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greentoe357

dieffenbachia leaves yellowing after repot

greentoe357
10 years ago

This dieffenbachia has been feeling really good and growing well until I repotted it to a ~50% taller and slightly wider pot from either a peat-based mix or a 511 bark-based mix (don't remember) into gritty mix, which is equal parts screened bark, granite and calcined DE. I also started watering it much more often - every couple of days on average, but it's inside and not in direct sun. These three factors (pot size, mix and watering frequency) are the only ones that changed, as far as I can think. Which one(s) do you think are the problem?

Lower leaves are also wilting a little, which was not the case before repotting. To the touch the yellow leaves feel exactly the same as the healthy ones.

This post was edited by greentoe357 on Sun, Aug 11, 13 at 3:58

Comments (10)

  • greentoe357
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here it is wilting about 12 days ago. Watering helped it perk up a little bit, but then the lower leaf yellowing started.

    I fertilized it only once after the repot 2 weeks ago, with a weak solution, so fertilizer burn is out, I think.

  • greentoe357
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The roots looked very healthy, just like the rest of the plant, at repotting time 2 weeks ago.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    It's normal to lose a few leaves after a repot, but it does look wilty. Does that pot have a drain hole?

  • greentoe357
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Good, so you can water often enough so you don't see wilt like that. With a tight ball of roots like that, it may take a few weeks for them to all arrange themselves back into the soil. It also looks like there are many individual plants packed closely together, so there will be some competition until each plant finds room for its' roots. When you repot next time, you might want to separate the clump some, or you might not. Up to you, the plant will deal with it either way. Some of the smaller ones might be lost, but those that remain will probably be better for that added space to take. As long as the excess water can escape, there shouldn't be any concerns with watering as often as you need to keep the foliage from wilting.

  • greentoe357
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Leaf yellowing is a bigger problem than the pic is showing. A few days ago I cut off about a dozen yellow leaves, and then a few days later this pic was taken with new ones yellowing - all in the bottom part of the plant, so the oldest leaves.

    Didn't occur to me to separate the individual plants. They were growing practically out of the same point, and when I bare-rooted, I saw the clump was so stuck together that I just assumed they were one plant. :-)

    After I repotted, I gently bent some stems outward and stuck some mix in-between the stems to keep them there - that gave the plant a fuller look without another repotting.

    Oh well, something to keep me entertained at next repotting time.

  • greentoe357
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    9 days later, leaf yellowing has trailed off. I think the dieffenbachia is getting used to and growing into her new home.

    "Do not panic" is a lesson learned today. One of so many when learning to grow house plants. :-)

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    That's good to hear. Get well-er soon, Dief! Controlled panic? LOL! Sounds like a winner to me.

  • beth-noobfrommd
    10 years ago

    I'd love to see a follow-up picture of your recovered dieff. How much/ how often do you fertilize?

    I repotted one into gritty mix this summer as well and it's struggling. I think I fed it when it was too hot and burned the new roots. Then some bugs attacked. After two rounds of neem drench it's put out some new leaves. FIngers crossed it recovers like yours...

    thanks for posting all the above pix, they were helpful to me!

  • orangeblossom777
    9 years ago

    Hello thats a nice looking plant i think maybe if you place it in a sunny location it will perk up also water when the soil gets a little dry, over water can cause yellowing leafs and also cold drafts, i have a dieffenbachia and they are so pretty when they get big ,one of my favs plants good luck Tammy!!!!

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