Hello to everyone! I have three houseplants that are kind of growing out of control and I'm not sure how to tackle this. One is a bit more out of control than the other two. http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk62/PGP_97/100_1137.jpg http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk62/PGP_97/100_1138.jpg In the first link it's the two plants that are on the floor. The one on the right is obviously the main concern. I suspect I'll need to cut it somewhere and get rid of most of the large stem or trunk or whatever it should be called. The other two aren't quite so bad and perhaps do not require much. Any guidance is appreciated! Dan
Photo 1: both plants appear to be Dracaena---perhaps D. fragrans and D. marginata. Photo 2 is Schefflera actinophylla. Welcome to the Forum!
This is a frequently asked question regarding leggy dracaena. (You'll find many past posts on this subject.) Personally, I would try to air-layer the topmost portion of each stem once it reaches an unacceptable height. The process can be repeated a number of times if necessary. With dracaena it's a good idea to cover the stem top with wax after cutting in order to avoid dessication. Of the three plants, only D. marginata appears to require immediate action.
Thanks for the replies. I've done some reading on air-layering. It doesn't seem too complicated. They generally recommend to do this in early spring. Of course, it's now almost winter. Would you say it's best to wait until spring, or does it not matter if the plant is kept indoors? Also, I read an old post where the individual stated that rather than air-layering, he just cut the plant near the pot. So that all you would be left with is a short bit of the trunk coming out of the soil. He put the plant outside where it got plenty of sun and rain and it actually started growing. Could doing this work, or is air-layering safer? By the way, I don't think this poster intended to have the plant grow. He said he was going to get rid of it, i.e. throw it out. He was surprised when it started growing.
For the D. Marginata, [ the one with narrow leaves] air layering will work, but usually it's best begun in late spring or early summer, rather than now. However, you can certainly cut this plant back now, if you wish. Not only will the stump sprout, you can root the cut off tops as well. The cut off stub should sprout at least one new branch, possibly two. I've seen many D. marginata tops simply stuck into the same pot as the stump and they've grown, but I think you will have better luck using fresh potting mix in a separate pot until it's got a good set of roots on it. One or two cuttings will do nicely in a four inch pot. Once a cutting is growing well, put it into the same pot as the stump and you will have a nicer display with multiple stems and growing points at different heights. As the tallest stem gets too high, simply repeat the process. The plants naturally drop their lowest leaves, there is no way to prevent this, so to have a fuller look and a more graceful display, I prefer to plant at least 3 stems per pot, at 3 different heights. Uneven numbers look better, you can do five or seven. How long have these plants been in their pots ? If it's been more than a few years, I'd also repot the stump into fresh potting mix. If you decide to do this,and you want to use the same pot again, give the old pot a good wash before you refill it. When you take the root ball out of the pot, if you find it is very root bound, that is to say, so full of roots you can barely see any soil,or with multiple rings of roots going round the whole thing, you should trim some of them off. Use a clean sharp knife, and slice off an inch or two all around the root ball and if the plant has a big stack of roots circling the bottom of the pot as well, trim about half of them off too. You can dust cut root ends with cinnamon or garden sulfur powder, to help prevent any chance of rot. Then set the trimmed root ball in the pot on top of fresh mix, fill in around it, and gently firm the new soil until you have it even and and the base of the stem at the same soil level as it was before. If you are going to root the cut off top, trim the stem to whatever length you think will look best, then dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Using hormones will speed things up and improve chances of success, especially later in the year when light levels have dropped off. The hormones come as a powder or gel. If it's powder, you don't want too much to cling to the stem, so tap off any excess before you stick it in the soil. Fill a four inch pot with fresh mix, stick the stem well in and gently but firmly press the soil mix down so the stem stands up straight. Leave 3/4 to one inch of watering space from the soil to the pot top. Set it in a bowl of water and let it soak up water until it's wet on top. Then allow it to drain, and place the whole thing inside a clear plastic bag. This will keep the leaves from drying out too much. Don't close the bag tightly, leave some breathing space open at the top, to prevent mold. Keep in bright light, but out of direct sun. Once you see signs of new growth, you can take the bag away. When the stem resists gentle tugging, you have new roots growing. If you have some pieces of stem left over, if you like, try laying them flat on fresh soil and press down gently, then bag it as for the tops. No guarantees, but they just might present you with some roots and sprouts.. can't hurt to try.
I'd wait until spring; it's not going to get much bigger in the meantime. It could work and you'll get the opportunity to find out when the air-layered plant is separated. That's the beauty of air-layering: The entire plant continues to function normally during the process of rooting the top portion. With luck you'll end up with more plants.
Good call. Yes, I can try both. Doesn't hurt. The plant has been like this for some time (years), so waiting until spring shouldn't be a big deal. I'll try to remember to update this thread when the process is over. Hopefully with a successful outcome.
Please do report back. Keep in mind the process can be repeated if it doesn't root the first time around. Good luck.
