QuestionI have have yellows leaves all over the plant even the new growth is yellow. I need help it looks like it leaves are rotting at the base of the elbow that comes out of the trunk part of the plant
AnswerHi Joe,
It sounds like you have an overwatering issue that caused stem rot and possibly root rot also.
I will warn you now, this plant may not recover.
There are a few things you can do to try to save the plant. First is to stop overwatering. As a general rule, allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry between watering then water just enough for a small amount of water to drain out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. But for the next couple of weeks you are going to have to keep it a little on the dry side. However it is very important that the soil/root ball does not dry out completely, this can be fatal to some Dracaena species.
With a very sharp knife or pair of scissors remove the dead leaves. Yellow leaves will never heal and should be removed so the plant does not expend energy trying to maintain them. Also remove all rotted plant tissue.
Next gently pull the plant out of it's pot and look at the roots. Healthy roots should be light colored (with the root tips being slightly lighter colored) and firm and crisp. Roots that are black or brown and soft and mushy are rotted. If the root rot is not too extensive (30% or less of the rootball) then remove all rotten roots with the very sharp knife or pair of scissors.
After removing the rotten roots you will need to throw out the old soil and replace it with fresh potting soil. If there is root rot then the soil it was in is now contaminated.
Depending on how much of the roots had to be removed it might be a good idea to put the plant in a smaller pot.
Put the plant someplace where it will get bright light but no direct sunlight and keep the soil a little on the dry side. Then just give it some time to see if it will recover.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
Tracy
