Question
ill yucca
This plant has been in my Mum's house for years.It has been in the living rrom for a long time and continued to look worse.She then moved it to the porch where it gets daytime sunlight.It has never been repotted.
A couple of people have suggested cutting it right back so that it appears straight and has no foliage.They suggest this may be it's only hope.Any ideas would be welcome.
Many Thanks
AnswerHi Dougie,
I am not going to sugarcoat this, but your Yucca is not only in dreadful condition, but it is also in dire straits. A plant cannot be neglected for many years and then easily revived by repotting or pruning. All indications are that the Yucca went a long time without adequate light and has slowly been starving to death.
The only thing you can do at this point is to prune off the very top portion, a couple of inches below the lowest GREEN leaves. If that portion of the stem is still firm and healthy, then it can be rooted in water or damp potting mix in a small pot and placed on a sunny windowsill.
The remainder of the stem can be cut back to a height of about one foot above teh soil. Again, if the stem is firm and healthy at that point, then new growth may emerge just below this pruning cut and grow upward from there.
If you are successful with either or both of these, then make sure you provide lots of bright direct sunlight all day long. Water only when the top quarter of the soil is dry to the touch.
I have written an article on Yucca care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends 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 www.HorticulturalHelp
