Sick Yucca... help needed

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by plant killer, Jun 12, 2006.

  1. plant killer

    plant killer Member

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    As my nickname suggests, I'm a bit of a plant killer, not on purpose, but I can't seem to keep my indoor plants from dying. I'm hoping someone can help me with my latest sick plant. It's a yukka spp and it's not looking so good.

    History: The yucca is indoors sitting next to a north-east window so I think it gets adequate light. It gets about 500 mL (17 fl oz) of water once a week which is enough for the water to drain through to the saucer. My partner thinks it's being overwatered, I think it's being underwatered, but adjustments to watering fequency hasn't seem to improve the situation, just worsen it.

    Symptoms: There is a white, powdery coating on the leaves. When rubbed off, the white coating feels powdery, a little sticky and turns a kinda brownish color. The older leaves at the bottom of the plant have dried out and died and what leaves are left is severely droopy.

    Picture of the leaves:
    [​IMG]

    I have no idea what could be wrong and I'm deperately trying to save the plant before it gives up all will to live. Please help if you can, I'll be forever grateful of any advice!
     
  2. jesse

    jesse Member

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    one problem with yuccas where you get a white substance which resembles mold is actually a type of bug (I think mites), if thats the case , I have used a insecticidle soap which helped a lot. After treating it once a week for a few weeks the plants were greatly improved.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2006
  3. plant killer

    plant killer Member

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    It's not bugs, I've had mealey bug infestations before and they looked different. These white spots don't look like they move...
     
  4. terrestrial_man

    terrestrial_man Active Member 10 Years

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    How dry is your house?
    This plant likes it hot and dry! For one thing the leaves are too
    fleshy looking for yucca-it is not getting enough light. If it is not getting enough light then you may be overwatering it. I think you could water a healthy yucca once a month and it will prosper!
    Another thing. How cold is it by the window?
    You need the brightest, hottest, and driest spot in the house for this plant but outside would be best though this is your winter and just how cold are you getting? You definitely need to get this plant out of the house and into the sun but you will have to do it gradually or you will burn the dickens out of the leaves and possibly kill the plant in the process. Got a partially shade spot that you can set the yucca during the day if it is warm enough.
    Warm enough would be anything over 55 degrees F (I am guessing but is that about 15 degrees C??).
    Also you need to get some reference materials on growing plants. Does Sunset sell its book there in Oz or some similar company? One that talks about growing the popular plants.
    Maybe even join a gardening club too!
     
  5. plant killer

    plant killer Member

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    The plant is actually kept in our office. It's fairly dry as we have air condition/heater that sucks the moisture out of the air. It's not possible to move it outside.

    I was recommended this plant at the nursery because the nice salesman said it was easy to take care of and can be kept indoors. It's now getting enough light, but it was sitting in a fairly dark room for about 4 months. The room had 2 beautiful windows and the yucca was sitting next to one of them. It was dark because everyone kept closing the curtains to starve the room of natural light (grrrr...). You can water a yucca once a month and it won't die?? I've been watering it when the top inch of soil is dry which is about once a week.

    The yucca is sitting in the brightest spot, it gets direct sunlight in the mornings and filtered light in the afternoon. The temperature in the office is surprisingly steady. It doesn't get down to 55 degrees F.

    I'll have to look to see if Sunset sells books in Oz, I've never heard of them but I'm good with research so it shouldn't be hard to find out.

    Gardening club? Would they take brown thumbs like me? :-) Seriously though, I'm not much of a gardener, the only reason I have plants is because my partner likes them, goes out to buy them, then leaves me to take care of them.

    A friend of mine said the problem could be powdery mildew. I read up a little about it and it sounds like that may be it. What do you think?
     
  6. Rima

    Rima Active Member

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    You're watering too OFTEN, if well. It's a desert plant (Google it) and shouldn't be in an office anyhow. Let the soil get drier between waterings. Drowning plants can look dry because the soil turns to muck, plugging the 'pores' on the roots so they can't drink properly. Maybe you also need to repot into a gritty, gravelly mix that will drain fast and not hold water (and don't let it sit in the drain water either).
     
  7. jesse

    jesse Member

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    the bug I was talking abouut isn't mealy but a type of mite. It resembles a fungus, not mealy. I am a interior hort. and have quite a few yuccas at accounts. These bugs form at times a circular shape other times it covers most of the leaf. They will do o.k.in an office with light ,but as everyone said, less water with less light. You could try a bug treatment on a few leaves and even wash them a few days later,;if its not a fungus (which they are also very apt to get)you will definitly see an improvement. The plants I treated in two large atriums are much better after three weekly treatments. Office light is ok if you put them near interior(esp. flores. )light,and not an office dark over the weekends.We do have a lot of su
     
  8. plant killer

    plant killer Member

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    Thanks so much for your replies everyone! I'm getting the message that I'm watering it too much... but then how often should I water? Would once a month be ok?

    I'm not sure about the lighting situation though. I have Rima telling me it's not meant to be indoors and jesse saying it'll be ok indoors. By the way, jesse, what do you meant by "Office light is ok if you put them near interior(esp. flores. )light,and not an office dark over the weekends." Does that mean they don't like direct sunlight? Should I move the yucca back to the room where the curtains are drawn and there's flores. light or leave it next to the current window where it gets good morning light and filtered afternoon light?

    The friend of mine that said the problem could be powdery mildew told me to wash the leaves with diluted dishwashing liquid, would that treatment also work if it's a mite problem?
     
  9. jesse

    jesse Member

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    The yucca would be best with real light I just meant the flor. light as an alternative if your lighting is poor. The soapy water may help, you could also add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the water. We use a few drops mild dish detergent and a few drops alcohol to a small sprayer of water. Just don't use the soap straight. By the way mildew and mites look very similar. Good luck
     
  10. Dixie

    Dixie Active Member

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    Sounds like you all already have it figured out, but it almost looks like water spots, not fungal water spots. By that I mean, when you are watering and get it on the leaves (overhead watering) instead of directly applying the water to the soil. Some water has a lot of salts. Could it just be salt build up from the water drying on the leaves? Why don't you just try wiping the leaves off with a rag and letting it air dry outside? Next time you water try watering just the soil. You might already being doing that.
     
  11. plant killer

    plant killer Member

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    Thanks for the rubbing alcohol suggestion jesse. I'll definitely give that a go.

    It can't be water spots because the leaves never get wet, I always water all our plants from the soil so the leaves never get wet and when they do, I dry them off anyway so they don't stay wet.

    I've tried wiping the white coating off the leaves with a rag before, but the white spots started coming back and the plant didn't improve.

    Fingers crossed that the yucca gets better!

    Thanks to all those that responded!
     
  12. terrestrial_man

    terrestrial_man Active Member 10 Years

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    If you are going to be stuck with the task of raising everyone else's plants then check out this link as it will help you overcome all the basic obstacles to growing plants
    http://www.gardeningaustralia.com.au/
    And Happy growing!
     
  13. jesse

    jesse Member

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    I just saw the picture of your yucca, (I was having trouble opening the picture,I'm new at this) ,I'm almost positive it is the mites, the leaves are very similar to the plant we're treating. After you treat it and let the stuff sit on it for a while, wash the leaves with a wet rag,and reapply. If some of the leaves are very infected it wouldn't be a bad idea to remove them. Also check your new growth it probably needs spraying too.
     

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