Question
I found a yucca tree in the garbage at my building and it's in really sad condition.  It's never been pruned and its over grown in the pot it's in (the roots are exposed above the soil).  I've trimmed off all the dead leaves and I'm planning to repot the tree, it was in a 10 liter pot.  My question is how much bigger of a pot should I use to repot the tree and what kind and how much fertilizer should I use?  Also I live in northern Manitoba, so can I use artificial lighting for it?

Answer
Hi Maggie,

Your Yucca is in poor condition, so moving it to a larger pot now is the worst thing you can do to it. No need to worry about some exposed roots at the surface as they have already healed over.

Fertilizing is also inappropriate as it is intended only for healthy plants that are growing vigorously. Fertilizer is not medicine.

All your Yucca requires is lots of direct sunlight and water as soon as the top inch of soil is dry. You must be satisfied that that is all you can do. It will take a while for recovery to begin, but it cannot be rushed.

Artificial light as a supplement to natural light is okay, but is not adequate by itself.

I have written an article on Yucca care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com