Question
Hi,

I've got a Draceana Fragrans that I have recently decided to propagate. I'm not sure how old it is as I bought it at an auction (because I liked the pot) but then decided to keep it. It was about 6 foot tall. The plant has done remarkably well with no signs of yellowing leaves or brown tips etc, but was too tall for its alcove.
I cut off the top of the plant and left about a foot of leaves, and six inches of bare stalk below this (as directed through previous posts). I then put this into the soil of the original pot. I also cut the remainder of the stalk into sections and stuck them in the soil too, but I left about a foot of the original stalk untouched.
I'm wondering how moist I should keep the soil. Should I let the soil dry out between waterings so as to avoid root rot with both the original roots and the new cuttings? Or should I keep the soil constantly moist for the new cuttings to take. If I should keep it constantly moist at what point of  new foliage growth do I return to the conventional way of watering?
Also I'm not sure if the bare stalks have a chance of growing, but I figured I'd give it a bash. Is it possible?
The plant is in a 60x60cm or so pot and receives both the light of a nearby window and two overhead 18watt cool white fluoros.
Looking forward to your response.

Answer
Hi Evan,

The answer to your question is fairly simple but hard to describe.

Generally, you should let the top quarter to third of the soil of your corn plant dry out in between waterings. That means that the soil down deeper in the root zone is still damp.

Rooted cuttings do need constant dampness around the stem in order for roots to form. So the key is to insert the cuttings at a depth that will keep the lower two inches of these stem cuttings in the soil zone that stays moist. That way you will satisfy the needs of both the main plant and the cuttings.

The bare (leafless) cuttings are unlikely to root. Some Dracaena species do allow for rooting of bare stems. This is done by laying the bare stem sections horizontally on top of moist potting mix. Roots will then grow down into the soil and new foliage will grow up from the stem. I am not sure if it will work with corn plants, but give it a try.

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

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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

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