okay - so i am going to slam you with 4 different questions. i have never before been a plant grower... i only recently came into it when my husband's grandfather died and we were given a dozen plants from the funeral. None of which i really know anything about but have kept them alive for the past year by researching online and trial and error. There are a couple of things though that i just can't figure out for myself and unfortunately the plants are suffering. Peace Lily - this is my largest plant. For the most part it seems healthy however many of the leaves have turned slightly brown or yellow around the edges. what can i do to stop this as it is otherwise a very beautiful display. it sits in the corner of the living room about 4 feet from a window. i water once a week until the water flows out the bottom. i try to spritz them when i remember - however they do get some build up and dust now and again. Begonia - have no idea what is wrong. It is slowly dying. it still grows new leaves but no flowers for a long time and when it dies it is from the bottom where the stem seems to dry out and break off. ???? - this one i would just lilke to know what it is. It is an extremely slow grower and it seems that whenever i get a new leaf, an old leaf falls off. I have tried many ways of taking care of it, but as i dont know what it is - its all just guesses and seeing what happens after i try something. ???? - another unknown - it has been doing really well and growing quite fast... but just recently entire sections are dying and i dont know why. Pictures are attached to better describe what is going on. I also have a few others that i dont know exactly what they are - some sort of lilly, a madagascar i believe, and 3 other unknowns - but my routine seems to make them flourish so i'm not too concerned. the rest - an aloe, a chinese evergreen, and another peace lily doing really well. but if you are feeling up to it, you are more than welcome to give me some input on those as well! Thank you in advance for any guidance you are able to offer. Sarah
Looks like:2. Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana', Corn Plant; 7. Dracaena marginata, Madagascar Dragon Tree; 8. x Fatshedera lizei, Tree Ivy; 9. Epipremnum aureum, Pothos.
I've seen Begonias do that when they're potbound and get overwatered. Generally, a good rule is that it doesn't need a drink unless the soil is dry to the depth of your second knuckle when you stick a finger in. It could probably use up-potting as well, into a pot that has definite drainage holes. Glazed clay pots have killed many a Begonia, and that might be what's happening in your case as well.
thank you so much to both of you that have responded. and regarding the begonias, come to think of it - this plant was flourishing until i moved it into this pot a couple of months ago. i was a bit concerned about it not having any drainage, and now i know this can definately cause some harm. i will re-pot and reduce the watering to see if that helps. does anyone by chance have any recommendations on the yellowing/brown fringe on the leaves of the peace lily or why entire sections of the other tropical are happening? i repotted this one a few months ago as well and maybe i damaged the roots or something? no other conditions have changed for that one. i think it might be a corn plant.
Your Dracaena (the corn plant) actually looks pretty healthy to me - it's normal for the oldest leaves to go brown and crunchy like that. I generally peel them off when they do. The Peace Lily might be getting just a touch too much water. What kind of soil is it in? Aroids like the Peace Lily (and your Dieffenbachia, Pothos, and Philodendron as well) benefit greatly from very very very fast-draining soils. Peace Lilies, Dieffenbachia, and Philodendron are native to my neck of the woods, where they grow in extremely loose leaf/bark mulch on the forest floor (PLs and Dieffs) and in the mossy crooks of trees (Philos). Generally, what I use (and what the late great Steve Lucas, of Exotic Rainforest, used) is about 50% orchid bark with 25% peat or coir and 25% potting soil, and a handfull of activated charcoal for good luck and beneficial bacteria breeding grounds. Water should just run through this - so make sure you've got pots with drainage! Then, water when the medium seems dry.
thank you so much for the info... things are really starting to turn around and im starting to get nice green leaves growing again. still have some that are turning brown around the edges but they are the oldest leaves and maybe its just part of the shedding process.
