Why does Dieffenbachia not grow at home? Dieffenbachia: benefits and harms

The promises are encouraging: Dieffenbachia grows up to 3 meters in height! Read in today's article what to do if Dieffenbachia does not grow: causes and methods of recovery.

Dieffenbachia does not grow - what to do?

When learning the basics of Dieffenbachia care, you expect that the purchased or planted plant will also reach several meters in height and will form large and luxurious leaves with little care. The homeland of Dieffenbachia was originally South America, after which the plant moved to the USA, and from there it spread throughout the globe. Despite the universal popularity of Dieffenbachia, the plant belongs to the southern territories and feels better in countries such as Hawaii, Costa Rica, Honduras, Tahiti, etc. Tropical and subtropical climate– the pinnacle of ideal for Dieffenbachia. Perhaps it is precisely on this principle that it is worth organizing care so that Dieffenbachia grows?

Care for Dieffenbachia growth

Let's review the basics- something that we often forget about some time after purchasing or planting Dieffenbachia, but basic care contains the answers to questions, why the plant does not grow, turns yellow or rots.

Basic care for Dieffenbachia growth:

Keeping at above-zero temperatures;
Complete absence of drafts;
Moderate watering;
Shading in summer;
Humidification from 40% to 45%;
Seasonal feeding;

Finding yourself in European hotels, where Dieffenbachia is used for decoration, or walking along the languid summer streets of South American cities, you are surprised that Dieffenbachia is left “unattended” and cared for for a long time, while the plant does not suffer from developmental disorders. What is the secret to the growth of Dieffenbachia?

Dieffenbachia needs place in a shaded place , but be sure to stay warm. In the case of this plant, the emphasis in care is on air temperature, and not on lighting.

Air temperature and lighting:

Temperature +21-24°C. The permissible minimum level for Dieffenbachia to feel comfortable is +16° C. Begins to shed leaves and stop growth already at +10 ° C;
Lighting is moderate, placement on the southeast window in spring and autumn, on the west or north in summer. Small plants dry out faster in the heat, so they are shaded more than adults;

If Dieffenbachia does not grow, look for a problem in temperature and lighting - these are two main criteria in care to which the plant immediately reacts. Then pay attention to the air humidity. The norm, as mentioned, is 40-45%, but on hot summer days it is necessary to additionally spray the air to prevent the Dieffenbachia from drying out.

Comfortable watering: Once every 3-4 days from the beginning of spring to the end of summer. There is no need to flood the plant, despite the heat and dry air - focus on moistening the room, but not the soil. It is better to place Dieffenbachia on a balcony or in a ventilated room, but not in the path of a draft, since temperature changes caused by exposure to cold air in a warm environment disrupt the functioning of the root system, causing a response - stress. A similar failure occurs if Dieffenbachia is standing near a radiator and a ventilated window - hello, Khrushchev - or if the window is opened for ventilation in winter.

Mandatory feeding once every 2 weeks prevent exposure of the lower part of the trunk. Dieffenbachia may therefore stop growing and even shed its leaves if it lacks nutrients. when to feed: from the beginning of May, finish at the end of August. What to use: mineral fertilizers in combination on the root system soaked with water.

Dieffenbachia does not grow, so what to do:

Raise the temperature to a comfortable level + change the lighting system if there is little light or direct rays.
Protect from drafts and check the humidity of the soil in the pot and the air in the room.
Water moderately and, if it is flooded, dry the soil. Feed if the land is depleted.

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Dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow, what should I do?

Plant dieffenbachia (lat. Dieffenbachia) belongs to the genus of evergreen plants of the Araceae family, growing in the tropical zone of the American continent. The Dieffenbachia flower was named by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, an Austrian botanist, in honor of the head gardener of the botanical garden at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Joseph Dieffenbach. There are about 40 species of Dieffenbachia in nature. Indoor Dieffenbachia is characterized by rapid growth - some species can reach a height of two or more meters in five years.

