Question
QUESTION: Hi Will -

I stumbled on your profile trying to find info on tropical plants.

I bought this plant at IKEA in a small pot and has done really well. The last 6
months the leaves have been turning brown. I water it regularly and it doesn't
get a lot of direct sunlight (more so in the morning because I face south):

Plant: http://liamcoles.com/plant1.jpg
Leaf Close-up: http://liamcoles.com/plant2.jpg

I could really use your help in either identifing the plant and/or the ailment. I
use the basic food sticks and water it about once every 7-10 days.

Thanks,
Sheldon
ANSWER: Hi Sheldon,

Wow! What a spectacular view you have from your windows! Where are you located?

Your plant is a Dracaena 'Janet Craig.' The south facing window provides too much light for this low light plant. It would do better in front of a north window.

Janet Craigs do tend to get brown leaf tips as they age. Sometimes pruning deters this. Improper watering and using hard water are also causes of leaf tipping. Does the pot have drainage holes? If not, that could be the problem. I also suggest that you eliminate the fertilizer spikes as they create mineral hot spots in the soil.

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.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Will - thanks for the very quick response! Your answer is definitely helpful
and shed some light on the situation.

To answer some of your questions...
- I'm located in Mississauga, a borough to the West of Toronto. Where the
treeline ends in the photo, Lake Ontario starts. It is an amazing view and was
the main reason we bought this condo.
- I'll move the plant away from the window. I don't have a north facing view,
but I can move the plant to a non-direct sunlight spot.
- I use tap water that has sat in a plastic water jug for 3-4 days. Should I be
using distilled water or is this okay?
- The pot doesn't have holes and I'll have to re-pot it. I'll stop using the
fertilizer spikes as well. Should I use another fertilizer in it's place?

Thanks,
Sheldon

Answer
Thanks for the reply.

Moving the plant out of the reach of the sun's rays is fine.

Hard water has high mineral content. Minerals do not evaporate or dissipate into the air the way that chlorine does. In fact, the mineral content becomes more concentrated. So you will have to switch to filtered or distilled water.

When you repot, try to use a pot that is similar in size so you do not have to add any or much extra soil.

Fertilizer is overrated and given the high mineral content your plant has already been exposed to, I suggest that you stop fertilizing altogether. In another year or two, you could resume fertilizing with any liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.

~Will