Until recently this stalk was filled with strong dark green leaves. There is a lot of new growth on all 4 stalks & all are very pale but this stalk's leaf base (where the leaves grow from) is also very soft. I fed it a few weeks ago & might have over watered at the time.
Is there anything I can do to remedy. (I cannot re pot it)
My elephant plant was fed at the same time & is also in a very bad yellowing & soft condition although it usually "cries" water from the leaves if over watered.
If you've over-watered, it will cause root rot, which will lead to leaf drop and eventually plant death. If the soil is still pretty soggy, you can try putting the pot on a towel to absorb some excess, or add a wick to the pot to help it drain, or even take the root ball out and break it up to see what is going on. I see it is a big plant so try the towel and/or wick first unless you are up for playing in the dirt. The elephant ear can probably handle more water, so what kind of light is it getting? I think they can take a lot of light in the house. You may consider letting it go dormant for the winter and start it again in the spring. Did you fertilize full strength? That may be too much for the winter months. Just a few thoughts. If the soil on the plants isn't soggy, maybe you need to give them a nice room temperature shower in case of spider mites... I would maybe do this even if the soil is wet, you can use something to keep much from getting to the soil, like a garbage bag.
Thank you 3jsmom31 for your help.
I wrapped a wire rod w/cloth to check the corn plant for dampness. Is this how I should wick? Terry? Sham? Please advise as I cannot move it from the basket which is lined w/a plastic bag & it's plastic pot is tightly fitted into it.
It is not mites as I checked it with a high magnification jeweler's lens.
I did fertilize both full strength. I live in Florida & just shut the A/C which is usually at 80-81 degrees about a week ago & the room is quite light.
Do indoor plants know when it's winter anyway?
The Elephant Ear is getting worse by the minute. Should I cut the yellow leaf now or wait until it's brown? Should I not water it & let it go dormant? (I can transplant this one if needed.)
If it continues to lose leaves, let the elephant ear dry off and go dormant for a month or 2. If you plant it outside, it would go dormant where you live, right?
Have you checked to see if the corn plant soil feels too wet? It is such a pretty plant, and big, so I am afraid to tell you the wrong thing... I have taken a plant (if it was stuck in the catch container, and turned it on it's side outside to drain. I have also taken the dirt ball out of pots and wrapped them in newspaper to let them dry off. The wick is supposed to come out the bottom holes of the pot, I don't know if it would kind of syphon if you poked one in the top, lol. Interesting idea. Maybe one tucked in from the top, and then the plant put on its side would do it :). I hope someone with more knowledge of your growing area, and dracaena's will help.
Does your pot/plastic bag have a drainage hole of any sort? If not, then the best thing for your plant's long term health will be to repot it into something that does have a drainage hole. Otherwise it will always be really difficult to water properly. In addition, without a drainage hole of any sort, the salts from the fertilizer you use will just continue to build up more and more over time which will also cause problems unless you repot it in fresh soil on a regular basis.
The corn plant is only slightly damp if at all (I poked around a lot with a cloth on the rod) & the elephant ear is dry.
I probably did over water or over feed both though. I'll try the terry or shammy on the rod for my beautiful corn plant as I can't tip or move it as I've no one to help. What if I over fertilized though? Is it the same remedy?
Should I not water the elephant ear at all? I can put it in the Florida room which will get cold in Dec & Jan. I don't have any shade for it outside.
To ecrane3,
I was typing my last post as you were posting. I can probably lean it
& cut away some of the basket & plastic liner on the bottom. The actual pot does have drainage holes.
Thank you both so very much.
Well, if the elephant ear is dry, water. I think most of them like to stay moist. If you want to let it go dormant, then don't water.
If the corn plant isn't overly wet, then maybe it needs to be flushed out. The drainage is an issue either way. Since the pot isn't draining excess away, fertilizer salts and even chemicals in your water build up in the soil. I sometimes haul a big plant to the tub or outside to keep from making a mess, lol. Do you have or can you borrow a refrigerator dolly?