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Planting and caring for Dieffenbachia

Bloom: decorative foliage plant.
Lighting: bright diffused light for variegated forms, light partial shade for a species with green leaves.
Temperature: in summer – 20-30 ˚C, in winter – not lower than 15 ˚C.
Watering: abundant in summer, moderate in winter.
Air humidity: increased – 65%. Regular spraying of leaves is recommended.
Feeding: once every three weeks during the period of active growth with lime-free mineral solutions in a concentration twice as weak as the recommended one.
Rest period: from September to March.
Transfer: from February to May, when the pot becomes too small for the plant.
Reproduction: apical and stem cuttings, air layering and, in rare cases, seeds.
Pests: aphids, thrips, scale insects, spider mites, mealybugs.
Diseases: bacteriosis, root rot, anthracnose, leaf spot, fusarium, leaf bronzing and mosaic viruses.
Properties: The sap of the plant is very poisonous and can cause burns.

Read more about growing Dieffenbachia below.

Dieffenbachia flower - features

A common feature of all Dieffenbachia is a thick, succulent stem bearing large, oval leaves. The Dieffenbachia leaf is an amazing creation of nature, although breeders have made their contribution to the creation of many varieties and hybrids with different leaf colors. The growing point of Dieffenbachia is usually located at the top of the shoot, although there are species in which the dormant points are located at the base of the shoots, and therefore they are capable of bushing. The inflorescence of representatives of this genus, like other Araceae, is in the shape of a spadix, but Dieffenbachia rarely blooms at home. And it is not the flowering of Dieffenbachia that interests flower growers: Dieffenbachia flowers attract the eye with the beauty of their large variegated leaves.

- a unique plant. Get acquainted with a number of features that distinguish the indoor Dieffenbachia flower:

Dieffenbachia is poisonous, so pruning and replanting of the plant must be carried out while observing safety precautions;
Dieffenbachia grows very quickly - under favorable conditions, it produces a new leaf weekly, but as it grows, its trunk in the lower part becomes bare, the plant loses its decorative effect, and it has to be pruned and then rooted;
Dieffenbachia does not tolerate sudden cold snaps and drafts at all and loves moisture very much;
Dieffenbachia does not tolerate lime, so water for irrigation and spraying must be settled or filtered. You can use rain or boiled water.

These not very attractive properties of Dieffenbachia, however, do not detract from its undeniable advantages, the most important of which is beauty and impressiveness.

Caring for Dieffenbachia at home

How to care for Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia prefers bright, diffused light without direct sunlight, and varieties with variegated leaves need more light than those with solid green leaves, otherwise their original color will fade. The best place for this rather large plant is at a distance of a meter or two from a brightly lit window. You can keep Dieffenbachia not so close to the window, but then you will have to use additional artificial lighting. The temperature in summer is preferably from 20 to 30 ºC, in winter - not lower than 15 ºC, and remember - no drafts, or Dieffenbachia will begin to lose leaves.

Dieffenbachia should be watered generously in the warm season, but the soil in the pot should not resemble liquid mud. In the cold season, watering is accordingly reduced, but the earthen ball should not dry out even in winter. Dieffenbachia requires high air humidity (65%), so spraying and washing the leaves is necessary, and the more often you do this, the better Dieffenbachia will feel.

For watering, wiping, and spraying, you can only use settled or boiled water. Sometimes, however, you can give a plant, if it is small in size, a cold shower, but the water should not get into the soil.

Caring for Dieffenbachia involves seasonal feeding. Dieffenbachia is fertilized, like most other plants, in the spring and summer, applying liquid mineral or organic fertilizers that do not contain lime once a decade in half the recommended dose. By the way, varieties of Dieffenbachia with white leaves lose this varietal property from the nitrogen contained in complex fertilizers, becoming greenish, so they are not fertilized with organic matter, and mineral fertilizers are applied once every 20 days.

How to transplant Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is transplanted as the roots fill the space of the pot, sometimes you have to do this twice a year, and the best time for this procedure is from February to May. Choose a pot a couple of centimeters in diameter larger than the old one, put a decent layer of drainage in it and transfer the Dieffenbachia with an earthen lump, but cleared of adhering fragments of the old drainage, into a new pot. Then add the required amount of fresh slightly acidic loose substrate, consisting of two parts of leaf soil, one part of peat, one part of crushed sphagnum and half of river sand.

