular fertilizer or maybe use the Miracid once a month just to make sure the petunias are not too low on iron. Keep in mind that I'm no expert and this is simply what I would probably try. Good luck with the petunias, hope they turn out beautiful! Art

I think you're right, Jon, the 'lucky bamboo' species. My plant doesn't get direct sun either. If the temps are low, let it dry out to avoid rotting the roots. Plants will use water very slowly in cooler temps. I don't know if such things as lime, fluoride, chlorination might be in the water in HK, but if so, know that Dracaena plants are sensitive to these things. If your water does have any of these, giving your plant rain water, distilled water, or condensate from a dehumidifier or air conditioner when possible would help moderate & flush those substances out of the pot. Does your plant have a spot that is not on the floor (when it's not getting a shower?) The air is its' coldest on the floor, not helpful for plant roots during cold weather. Checking out the info here could help you spot some other areas of potential improvement.