Dieffenbachia aren't really climbers or self-headers, IMO, they are "creepers". Some Philodendrons (gloriosum, mamei) also display this trait, they "run" along the ground, the stem or trunk wants to lay on the ground and root all along the way, while new leaves arise in a linear path. They make great bed fillers. Some of the alocasias do this too, Purple Prince, Lowii and Grandis come to mind. That is why they curl, wrap and droop over once they get large. I have always just cut the tuber wherever I wanted to on these types of plants, divided it up and replanted it, and the pieces always rooted and grew new plants. I recently did this with a dieffenbachia I had, I divided off 7 pieces, leaving 2 in the ground, potted the others and now have 7 plants.

Colocasias will actually do ok in water up to 6 inches deep. Some plants that will tolerate deeper waters, though - Aponogeton distachys (water hawthorne - Loma Ponder's is in bloom now! - up to 4 feet deep) Brasenia schreberi (watershield - up to 5 feet) Callitriche (starwort - about 36 inches) Hydrocleys (water poppy - depending on variety, up to 12-36 inches) Ludwigia sedioides (mosaic plant, temperamental - 12-18, survives up to possibly 36 inches) Nymphoides (water snowflake - different depths, depending on which of the many varieties you might choose) Polygonum amphibium (willow grass - 12-18 inches) Stratiotes aloides (water soldier - 2-4 feet) I grow all of my pond plants bareroot and fancy free. :) Brenda

Agree with Mike as usual. When I plant in a one gallon black plastic pot, I put enough pumice or gravel in the bottom to cover the holes. Then I put a plastic water bottle in the middle and fill my soil mix (one third each: cactus mix, pumice and perlite) around the water bottle filling the pot. I then water and while the water is soaking in, I twist out the water bottle leaving a nice hole down the center of the pot. I then put two hand fulls of perlite into the hole, dip the cutting in rooting hormone and carefully place it onto the perlite. Now I fill the rest with pumice rock which holds the cutting in place, If it is a large cutting, I stake it or put chunks of styrofoam between the pot edge and the cutting on both sides to hold it in place. I water once with B-1 and a drop of superthrive. I place it in warm filtered sun spot for a few days working it out onto the concrete in full sun after a week (longer if red or pink) Do not water until leaves are about 6=8 inches. watch base for rot (mushy) which if it shows, recut and start again. I started 157 cuttings this year and restarted 6. So far, no losses. This is the best system I have found so far but I am always experimenting. Good luck

If it's just missing stuff, it should be fine. But if it's got like sulfur or something in it then it could affect the plants. I don't think having cleaner water will do anything unless your plants rely in the calcium that's in the water! Your acidic loving plants will look better too.