How to prune Dieffenbachia

Sometimes you have to remove damaged leaves of Dieffenbachia, which cats love to eat, and if the plant grows too quickly, you also need to take some measures. In such cases, Dieffenbachia pruning is used.

First of all, blot the damaged leaf with a napkin so that when cutting the poisonous juice does not splash into your eyes, then use a clean knife or blade treated with alcohol for disinfection, cut off the leaf or part of the trunk. The cut areas should be blotted again with a napkin, which will absorb the juice, and treated with crushed coal. Pruning should be done with gloves, and the remaining parts of the plant can be used for propagation.

Dieffenbachia - harm or benefit?

If Dieffenbachia juice gets on the mucous membrane or skin, it will cause burning, redness, swelling and temporary numbness, as with local anesthesia. And if, God forbid, it ends up in the stomach, then profuse salivation, vomiting and paralysis of the vocal cords will almost certainly follow, so Dieffenbachia should be kept at home out of the reach of children. If trouble occurs, you should immediately rinse your mouth with plenty of water, take activated charcoal and, just in case, consult a doctor.

In the plant’s homeland, it is considered a weed; it is mercilessly destroyed, making sure that its remains do not end up in livestock feed. It was used to make poison for rodents and insects and used it as a rod to punish slaves, who suffered for a week after the execution. However, indoor Dieffenbachias are much less poisonous than their wild sisters.

On the other hand, Dieffenbachia undoubtedly brings benefits: NASA data shows that this plant, along with ficus and dracaenas, purifies the air of toxins such as formaldehyde, trichloroethane, xylene and benzene. Therefore, at home, the best place for Dieffenbachia is your kitchen.

Reproduction of Dieffenbachia

Propagation of Dieffenbachia by apical cuttings

This is the easiest way to dispose of an old plant with a trunk that has become bare from time to time. How to root Dieffenbachia? The cut top, having blotted the poisonous juice on the cut, is placed in water, moss, wet sand or a mixture of sand and peat for rooting. The main thing is to regularly spray the cuttings, protect them from direct sunlight and keep them in moderate heat (21-24 ºC). If you are rooting a cutting in water, allow the roots to grow to 2-3 cm, and then plant it in Dieffenbachia substrate in a permanent pot.

Propagation of Dieffenbachia by stem cuttings

Cut the rest of the plant, that is, the bare trunk sticking out of the pot, into pieces with at least one node in the middle, leaving in the pot only a stump no higher than 10 cm. Dry the cuttings for a day or two, place them horizontally on a damp mixture of peat and sand with the buds facing up, cover film and keep at a temperature of about 25 ºC.

When the parts take root, transplant them to a permanent place in the usual substrate for Dieffenbachia. The stump will also come in handy: leave it in the pot, continue to water it moderately, and after a while a new shoot will appear from the top node. Wait until it has 2-3 leaves, then cut it and plant it in the soil for rooting. How many nodes remain on the stump, so many new shoots will develop on it.

Most often, gardeners growing Dieffenbachia are faced with the fact that its leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and curl, and there are other problems - the flower grows poorly and becomes lethargic.

What is the cause of the malaise: improper care at home or a pest attack? Let's look at all the "sores" of Dieffenbachia in more detail and try to determine the cause of their occurrence and methods of treatment.

Dieffenbachia diseases and their treatment

How to help a tropical beauty?

Dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow, reasons, what to do? Solution to the problem:

low air humidity. Dieffenbachia, not receiving enough moisture from the air, also begins to turn yellow, so in winter it should be kept away from central heating radiators or buy an air humidifier;
direct sunlight, there should be enough light;
IMPORTANT! From direct exposure to the sun, the delicate leaves of the plant can get burned and turn yellow; the habitat of Dieffenbachia should be the eastern or southeastern side of the room.
excessive watering, Dieffenbachia is moisture-loving and watering should be quite abundant, especially in summer;
IMPORTANT! The soil in the pot after watering should not resemble liquid porridge; the root system may begin to rot, which will lead to yellowing and falling of the leaves.
It is necessary to check whether the roots of the flower have actually begun to rot. To do this, you need to remove the plant from the pot, inspect the root system, remove rot and affected areas of the root, transplant the flower into another smaller container, observing the planting rules (drainage 1/3 of the pot, 2/3 soil mixed with sand and peat)
low air temperature. Dieffenbachia is a tropical resident, it loves warmth, so the temperature in the room should not fall below 22 degrees;
drafts, which the flower really does not like, so it is better to keep Dieffenbachia away from the balcony door and windows;

Dieffenbachia dries and its leaves fall off, the tips of the leaves dry and wither, causes and solution to the problem:

fungal infections (atracnose, leaf spot), fungal spores (leaf spot) can be obtained by the plant with irrigation water; dry brown spots appear along the edges of the leaves, gradually spreading over the entire surface of the leaf, it becomes lethargic and lifeless.
IMPORTANT! Dieffenbachia must be watered with well-settled (at least 24 hours) water.
Athracnose is provoked by excessively high temperature in the room, dry air, in some cases, waterlogged soil (excessive watering); to get rid of this problem, it is enough to normalize the temperature and watering regime; the affected leaves can be treated with a regular fungicide to prevent infection of other leaves;
drafts, low air temperatures can also lead to leaves drying out and falling off; to eliminate the Dieffenbachia problem, you need to ensure a comfortable microclimate in the room;
the plant ages, the lower leaves dry out and fall off, this is a natural process. It is necessary to rejuvenate it by cuttings. To do this, the bare trunk of Dieffenbachia needs to be cut into cuttings, leaving only a small part of the stem in the pot, which will soon give rise to a new shoot and Dieffenbachia will continue to grow;
The cuttings should be placed in water and, after the roots appear, planted in another pot.
the impact of pests, which we will talk about a little later and in more detail.

Dieffenbachia withers, causes and solution to the problem:

fusarium disease, the causative agents of the disease are in the soil, affect the root system, gradually brown oblong spots appear on the leaves and trunk, and the plant begins to wither.
IMPORTANT! It is necessary to initially plant Dieffenbachia in high-quality soil and not allow it to dry out.
To combat fusarium, the flower must be transplanted into another pot, after removing rot from the roots and treating the affected areas with a fungicide;
root rot, which appears when the soil is overly fertilized and moistened. Rot first affects the root system, then gradually affects the trunk, the flower withers and dies. It is necessary to replant Dieffenbachia, having previously treated the roots with a fungicide and limit watering;
overmoistening in combination with low air temperature, in this case it is necessary to provide the plant with a comfortable temperature and limit watering.

Dieffenbachia leaves curl or do not unfold as they grow. Causes and solution to the problem:

When watering with cold water, it is advisable to leave the water for irrigation for at least 24 hours;
drafts and low room temperature;
pest attack.

Dieffenbachia does not grow, causes and solution to the problem:

viral lesions (bronzing and viral mosaic), usually carried by insects, yellow round spots (bronzing) or a mosaic of spots (viral mosaic) appear on the leaves of the plant, Dieffenbachia withers and stops developing. It is almost impossible to cope with such a problem; the flower must be destroyed;
there is not enough light. You need to move the flower to a brighter room, but remember that the flower does not tolerate direct sunlight;
insufficient watering. The soil in the pot should always be slightly damp;
lack of fertilizers in the soil. The lack of fertilizers, as well as their excess, negatively affects the growth and development of Dieffenbachia; the fertilizer must be used strictly according to the instructions indicated on the packaging;

Dieffenbachia is crying, causes and solution to the problem:

excessive watering. The flower protects itself from excess moisture in the soil; a similar phenomenon can be observed before rain; the plant opens channels for moisture to escape, preparing for an excess of water.

