Question
my plant
I got this plant from my dad's funeral 2 months ago. Hence the importance of this plant to me. I have no idea how to take care of it or even what it is to find the info. One of the little trees is dying or dead, I want to save it if possible. If you could help me know how to take care of this plant I would ever so appreciate it! Thank you in advance, Melanie
AnswerMelanie,
Youe plat is commonly known as a Corn Plant or Dracaena Fragrans. The corn plant is a tropical houseplant that can grow up to 30 inches across, with dark green, yellow striated leaves that are 8-48 inches long, and grow up to 20 feet in height. Though the plant can live in a low light situation, it needs bright light but not direct sun. Care needs to be taken to avoid yellowing or browning leaves. It hates water with flouride, if your city water has that you need to water it with distilled water. It also cannot stand to be constantly wet. The top 2 inches of soil need to be dry for 3 days before you water it again. When you water you need to empty the drain tray an hour after watering. House plants are not swamp plants and do not need to be constaantly wet.
昄OCATION. Place the plant in a location where it gets light, just not direct sunlight. Best location is to the side of a south or east window. The plant can be directly in front of the window only if the window is covered by a shear curtain. The leaves may start to turn very light green if the plant is getting too much direct sunlight. Also, the plant should not be in a draft, and that includes a breeze from an open window.
?
WATERING. Fill your watering container and allow the water to set for at least 48 hours before using (this is good advice for any plant). Water the corn plant when the top half of the soil is dry. That may mean watering only every two to four weeks. Because the roots are short and close to the stalk, pour the water close to the stalk to ensure the moist gets to the roots. You may want to use a water gauge to check the soil. Insert the gauge at least two inches below the soil top and close to a stalk. The gauge should read DRY before you add water. Add the water slowly, watching the gauge until it reads "moist." If you want to use a fertilizer on a healthy corn plant, use a liquid fertilizer and only every other month, applying when watering. Brown tips can frequently be an indication that the water has chemicals in it, like fluoride (but that is not the only cause of brown tips). If allowing the water to set for two days before using does not stop the occurrence of brown trips, then switch to distilled water. Too much water can change the leaf color to yellow.
?
POT SIZE. The root system of a corn plant is so minimal, that it can live well in a small pot. It actually prefers to be a little root bound. The only reason you should need to upgrade to a larger pot is if the plant is so tall that it will topple over because the pot base is too small. For example, a 9 foot corn plant can do well in a 16 inch pot.
?
CONTROL HEIGHT. If you like the height of your corn plant, to keep it from growing more, you can pull out the center of new growth on the plant.
?
CLEANING. Dust on the leaves can be wiped off with a damp cloth. You can also place the plant outdoors in the summer rain or in a bathroom shower to give it a quick rinse off with tepid water. That cleansing event would become a watering session, so perform when the plant is dry.
Read more: How to Care for a Corn Plant (Dracaena Fragrans) | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4406402_care-corn-plant-dracaena-fragrans.html#ixzz1AmqC...
If you have more questions write again. Good luck.
Darlene
