Houseplants: Help for my Dieffenbachias (Dumb Cane)

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daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 05, 2009 06:25 PM	I have 3 different plants that are very full and about 2 feet tall.. I started them all together in an 18 in pot when I first got them and they were very small. They just took off. In the spring I separated them into their own individual pots and placed them on my front porch (north facing), where again they just flourished. I brought them in the house a few weeks ago as our temps are getting below 50 degrees F some nights. I placed them in areas so they receive indirect sunlight only. Overall they still look great but I have noticed some of the leaves still have good coloring but are a little wavy... The lower leaves are turning yellow and falling off (only the lower leaves). I think that is just the natural course for the plant but I'm concerned about the "wavy" thing that is happening. Any ideas?
trackinsand mid central, FL (Zone 9a) November 05, 2009 09:51 PM	that might be from dry air and you are right, eventually they lose all the bottom leaves. when re-potting, you don't want to go to a drastically different (bigger) size, especially since you divided them up. too much damp soil will just rot them. don't forget to keep them from pets and children.
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 05, 2009 09:57 PM	oh trackinsand but it's so funny laughing at your pets and kids when the take a bite!
trackinsand mid central, FL (Zone 9a) November 05, 2009 10:17 PM	kids maybe, but certainly NOT my pets...it's no laughing matter if daisy really doesn't know that they are toxic though.
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 05, 2009 11:12 PM	I know it's not a laughing matter but ou have to understand my 15 yo just thought it was funny to take a bight after being repeatedly told to leave it alone, so yes I had a field day laughing at his butt
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 06, 2009 01:12 AM	Trackinsand, I'm gonna go with the dryer air. I repotted them early spring and they have continued to grow and remain healthy. This has ocurred just since I brought them back in the house. I think maybe I should put the humidifier in there. I did realize the one that is the most problematic is actually in the path of an AC vent. Took care of that today. I do have to watch my dog with them, and I would have said my children are all old enough to leave them alone, but Trina nipped that in the bud. My oldest is only 14!!! lol
JulieQ Cullman, AL (Zone 7b) November 06, 2009 01:45 AM	OMG I learned my lesson with diffenbachias....I work at a store that has tons of neglected plants. I was pinching off damaged leaves and my hands started stinging. I rinsed with water and then the only thing I could find, hand sanitizer. Yikes!
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 10, 2009 01:43 AM	Daisy my youngest is 12, my 15 yo is just one of those kids that has do the exact opposite of what he is told, he likes the drama!
plantladylin East Central, FL (Zone 9b) November 10, 2009 11:40 AM	Daisy: It seems to be a normal occurrence for my Dieff's to have the lower leaves turn yellow and droopy this time of year, I just cut off the yucky looking ones. Some of the leaves on my plants have wavy edges also, but it doesn't seem to be anything abnormal. It's really windy outside today because of Tropical Storm Ida going up through the Gulf, but I went out and took a photo so you can see the wilting leaves on these two Dieffenbachia's. The pot on the left is the original plant I've had for many years and the one on the right came from cuttings of the mother plant. ... this photo is showing their good side, LOL. My plants receive a lot of neglect and these two were crammed up against the side of the porch so they are flat on one side from not being turned every so often. View Larger
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 10, 2009 12:30 PM	Thanks Lin, Seeing yours makes me feel alot better about my own. The waves are the same!! I felt like the bottom leaves yellowing and drooping or falling off was normal. As the Dieff is a stalking plant.. As for the storm, I know exactly what you mean. I live about 15 minutes from Mobile AL and the thing came straight into Mobile Bay... We got the "brunt" of it.. tho that is just a pun as it fizzled down to a minor tropical storm before making landfall. We just had a whole lot of rain and some pretty good winds... All is well though... We only had two (large) limbs down from our maples that line our drive. Thanks for the pic. This message was edited Nov 10, 2009 10:33 AM
plantladylin East Central, FL (Zone 9b) November 10, 2009 12:55 PM	I think everyone in the gulf coast area is breathing a huge sigh of relief! It's so unusual for a Hurricane or Tropical Storm to form this time of year. We are going to have continuous gusty winds and high surf with the awful rip currents the next two days. We haven't had any rain yet but it's supposed to dump some rain on parts of central Florida today and tomorrow as the storm turns back south. We sure need the rain and unfortunately the storm isn't providing a lot of rain but some area's are supposed to get 1/2" - 1 1/2". I will be happy if we get a little of that precipitation because it's been pretty dry.
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 10, 2009 01:04 PM	I have to agree. In all my years I don't recall a storm in the Gulf this late in the season. We got about around 4 1/2 - 5 inches of rain... Hope you get some too, I know you need it. You could have set some catch barrels out on my property!
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 10, 2009 02:57 PM	I remember one this late, and with my name, so I won't ever be allowed to forget it....pretty sure New Orleans won't either, so I am glad it died down before it got to you guys! so glad all my DG friends are ok!
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 10, 2009 03:39 PM	Trina, Katrina was in August. --"The center of Katrina passed east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005" The Atlantic Hurricane season officially starts on June 1 and will end on November 30.... Just to remind you, I didn't make any Katrina/Trina jokes! : ) lol This message was edited Nov 10, 2009 1:41 PM
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 10, 2009 03:50 PM	Thanks Daisy I appreciate that! watching the Ft. Hood memorial on TV, wishing I could have afforded to go!
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 10, 2009 03:53 PM	Yeah, I know what you mean. Sad situation.. We see way to many of those these days.
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 10, 2009 04:36 PM	Where they are having the service at on Ft. Hood my best friend and I use to play soccer through there and get yelled at all the time for doing so

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