I have had my corn plant for more than 15 years. It has survived many moves and has come through like a champ. My problem now is that the cane has grown so tall (over eight feet tall) it is leaning severly to one side. I have two plants in one pot and I dont think I will be able to seperate them without killing one or both of them as they were planted right next to each other. What can I do to help support the cane and/or should I try to get a cutting and/or how should I try to keep the plant from growing even taller? Any help with keeping my corn plants heathly and happy would be greatly appreciated.
Well, no mate rwhat its going to continue to get taller. Even placing it in loer light will only slow it down. You may just consider chopping it down to were you want it to branch. Not entirely sure if it will sprout just one new cane just below the cut or more than one. You can root the cutting in another pot or perhaps the same one as the others are in if there is room. Just strip off the bottom leaves if necessary and stick it a few inches into the soil. You may also consider cutting the cane into sections a few inches long (remembering which way is up) and have many plants from just the one cutting. I currently have a dracaena warnecki rooting like this. I cut mine into sections about 5 inches long and they have been rooting for a few weeks now and i'm beginning to see swelling where the new shoots are coming in. Kind of a slow process but oh so exciting. Cheers
OK, I'm very scared cutting down my plants but if there is no other solution than I'm left with no other alternative. Do I do anything to the cut end of the cane (the end where I cut off the top)? That will grow as well, correct? Do I treat the cuttings just like the plant, in a dry soil with not much water or just the opposite? This is very helpful, thank you for your time.
Don't be scared to cut it to the desired height, and take cuttings, as this is how they commercially propogate them. What I do to ensure that I don't plant the cutting upside down is, when i cut it, i cut the bottom on an angle, one, to know which way is up and two, so that the cutting has more area at the bottom to absorb water. I wouldn't let the soil dry out too much and wouldn't go the opposite either. Somewhere in between would be fine. Good luck Ed
Here is my corn plant that had rotted at the base .. so i cut the bad part off and stuck it in a jar and it didnt take long before it rooted .. It sits on a kitchen window sill and it loves it there .. allthough i have to get it into dirt soon .. :) if you have a jar or glass that you allready root plants in that is great .. one thing with them is never dump out the water and use fresh water ... i just keep topping mine off ... i never clean it .. as you can tell by the color of the (used to be) clear jar .. :) plants really dont like fresh water for rooting .. but you can start it that way but add a lil plant food to the water .. and dont worry about algea or it turning color .. the stalk will sprout a new shoot after a lil bit ... and the top that you cut off can be planted in the same pot to make the pot fuller once it is rooted ... good luck ... Marn
That is the trouble with common names, eh? RHS lists the following as a proper name: Dracaena fragrans (Deremensis Group) 'Warneckei' Dracaena deremensis is considered a synonym of D. fragrans, but we note that RHS has adopted the name as a "Group" within the species. There is probably a lot more that could be said about this, but I don't have time to do the research. I have been checking the forums much more frequently, since Daniel is on holiday. Each time I see the title of this thread, I think, "pick the darned corn already. It must be ripe."
They are pretty much the same type of plant and cut/root and grow the same way .. they dont have different rooting requirements... Marn
Eric...yes that is the problem with common names Marn...yes your right with the rooting requirements, I genuinely didn't know if you guys call them corn plants, just clarifying the point. I didn't mean to be pedantic about it. :) Good luck Coinys! Ed
oh no problem with asking questions .... for me i kinda generalize some plants .. like the corn and the dracenea ..(sp) (i never get the speeling right ...lol ) most of them kinda look the same.. Marn
I would like to thank all of you for you help and guidance. Sunday will be the day that I take the time to cut my corn plants. I have to tell you all though, I feel almost sick doing it. I do look forward to new plants. While mentioning what the solution would be for my plants, my sister asked for cutting for herself. So the benefits greatly out-way the trepidation that I feel about cutting my plants. Thank you all once again, I wouldn't have the courage to do this without your personal experiences.
