Help, my corn plants leaves are turning yellow and brown.

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by spacedog, Feb 5, 2008.

  1. spacedog

    spacedog Member

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    My corn plants leaves continuously are turning yellow and brown. The pot is a bit small for it's size perhaps. I water it once every 3 or 4 weeks and give it a good soak. I need some tips. Should I fertilize it and how often and with what? Am I watering it correctly and should I repot it? What is the best soil? I have it in low light!
     
  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    please post a pic - that's always helpful!

    how long have you had it? when did this issue with the leaves start? what kind of soil is it in? does the current pot have drainage holes? do you use tap water? if so, do you let it sit overnight before watering? when was the last time you repotted it? is it near any heating ducts or a fireplace? the leaves that are turning - are they at the bottom or at the top? is there new growth coming in?

    sounds like you might be watering a bit less often than it needs. a pic would really help. as well as answering the questions so we have some background of the situation.
     
  3. spacedog

    spacedog Member

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    I had it one year now. The leaves started turning 3 months after bringing it home. The soil is a potting and seeding mix...good drainage and light in weight. I now use mineral water for 3 months...no more tap water. I repotted it when I bought it. The pot is 15in across and 12in high. The leaves tips that are turning are all over and yes, there is healthy new growth. The photo shows a healthy plant but one that is trimmed of its dying parts on a regular basis. The plant is 6.5 ft in height. I water once every 3-4 weeks and give it a good soak. This seems to be when new yellowing occurs. I added a grow lamp above the tree today as it is in rather low light.
     

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  4. spacedog

    spacedog Member

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    Also, I just added a grow light above the plant today as it is in very low light.
     
  5. spacedog

    spacedog Member

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    here is a larger view of the plant
     

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  6. spacedog

    spacedog Member

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    OK, that didn't work
     
  7. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    well, it generally looks pretty healthy. which makes sense if you trim off the stuff that's turned :)

    soil mix sounds okay.

    have you moved since last winter? if so, the new place may have different heat source (forced air vs radiator) and that could be part of the problem.

    more likely is that the mineral water is the issue - especially if you see the leaf tips turn almost immediately after you give it a drink.

    use regular water - bottled if you like. you CAN use plain old tap water, though. just let it sit overnight so the chlorine dissipates. if you have very hard water, you can filter it.

    you might want to water more frequently, also. after two weeks, check the soil and if it's dry down to two to three inches, water thoroughly. either set the pot in a larger dish and fill that with water and let it soak up into the soil or water from above until you see water in the dish the pot sits in. let excess water drain out and remove it so the pot isn't sitting in the water all the time. if the soil is still moist at 2-3 inches, check it again in a few days and then water if needed or wait another couple of days if it still doesn't need it.

    it could probably use a larger pot, too.

    all in all, i think it's in pretty good shape! try the regular water for a month or so and see if that solves the problem. if not, update this thread and we'll investigate other possibilities.
     
  8. spacedog

    spacedog Member

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    Thank you very much for your time and consideration
     

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