Question
Hi, I was given a very large (5 ft) corn plant.  It is getting yellow then brown edges on the sides and tips of the large green leaf.  Do you think it's from over watering.  I water about once a week. It's in a large pot.  The soil feels dry before I water.  We do heat with a fireplace, could it be the humidity?
I have been trimming the brown edges or just cutting the leaf but I hate to do that tooo much~  Thank you, Cindy

Answer
Hi Cindy.

The symptoms you describe can be a caused by inadequate light, improper watering or root damage. Low humidity is not the cause.

Corn Plants need lots of bright, but indirect light. That means it should be very close to a north or east window and within 6-7 feet of a south window.

Corn Plants have relatively small root systems and should be grown in small pots. A 5-foot plant should be in a 10-inch pot - no larger. If yours is in a larger pot, then there is very good chance that the soil in the center of the rootball is not drying out adequately so the roots are starting to rot.

If yours is in the proper sized pot and gets good light, then you should water only when the top quarter of the soil feels dry. If your tap water is hard, use filtered or distilled instead. Fertilize no more than once every 2-3 months and only at half strength.

I have written an article on Corn Plant 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.

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and nomination for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

Need more information? Visit my website at www.HorticulturalHelp.com
or email me at [email protected] or call me at 917-887-8601 (EST)
 
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC