SouthernFried
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:25 am
Location: Palm Bay, FL

Corn Plant Dracaena - Root Rot?

I have a corn plant that I recently purchased in a very young, healthy condition. I kept it inside and watered often. Too often I discovered. The tips of the leaves began turning brown as well as the edges. I finally stopped watering hoping that the potting mix would dry out all the way to the bottom. Finally, on the top of the stalk where the new growth was coming was turning brown and squishy. Most of the leaves just slipped right off.

I read around different forums and trimmed the brown tips and some of the sides and I also trimmed the stalk to just at the bottom of the brown area. Since then, all the leaves have come off and the rest of the stalk has turned brown. I am afraid I have killed it.

I should also mention that I re-potted it in brand new soil and have not watered since. I checked the roots which didn't look rotten or have any odd aroma, so I left them alone.

I'm not sure what to do about my poor plant. I think its time has come and I'm upset because it was just a small baby and I tried so hard. Any hope for my poor plant?

purpleinopp
Green Thumb
Posts: 426
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:28 am
Location: Opp, AL zone 8B

Did your plant recover?

User avatar
ElizabethB
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2105
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
Location: Lafayette, LA

If any part of the trunk is still firm cut it out and plant it in fresh soil. Make a slanted cut just below leaf node for the bottom cut and a straight cut just above a leaf node for the top cut. Keep the soil barely moist and as soon as leaves begin to appear give it some sun or artifical light. Don't fertilize.

Good Luck



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