Question
Hi there,
I live in the UK and we have a Yucca living in a pot out doors. It
stays there all year round. It started life indoors but has become
too large and has lived out doors for the last 5 or 6 years. I am
a little concerned that it is not thriving. There are plenty of
leaves but they are a bit yellow. What is the basic care? Shgould I
feed it, how much water does it need etc. Our winters are quite
wet but not that cold only going below freezing for a few days a
year. Should I keep it dry over winter? Thank you so much for
your help.

Answer
Dear Dyrck,

Is it in the ground or in a pot? If in a pot, it's likely potbound. Yuccas may not be looking their best now, as they are coming out of winter dormancy. Lower leaves that are yellow shouldn't be a source of concern, even though they're dying. That is a normal process - as the new ones grow, the older (lower) ones die.

Basic care - Water once a week when dry, allow to dry out between waterings. I'd used a balanced fertilizer several times during the growing season, one that has been diluted to a 1/4 ratio.

If it's not succumbed to cold yet I'd say you have a more cold-resistant species. They generally don't like to be cold and wet (a rule for most succulents) so I'd avoid watering it when the weather is below 10C/50F.

Hope this helps you. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know.

Cheers,

Jeff