In the photo below you will see the symptoms of the disease in Dieffenbachia:

Pests. Methods to combat them

Despite its poisonous nature, Dieffenbachia is susceptible to attacks by pests, which cause significant harm to it.

It is most often affected by spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects. The method of combating each species is the same: it is necessary to wash the leaves and the trunk of the flower with a sponge soaked in soapy water (which should later be washed off under running warm water) and treat Dieffenbachia with an insecticide solution (karbofos, 15 drops per 1 liter of water).

scale insect is a small insect with a hard waxy body, it can usually be found on the inside of the leaf; the affected leaves turn pale and fall off;
the mealybug got its name due to its secretions that look like shreds of fluff, it attacks the leaves, Dieffenbachia begins to turn yellow and fall off, the flower dies;
spider mite, the presence of which can be determined by the coating of cobwebs on the trunk, the leaves of the flower become sluggish and lifeless;
aphid is an insect that has a dark green color, it can be seen on the inside of the leaves, aphids are dangerous because they are able to suck out intercellular fluid, weakening the plant and are a carrier of diseases;
thrips are small beetles that suck the juice from the plant, which leads to curling and drying of the leaves.

Conclusion

Here is all the information about the most common diseases and problems of Dieffenbachia. Of course, it is possible that none of the above may happen to your plant, but: “forewarned is forearmed,” take this article into account and then you will be able to save your favorite Dieffenbachia in any situation.

Useful video

In the video below you will learn tips for caring for Dieffenbachia and ways to treat its diseases:

Dear visitors! Leave your comments with ways to treat diseases and control pests of Dieffenbachia.

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Once every 2-3 years, in spring In summer up to 30, in winter - not lower than 16 When the top layer of soil dries out It is useful to spray and wipe the leaves from dust Light partial shade, no direct sunlight Does not tolerate drafts and sudden temperature changes

Lighting

In the wild, the plant lives in tropical forests under the canopies of tall trees. That's why direct sun is harmful to Dieffenbachia. If a flower is exposed to the sun, its delicate leaves get severe burns. The optimal lighting for it is light partial shade.

Dieffenbachia also grows well in bright but diffuse lighting. It should not be placed in the shade. Lack of lighting will cause excessive elongation of the shoots and their severe weakening. With a lack of light, a flower quickly loses its decorative effect.

In winter, Dieffenbachia most often suffers from insufficient lighting. You should move it to the most illuminated southern window sill. You should not be afraid of direct sun in winter; during this period it will not harm the flower.

Temperature

Dieffenbachia is very thermophilic.

In winter it can withstand temperatures below 16 C, but this is undesirable.

Dieffenbachia grows well at temperatures above 25 C, and if high humidity is maintained, it can withstand 30-degree heat.

To successfully grow Dieffenbachia, it is best to maintain a stable indoor temperature throughout the year. It's not difficult to do. The plant does not require a period of rest, so in winter it grows well in a heated city apartment.

In summer, the flower may suffer from sudden temperature changes. Therefore, it is not advisable to grow it in an air-conditioned room. In spring and summer, you need to protect it from cold drafts. You cannot place it near a balcony door or openable window sashes.

Watering

Dieffenbachia should be watered sparingly. It does not tolerate drying out of the soil in the pot, but also does not tolerate stagnation of water. Therefore, the drainage for it should be such that excess water goes well into the pan. Dieffenbachia should be watered only when the top layer of soil dries out..

Before watering Dieffenbachia, you need to prepare the water. Dieffenbachia should sit for several days and be at room temperature. You also need to take into account that the flower reacts poorly to hard water.

Spraying is very beneficial for the plant. In addition, you can moisten the leaves by wiping them with a damp cloth.

This tropical plant is very demanding on air humidity. Dieffenbachia feels good only if the air humidity is at least 65%. In drier air, tender leaves begin to dry out, turn yellow and fall off. Therefore, you need to regularly humidify the air in the room by spraying moisture near the flower.

The soil

Dieffenbachia grows well in soil with an acidity of 5.6-5.8. The soil for Dieffenbachia should be well permeable to water and air. This will allow oxygen to penetrate to the roots of the flower, and water will flow away without stagnating in the soil.

