QuestionQUESTION: My plant looked fine when I bought it and then re-potted it a little over a month ago into miracle grow soil. i have a screened in porch that gets evening sun and have been putting it out when over 55 deg farenheit. And watering once a week with distilled water.
Any tips please.
ANSWER: Hi Ron, I need to know if it is having problems? or do you just want advice on how to care for it, let me know. Nick
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QUESTION: Thanks for your response, Nick. It seems to be drooping leaves and brown tips. Just doesn't seem as vibrant as a week ago. The only difference in my caring for it was to put a small amount of the concentrated miracle grow drops in the watering at first then after week or so going with simply distilled water because it is in miracle grow soil mixed with perilite and topped with spahgnum moss.
Any Advice on care would also be great.
Thanks,
Ron
ANSWER: Ron, Massangeana is one of the easiest and forgiving of all house plants; it really is difficult to kill them, but the symptoms you depict are indicative of to wet a soil base, and not enough humidity around the crown itself. My advice is to water only when the soil is dry about half way down into the container, (and a missing element here, is the size of the container you repotted it into, and the size of the Corn plant itself...) and misting the crown frequently to imitate a humid state. I don't really know why you are using distilled water? did somebody suggest that to you? if you are worried about salt buildup from your tap water, then let it sit for 24 hours before watering , this way the chlorine will dissipate before you use it. There really isn't much more I can suggest, except to fertilize it with Miracle-grow 3-5 times a year, and repot it annually so as to remove old soil that will inevitably have salt build up which in turn causes compacting of the soil. You have a good plant there Ron, its one of my favorites and it will last for a long, long time with very little concern on your part. Just remember not to kill it with kindness, and water only when needed, and mist it to imitate humidity and deter spider mites, the bane of indoor plants. Good Luck!..and remember, I am here if any more problems develop. .also, I hope you lined the bottom of your container with a drainage medium., like a couple of inches of gravel or pebbles....Nick
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QUESTION: Thank you so much, just one (hopefully last set of questions). The plant by the way is two stalks one 2ft from soil top to crown the other slightly shorter. The pot is 14 in round at top and 9 in deep tapered to the bottom plastic with a perilite drainage medium.
I was wondering about the lighting and temperature recommendations also bringing it outside once a day for a couple of hours is good or not?
And last of all trimming?
Thank you so much,
Ron
Answer...they do just fine in just about any lighting, the color of the leaves will be deeper in a shadier location and lighter in a sunnier location, temperatures can vary also, but not extremes; I would wait until the night temps stay over 50 degrees before bringing it outside, this will prevent any stress from a warm , dry location to a cool, and possibly moister surrounding. Trimming is really moot, because it will send out side shoots that will grow upwards, and would only need trimming if said shoots where not desired, then you would just cut them at the trunk. You can prune of separate leaves from the shoots, if you want a cleaner specimen, but other then that, none is really needed. Nick
