
The best way to save a dying dieffenbachia is to move it to a location with indirect sunlight and slightly higher humidity. Water the plant deeply, but allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering. If the plant is severely wilted, try placing it in a bowl of water for a few hours.
How do you take care of a Dieffenbachia?
Watering Schedule The leaves of a dieffenbachia will turn yellow and the plant will get distressed if it is over or underwatered. If the soil is very wet, let it dry out slightly until it is dry at the top. The roots can get soaked and drown and cause the plant to get stressed and die. The soil should be dry to the first knuckle before watering.
How do you prune Dieffenbachia dumb cane?
This is to prevent the plant from leaning to one side (As the plant grows towards light). Pinch or prune the new foliage at the top to keep the plant bushy. If your Dumb Cane plant has become leggy, you can prune it where necessary. The plant will grow new foliage where it’s been cut. Why is my Dieffenbachia weeping?
What is a Dieffenbachia?
The Dieffenbachia is a plant that requires very little attention and actually thrives when you forget to water it for a few days. It's quite a forgiving plant, which makes it great for the beginning plant owners.
What is the best soil for Dieffenbachia?
A perfect soil is a palm mix. Fertilizer is great for plants that grow very quickly and use a lot of energy to do so, like the Dieffenbachia. During the growing season, the spring and summer, you should fertilize your Dieffenbachia once per month. By doing this, you provide the plant with the nutrients it needs to grow so quickly.

How do I bring my dieffenbachia back to life?
Placing the plant in direct or full sunlight will scorch the leaves. If you suspect your dieffenbachia is getting too much sun, move it to a north- or east-facing window. Or if necessary, move it a few feet back from the window to filter some of the light.
Will dieffenbachia grow back?
Yes, and you should make it part of your normal dieffenbachia care routine. The stem will grow new leaves right below the cut. See my “Dieffenbachia Pruning Tips” above to learn how to cut back a dieffenbachia. Plus, you can take the cutting and root it to make a new plant!
How do you know if your dieffenbachia is dying?
A common complaint about dieffenbachia's is that their leaves turn yellow. This is the first sign of a dieffenbachia being unwell is that its leaves turn yellow and fall off. Most time, it is easy to figure out what is wrong with the care and change it before the plant dies.
How do you care for an indoor dieffenbachia plant?
Dieffenbachia prefer soil that is consistently and lightly moist, but not soggy. Generally, aim to water when the top 1”- 2” of the soil is dry, but if the plant is in a lower light condition, it can comfortably dry out a little further.
How to save a dying plant?
The soil needs to be allowed to dry until it is slightly damp to bone dry, depending on specie. Even then you might not be able to save it. If it's dying because it's been underwatered, first the soil needs to be hydrated in a bucket or sink for a period of time (15 min - 1 hr), or the water may just run through. It it's dying because of salt build up, it needs to have a lot of water (5X the soil volume) run through. If it's dying because it's potbound, it needs to be root pruned and repotted in fresh soil. Go to my blog and YouTube spots to help you understand what's going on. In any case, never fertilize a plant until you know what's wrong - fertilizer is not medicine. Cutting it back is good advice, however.
How to know if a plant is dead in a pot?
If the plant has been too wet for a long time, probably the roots near the bottom will all be dead, and you’ll need to pull the plant out of the pot to see where the viable roots are - they will be whitish and fat. You may need to water very lightly, so that only the top part of the soil is moistened, until the roots re-establish themselves in the lower part of the pot.
Why do plants die?
Watering - This is one of the most common reasons why plants die. Either we are over-watering the plants or underwatering them. Over-watering just causes root rot and zeroes the chances of survival. I would recommend that you water the plant regularly but ensure that the top layer of the soil is dry before watering the
How to use a bamboo probe for a Peace Lily?
WOODEN PROBE - use a bamboo kebob skewer, thin wooden dowel, or pencil. Push into the soil, all the way to the bottom of the pot, then pull it up and run between your fingers. For a peace lily, the probe should feel very slightly damp.
Do you overwater a plant?
Do not allow your soil to dry. Do not overwater your plant as well. Water only when the upper layer of the soil is dry to touch.
Does mulch kill everything?
Rubber mulch from ground-up tires will kill everything and poison the soil for generations to come.
How to get dieffenbachias back to health?
Make sure the plant is repotted into a proper pot if the pot is too large for the roots and remove all of the yellowing or dying leaves from the plant. This should bring the plant back to a healthy state. It is also beneficial to make sure your dieffenbachia is planted in well-draining soil with perlite.
How often should I fertilize my dieffenbachia?
I also make sure to give my dieffenbachia a complete fertilizer such as 20-20-20 every 4 to 6 weeks during its growing season. I give it food a lot less in the dormant times, usually every 8 to 10 weeks.