A universal substrate for decorative deciduous plants with the addition of peat is suitable..

When making soil for Dieffenbachia yourself, you can use the following compositions:

4 parts leaf soil, 2 parts peat, 2 parts dry moss, 1 part sand and 0.5 parts charcoal;
4 parts leaf soil, 1 part sand, peat and humus, 0.5 parts charcoal.

Fertilizer

The plant needs to be fed from late April to early October. For this purpose, liquid complex fertilizers for decorative foliage plants will be the best. Feeding frequency – 2-3 times a month.

After spring transplantation, the flower does not need to be fed for 1-1.5 months. But then you should definitely start fertilizing the soil. Due to the active growth and development of the root system, the soil mixture in the pot is quickly depleted, and the plant requires more nutrients.

Liquid nutrient compositions for indoor flowers must be diluted with water so that their concentration is 2 times less than that indicated on the package. Then the flower is watered with the resulting solution. This is done only 5-6 hours after the main watering of the plant, when the soil in the pot is well saturated with moisture. Fertilizers should not be applied to dry soil, as the fertilizer solution can damage the roots of the plant.

Peculiarities

Dieffenbachia is a demanding plant for which all environmental factors are important. It is necessary not only to maintain temperature and humidity, but also to protect it from drafts. The plant is placed away from opening windows and balconies. You can take it to another room for airing.

Leaves should be cleaned of dust and dirt only with clean water.

No special plant cleaning products should be used to avoid damaging the delicate leaves.

Dieffenbachia flowering in an apartment is very rare. However, it is recommended to remove the buds so that the plant does not become depleted and does not lose its decorative appearance.

You need to know that Dieffenbachia juice is poisonous. It severely irritates the mucous membrane, and if ingested, signs of poisoning appear.

Therefore, you should not place this flower where children or pets can reach it.

All transplanting and cutting work should be carried out with gloves..

Special pruning of Dieffenbachia is not carried out. Sometimes already adult Dieffenbachias stretch strongly upward, shedding their lower leaves. Such plants look ugly and require updating. To do this, the top is cut off and rooted, and then planted in the ground. The remaining trunk is cut into cuttings and also rooted.

Diseases

Let's look at how to care for Dieffenbachia at home if the plant is sick. Dieffenbachia is susceptible to some diseases of fungal and viral origin. It is also often inhabited by harmful insects that feed on its sap.

Most often, Dieffenbachia is affected by root and stem rot, leaf spotting. These fungal infections develop well in high humidity, so it is important not to over-moisten the soil and the air surrounding the flower.

If rotten areas and affected leaves are detected, all diseased parts of the plant must be removed and destroyed.

In case of root rot, immediate transplantation into new soil is advisable.. Good results are obtained by spraying the plant with any antifungal drugs, for example phytosporin or foundationazole.

Sometimes a plant is infected with a leaf mosaic virus, which forms necrotic light spots on the leaf blade and leads to its deformation.

No treatment has been developed for mosaic disease. It is necessary to destroy the diseased plant, as it becomes a source of infection of healthy flowers.

Dieffenbachia affects most known pests of indoor plants.

Spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, thrips, and scale insects live on Dieffenbachia. If detected, it is necessary to treat the plant with pesticides as soon as possible in order to destroy the insects and prevent them from multiplying in large quantities.

Problems

The capricious Dieffenbachia often causes a lot of trouble for its owner. Her appearance suffers greatly even from small mistakes in caring for her. The plant suffers most severely from excess moisture. This leads to rotting of the roots, the leaves of the plants are taken out and fall down.

However, moisture deficiency also has a bad effect on the general condition of the plant. Insufficient watering leads to yellowing and falling leaves, starting from the bottom, especially at low air humidity.

You can read more about yellowing of Dieffenbachia leaves.

Drying of the tips of the leaves of the plant indicates insufficient humidity or high air temperature. Dieffenbachia also reacts to drafts.

