Old plants renewable?

My avocado tree nearly touches my ceiling and is too scraggly now. But I grew it from a seed and I love it. (sniff sniff)

If I cut the top branch off, which is fresh, green and new (newish), can I root it? Has anyone done this? If I cut the main stem back severely will it sprout new leaves from there?

Also, my Dracaena is failing and has too few leaves to make it attractive. The "stems" are very thick - 2 inches maybe. If I clean it up, cut the stems and repot them, will they sprout?

I hope you're able to renew it, but I don't know the answer. This will bump it up and maybe someone else will.

I've cut [what I think were] dracaena's off and they sprouted out from the thick stem- really surprised me!! I hadn't even left any leaves on the stalk. If you try rooting the top, don't pitch the bottom for a couple months just in case! I believe the top will root as well...

I have a copy of your Avocado tree! (Tall, scraggly, my son grew it from a pit so I can't throw it out....). Every Fall I move it into my house, and every Spring, back to the patio. And each year, before that spring move, I lop it off by about half. If I didn't, it would quickly outgrow its winter home (my dining room). So go forth bravely and cut it back, keep it well watered and give it a little fertilizer. It will come back, and will look better than before.

I did try. LOL! Neither of them made it. The Dracaena soil was full of little worms! ICK.

just make sure the dracaena doesnt stay wet. moist with a spray bottle but not too wet where you get bugs. eeww

You mean you cut off the Avocado and the original plant died, or the cutting died?

Both died.

That's strange.Cutting back should not have harmed either plant unless it was very severe.

No offense, but I think you may be the first person ever to kill an avocado plant! I'm so sorry, sometimes Mother Nature just doesn't cooperate, does she?

Yeah, I kill things with lack of sun and too much or not enough of everything else.

Well, the good thing is, you can always grow another!