Hello, I have this beautiful plant that I don't know the name of. About 2 months ago, it fell over (my dog knocked it over) and the plant lost about an inch of soil on top. I neglected to add more soil or to repot the plant (which i think it needs). I also keep to a watering schedule where i water it once a week but not a set amount, prob 2 cups. Now, two months later, i see some of the leaves are turning yellow and dying. I looked at the stem and i see discolored blotches on the stem(i don't think they were there before), and when i tapped the plant, a fungus knat or fruit fly flew off it...which tells me its rotting i think, and im terribly upset. Am i watering this plant too much? Also, my most important question....can i save this plant somehow? I don't want to lose it! It was my husbands grandma's. Please help if you can. Thanks very much.....JHSH. i selected manage attachments, but i don't see them attached...this is my first time on the site, i'll get it right eventually. ok, i got my pictures to attach.
without a photo can you give us a better discription of the plant. Also when was the last it was repotted and with what type of soil.
Hi Doug, Thanks for responding. Well, Im not the best at describing things, but here it goes...It has Dark Green long leaves...that hang down. Its tree like, almost like a weeping palm tree? The last time it was repotted was right when we got it, around July/August 2003. As far as the soil, I really don't know, I would guess some brand of potting soil, but thats a huge guess. I was thinking of repotting it, using miracle grow's potting soil, thinking maybe the nutirients would give it a little health? Also, I watered it saturday, approx 2+ cups ( i don't measure), and the soil is still wet, i would think that is bad....correct?
looks like a Dracaena... possibly "Janet Craig". it sounds like you are watering inappropriately from the symptoms you describe. Blotching leaves, yellowing leaves and falling leaves are classic of overwatering. now keep in mind you can water a plant "too much" ( I may open up to attack on this one but hear me out) although you can definately water a plant "too often". What I mean by this is that you can stick a plant in a bucket of water, submerge it for a day or two completely, pull it out, set it back where it belongs, leave it alone and you would never see a complaint. HOWEVER... water a plant a little bit or a lot, before it's roots have had a chance to get some O2 (thats oxygen folks) and you being the cycle of root deterioration (root rot, decomposition) which brings along with it fungus gnats quite commonly (great companion indicator of overly damp, non drying soil condition). Watering by a calendar or by a 'just because thats how I have been doing it' timeline is not the best way... water a plant thoroughly (drench it), allow it to dry just to the point opf wilting even, then drench it again....thats perfect for lots of houseplants. some may need the water once a week, some once a month or anything in between. For me I find about once every 10 to 14 days I make the rounds with my watering can and check all my houseplants for dampness at this time of year.. in summer it might be every 4 to 6 days. Water enough so that there is some buildup in the little drain dish under the plant , this flushes out the salts that can build up in the soil and also cause root damage. Use your finger to test soil dampness, shove it in the soil up to the second knuckle and if it feels damp you probably dont need to water, if you can, pick up the plants, the heft of the plant and pot is a great indicator of soil moisture; if its real light you probably need to water if its real heavy then probably not. In conclusion; if you have a tendency to always have plant that are too wet from overly frequent irrigation (aka TLC), repot your houseplants using 50% store bought potting soil mixed with 50% medium perlite. This mixture will drain fast and dry out quick - watch out! only use this method if you water a LOT, or if you will keep a sharp eye on the plants as it can kill them quick if you miss a couple waterings.
I apologize for my superfluous (not necesssarily correct either) use of punctuation in the previous post. Mea culpa. :)
no problem....im just lazy is my excuse for my punctuation! : ) Thanks for responding. Well, I do know that my plants are dry when i water them, thats usually what reminds me...hehehe So, do you think that I can save this plant by repotting it and keeping a close eye on the soil drainage? The discolord blotches i mentioned are orange in color.
looking at the pictures again I have a few more thoughts... are they getting enough light? Janet Craig is tolerant of low light but.... When you say they are dry when you water them. what does that mean? the soil looks dry? the plant is wilting? the pots have no weight to them? make sure you are checking the things that may not be obvious to the eyeball. The plant doesnt really like drafts, doesnt want to be near a heat register (in winter anyways) and doesnt really need a lot of fertilizer. As for repotting, if you can jam your finger in the soil with relative ease, then no, it doesnt really NEED repotting although it may benefit from it if the soil condition improves. My suggestion is this, go to your nearest arden center or nursery, talk to an expert (someone that has some letters behind their name or has some sort of certification or something..) tell them what is happening, show them the plant (they probably have them in the store) and see what they have to say. just please, do not buy a moisture meter... :o)
I believe its getting enough light...its in between two windows. However, it is about 3 feet away from a heat register...not sure if that far enough away. When i water, the soil looks dry to the touch, only once did the leaves look like they were curling. Your right, I should do the 2nd knuckle test like you suggested next time I think it needs water. I can't bring the plant to the nearest nursery just yet, since its 20 degrees outside....I live in Connecticut and Im afraid the cold would shock the plant from and to the car. But your right, the nursery prob has one there. Thanks very much for you advice!!!
OK here's my take on your plant! I'll agree with the Janet Craig id! I am only seeing brown tip on some of the bottom leaves, did the plant have any when you recieved it? The most common reason for brown tips on a Dracaena is dry air which is pretty much any home that is heated in the winter. Cold drafts can also have a similar effect as can underwatering. You definitly want the top couple of inches to dry out between waterings this will also help to cut down on your gnat population as well as allow the roots to get oxygen, but this is one plant that you don't want to let the root ball dry out completely, it will cause brown spots on the leaves and damage to the plants root system. Fungas gnats aren't nessasary a symptom of poor plant health but more likely that of poor quality potting soil! A quick and safe treatment I have found effective is to add a layer of course sand to the top of the soil where the larva live! The sharp edges of the sand cut up the larve before they get a chance to start flying around and making crash landings into your coffee! As far as the marks you are refering to on the stem? I don't really see anything that out of the ordinary is it soft or mushy at that spot? One last note for your interest, the foliage of dracaena has a limited life span of about two years after which it is normal for a lower leaf to turn yellow and die.