Leaf deformation and loss of bright color appear when using hard water for irrigation.. Also, the color of the leaf will be less bright if there is insufficient lighting and a deficiency of microelements in the soil.

If the lighting is very bright and direct rays of the sun fall on the plant, then the leaf plates may become covered with burns in the form of brown, dry areas. After this, the leaves may fall off. Dieffenbachia also sheds its leaves when the air temperature is too low. This happens if the plant is standing under a running air conditioner.

Reproduction

Dieffenbachia is usually propagated indoors by apical cuttings. This plant rarely branches and grows upward very quickly.

Soon such a flower becomes very tall and not very decorative. In this case, it is recommended to cut and root the top of the plant. 2-3 new shoots can grow from the remaining stump.

Cut off the top with a sharp knife. To ensure that less juice flows out of the cut, the plant is not watered for 5-7 days before pruning. The cut on the remaining hemp is sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.

The cuttings for rooting should not be large. If a sufficiently long part of the plant is cut, it is recommended to cut it into pieces 15 cm long and then root them. Root apical and stem cuttings in boiled water at room temperature. After the roots have formed, they are planted in separate pots.

Sometimes Dieffenbachia is propagated by leaves. Large, intact leaves are rooted in water or directly in the soil. This method does not give a guaranteed result. For better rooting of leaves, it is recommended to use root formation stimulants.

You can read more about the propagation of Dieffenbachia.

Transfer

Capricious Dieffenbachia does not tolerate transplantation, so it must be done carefully and not too often. It is enough to replant the plant once every 2-3 years. Dieffenbachia transplantation at home is usually carried out in the spring at the end of April or beginning of May.

The pot for Dieffenbachia does not need to be very large. It should be slightly larger than the previous one. It needs good drainage; it needs to be poured onto the bottom of the pot, having previously covered the hole for water drainage with a shard.

The plant is removed from the pot, the old soil is removed and the root system is examined.

Rotten plant roots must be removed, and place the plant in a new pot and cover it with an earthen mixture with the addition of charcoal. After this, the soil must be compacted well and then watered.

Location

Dieffenbachias are light-loving plants, but require mandatory shading from direct sunlight. IN A VERY DARK PLACE THE LEAVES SHALLEN AND BECOME LESS ATTRACTIVE

What it still cannot tolerate is the drying out of the earthen coma.

The leaves of bush dieffenbachia have become small and sparse

Thus, regular watering is required, as well as washing the leaves with water from a spray bottle. For watering and spraying, use only well-settled tap water at room temperature. Needs frequent spraying and regular washing of leaves.

Transfer

At least once every 3-4 years, Dieffenbachias are transplanted into not very large pots and ordinary soil for indoor plants, to which you need to add a little charcoal. Regular weekly fertilizing from April to August - but only during this period - stimulates the formation of new leaves and improves the overall condition of the plants. If the plants have become too large with an unattractive bare stem, they can be trimmed back, leaving a stump about 10cm high from which new shoots will begin to grow.

Reproduction

The base of the stem is soft and loses color - stem rotting. The disease is promoted by waterlogging of the soil and low air temperature. At the beginning of the disease, you can cut out the affected area, wipe the wound with crushed charcoal and replant the plant in fresh soil. If the damage to Dieffenbachia is extensive, the apical part of the stem can be rooted and the rest of the plant discarded.

The lower leaves turn yellow and curl up - low temperatures in winter or cold drafts. The plant will be able to survive temperatures of 10 - 12 C, but the lower leaves will inevitably suffer.

Loss of color - too bright light or direct sunlight on the leaves leads to their discoloration. Move the plant to a less lit place.

It's the same for me too (

I'm just waiting for it to grow, it's already growing)

And it's easy to care for)

Why do Dieffenbachia leaves become smaller?

Move the plant to a less lit place.

Dying of leaves - the most likely causes of dying of young leaves are too low a temperature, dry air or cold drafts. Old leaves always die off with age.

Brown leaf edges indicate drying out soil. It should always be moist, but not over-moistened. Another reason could be cold air.

ventilate the room and remove it from the radiator.

Spray more often, because dry air!