Question
I have finally had some luck with indoor plants, in fact my office is filled with them and many of my co-workers have been supplied with "babies" from my garden. Unfortunately it seems that my corn plant (Dracaena) might not be as happy as it should be. Although there several newly forming leaves, the ones that are there are yellowing more quickly than they seem they should (the stalk as well). And it seems to have slowed it's new leaf growth. It is getting to the point where if I prune the yellowing ones there will maybe be 6 left.  It lives in a 10" pot near a north facing window( plenty of, but no direct sunlight) and,I regularly give it filtered water. It has been 6 months since it has had a food spike. I am not sure what it needs to become more healthy, some suggestions would be appreciated. Also since it is a single stalk it is a little bare bottomed, would it be reasonable to add a plant such as pothos to the pot?

Answer
Hi Nicole,

I suspect you are a very nurturing person and you may be providing too much care (water) to your corn plant. Although yellow lower leaves can be caused by inadequate light and under watering, I believe it is overwatering that is the problem here.

The light from a nearby north window is fine for a corn plant. But I don't know what you mean by regular watering. You should allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out before watering. I am guessing that you are not waiting long enough and your corn pant is now suffering from root rot. If I am wrong, let me know more about your watering routine.

It can be okay to add some plants to the base of your plant, but I would wait until your corn plant has recovered first so you don't complicate matters. If you do add plants, I suggest that you use small plants in pots 6 inches or less and place them around the base of the corn plant, Pothos would be a good choice. If you try to plant them directly into the soil of the corn plant, you will have a lot of problems.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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