Why do dieffenbachias die?
In extreme cases, if the plant is nutrient deficient for too long, it can die. The cause for this can be that the soil it is in is not nutrient-rich enough for a dieffenbachia. Dieffenbachias thrive in pure peat moss or a 1:1 peat moss and perlite mix.
What does it mean when a dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow?
If the leaves don’t turn yellow before they droop, it is a sign that the plant is too cold. Don’t allow the room your dieffenbachia is in to get cooler than 55 degrees (13 degrees Celsius).
How to tell if a dieffenbachia is unwell?
This is the first sign of a dieffenbachia being unwell is that its leaves turn yellow and fall off. Most time, it is easy to figure out what is wrong with the care and change it before the plant dies. 1. Watering Schedule.
Why do dieffenbachias turn yellow?
The leaves of a dieffenbachia will turn yellow and the plant will get distressed if it is over or underwatered. If the soil is very wet, let it dry out slightly until it is dry at the top. The roots can get soaked and drown and cause the plant to get stressed and die.
How to fix yellow leaves on a plant?
Usually, it is easy to fix the culprit of the yellow leaves but once the leaves have started to turn it is only a matter of time before the whole plant turns yellow and dies. Gently pull the yellow leaves off or snip them with clean and disinfected shears so they don’t infect the others.
How do you know if a Dieffenbachia plant needs too much sunlight?
As with the watering issues, your plant will also let you know if it's not getting the light it needs to thrive. If the leaves turn green, it's not getting enough sunlight and if they're turning yellow, it's getting too much sunlight . If you know you've watered your Dieffenbachia perfectly, but its leaves are still turning yellow, you'll know it's getting too much light.
What kind of light do dieffenbachias need?
So the perfect light exposure for your Dieffenbachia is indirect light or even lowlight situations.
Why do my plants die?
Overwatering is the biggest cause of killing your plants. Some plants love a lot of water and others need to be in dry soil to thrive. The Dieffenbachia is right in between. It has thin roots, so it can't tolerate wet soil for too long, but it also doesn't store a lot of moisture by itself.
What does it mean when your Dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow?
When the leaves are starting to hang a little bit, then it's not getting enough water.
Is Dieffenbachia poisonous to pets?
The Dieffenbachia is mildly toxic to pets and small children when the leaves and stems are being chewed. Chewing this plant can cause irritation and a burning sensation. Luckily this is only temporary and the symptoms are only mild. It's still a good idea to keep this plant away from your pets and young children if you can.
Can you donate a plant guide?
Thank you for reading this post! I hope it helps you to keep your plants healthy and beautiful! If you're looking for more guides on specific plants, you can always request a plant guide or donate a plant in order to get a guide for the plant you have trouble with.
Is a sage plant forgiving?
It's quite a forgiving plant, which makes it great for the beginning plant owners. It will also tell you very quickly when it's not happy, so you can adjust your plant care in time, before serious harm can be done. As this is quite an easy plant to take care of, we'll only need to go over a few steps to find out how to take care of your plant:
What Causes Root Rot in Dieffenbachias?
The origins of root rot lie in the soil ecosystem, where millions upon millions of microscopic organisms are constantly eating, breathing, reproducing, and dying, usually without ever attracting our attention. Under normal circumstances, these tiny bacteria and fungi won’t harm your Dieffenbachia.
Recognizing Root Rot in Your Dumb Cane
One reason that root rot is such a pernicious problem is that the clearest danger signs are buried under the soil. Many Dumb Cane owners don’t notice anything is wrong until the plant’s foliage starts to suffer, at which point the rot may already have been spreading for days.
How to Rescue Your Dieffenbachia From Root Rot
Speed is crucial when treating root rot in a Dumb Cane. The longer you wait, the more the disease can spread through your plant’s body.
Step 1: Prep for Surgery
Until you actually check your Dieffenbachia’s roots, you can’t be certain that you’re dealing with root rot, but you should prepare for the worst. Gather all the materials you’ll need to prune and repot your plant. Here are the essentials:
Step 2: Inspect the Patient
Now it’s time to get a look at those roots. Remove your Dieffenbachia from its pot, holding it at the base of the trunk and tilting the container over. You might need to tap the bottom of the pot to jog it loose.
Step 3: Remove Infected Tissue
Start by sanitizing your scissors by wetting your cloth in your disinfectant and wiping down the blades. You’ll need to repeat this after each cut. Otherwise, the pathogens from sick roots could hitch a ride to other parts of your Dumb Cane, making the problem worse.
Step 4: Prune the Foliage
Trim away any leaves that show signs of rot, as well as any that have turned crispy and died. You can also snip away brown leaf tips and edges if you want to clean up your plant’s appearance.
