Got this plant from my mom she was going to toss it thought I would see if I could help it any. When I got it home I repotted it and washed most everything out of the roots on it. Does anyone have any ideas on what I might be able to do for it? Thanks for your help.
Hi,
I would cut it in half and keep it in partial sun and well watered. Pray for the top half. LOL
Hap
Where would you cut it off at
I would leave about a foot or so in the pot. I hope that I'm not going to start trouble with this recommendation....
Hap
I might wait a little while before I try doing that. Thanks for the recommendation but it looks like it is trying to get a couple of new leaves just the tips of them look brown right now. I think I will wait and see what they do before I cut that much off.
You can also plant the top. I forgot to add that. Therefore you get two plants...
Hap
You would be surprised at what happens sometimes with plants you think are goners. I had a ....gosh, what is it? Some sort of draceana...anyway, it got sunburned so badly I just couldn't look at it anymore, so i sheared the whole plant off at soil level, then just stuck the pot under a bench outside to deal with later...within a month or so, there was a brand new plant coming up right next to the sawed off trunk!
I also have to say that some plants are not worth trying to save in any other way, that when they look as bad as yours, even if there is a teeny bit of green, it will be months, maybe longer, before that plant will start to look even remotely like what it is supposed to. Sometimes it is best to just start over, either by cutting it way back or by tossing it and buying a new one. A very sad ugly plant can be rewarding to save, but give it a chance to start over - trying to let it revive itself as is will take forever and the plant will look pretty bad in the process.
Good luck, I have a few that I saved that years later are happy and beautiful, so it can be done!
This message was edited Jul 15, 2008 8:43 AM
Your plant doesn't look like a happy camper. I know it's very hard sometimes to throw away a plant that still has a bit of green showing. If it were mine, I would resort to major surgery! I would cut the main trunk/stem about half way to see if there is any green/viable wood left showing. If so, then the plant should eventually begin putting out new shoots from around the sides of the main trunk. The two branches at top I would also cut off and strip those brownish, almost dead leaves and pot up those branches in fresh soil too. If the main stem you cut off is not dead, you can cut it into pieces and plant them for new plants also.
When you repotted, how did the roots look? Were they soft and pliable or dry looking? I hope the roots weren't entirely dead but with new fresh soil, it should start producing new healthy roots soon.
I can't even tell which Dracaena you have there. I have one that I've had a long, long time. Well, it's actually more than one plant now because I did drastic surgery on it about a year ago and potted up the branches that I cut off. I cut some branches into 4 or 5 pieces, some only about 3-4" long. Some I just crammed down into the soil, other pieces I laid sideways on the soil and just pressed down a tad. It took awhile but eventually most of them took root. I did have a couple that got too much water and rotted but got quite a few new babies that survived. I've given away some of the plants that have come from that mama dracaena, but still have a couple of good sized ones I kept. I will search and see if I can find the thread where I posted pictures and also try later today to get some pic's of the plants now.
Be back later ...
Lin
Ooops, I wasn't thinking ... the plant I did surgery on wasn't the dracaena/corn plant but rather a dieffenbachia.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/728846/ If you scroll down through the thread you will see a few photo's I posted of the plant before and after I butchered them.
And, the photo attached below is what they look like today .... minus a couple that died and a couple I gave away.
The roots didn't look to bad washed all the dirt out from around them. It did have what looked like new roots coming out of it so I still have a little bit of hope for it. It had some died dried up roots in there but don't know if they were from this one or the other one that was with it that died.
My corn plant got a little neglected well actually a lot. Anyway, I cut off the top and stuck it in a pot, It is now growing leaves, the "old" plant has leaves starting at the bottom of the plant? Not sure why, its very close to the eastern window in my basement (these are large windows I had to take it down there, it truly looked that bad. But what the heck, I mean whats the worse thing that can happen?? Nothing!! Keep an eye on it and major surgery if needed... Its sort of neat to see something happen. But note, these plants are slow growers its may take a few months or more, be patient. Good luck!! Be sure to post how it goes!!
This 12-year-old ficus has been with us through thick and thin and has outgrown the largest pot I've been able to find. My teenage sons will be going off to college in a few years and the husband and I are getting too old to move it--without it turning into a concern about whose heart is going to give out--first.
I'd like to keep the tree--is there a bonsai technique that I can use to move this plant into smaller digs? I also have an orange tree that my husband and I purchased on our honeymoon in 1987. This too is getting more than I can manage-- I keep the tops trimmed but the root systems are filling the very largest pots I can find.
What to do?
Using "loose" bonsai techniques, go ahead and cut back the top growth as much as you want, but at least half for what you do next. Possibly, cut it back, saving a few major branches to actually create a "bonsai" look. Heck, you could even train branches to twist using special bonsai wire. But, after cutting back the top (and letting it bleed like ficus do), take the plant out of the pot and trim back the root ball by at least half, maybe a little more. It might be easier if you wash most or all of the soil off the root ball and tease them loose, keeping a few main roots and nearby smaller ones. Then, using a coarse potting mix (one that contains shredded bark, or add it yourself for great drainage, repot it in a smaller, more manageable pot (plastic would be lighter), water it well, and keep it in a shady outside area for the rest of the summer. Don't fertilize it at this time, and experts say the vitamin B rooting stimulant is worthless. You might use Superthrive when you water it, if you are familiar with it. Ficus is tough. I bet it will be just fine, and like your marriage, it will take on its special character after all these years!
thanks so much for the very helpful suggestions. I'll get right to it.
i used to take my big citrus out of the pots and root prune and top prune every few years....and it works well for other big plants too. as far as the corn plant is concerned. i had a monster one outside for years and i would whack it in half at least once a year and just stick the tops into pots. it always rejuvinated and was the more healthy for the pruning.
I had one of those and it got a fungal leaf infection. I treated it numerous times and finally gave up. I cut off the top and stuck the pot in the garage, intending to throw it out "one of these days." The trunk was about 3 or 4 feet tall. About 3 months later, I suddenly noticed there was a new sprout coming out the side of the stem, and about 3 new sprouts coming out of the soil around it. They are pretty amazing plants. It never got the fungus again after that either.
Claire
