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Podocarpus survives cold weather well in the South and along the West Coast, and it struggles once winters get truly hard. Established podocarpus plants survive outdoors in USDA zones 8 to 11 and handle brief dips to about 10 to 15°F, but young plants and potted roots can be damaged in the low 20s°F. Podocarpus … Read more >>
Most yellowing on a podocarpus comes from one of four things: old inner needles shedding naturally, soggy roots, a nutrient shortage tied to soil pH, or stress from cold, sun, or pests. The pattern tells you which one. Old inside needles going yellow is normal, while yellow new growth or a whole plant fading pale … Read more >>
Growing podocarpus from seed works best when you start with a fresh, ripe seed from a female plant, strip off the fleshy stalk, and sow it right away in a warm, airy, evenly moist mix. To grow podocarpus from seed, sow fresh, cleaned seed about ½ inch deep in a well-drained mix, keep it at … Read more >>
You make podocarpus grow thicker by giving it at least six hours of sun, then pinching or lightly shearing the soft new tips each spring and early summer so every cut stem branches into two or more shoots. Add a light spring feeding of slow-release fertilizer, deep watering in well-drained soil, and a hedge shape … Read more >>
Dieffenbachia, the big-leaved houseplant most people call dumb cane, is one of the easier tropical plants you can grow indoors. Good dieffenbachia care comes down to bright indirect light, watering when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil are dry, warm rooms between 65 and 80°F, and a loose potting mix in a pot … Read more >>
Water a dieffenbachia when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feel dry, which works out to about every 7 to 10 days indoors in spring and summer and less often in fall and winter. When it’s time, soak the pot until water runs out the bottom, then let it drain fully. That one … Read more >>
A yellow leaf on a dumb cane is a clue, and the pattern tells you what it means. When yellowing is limited to one or two of the oldest bottom leaves while new growth stays green, that’s normal aging; when several leaves yellow at once, overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause, followed … Read more >>
You can split a dieffenbachia when the pot holds more than one stem, or when small shoots (offsets) have popped up at the base with their own roots. To split a dieffenbachia, slide it out of the pot in spring or early summer, find stems that each have their own roots, ease them apart by … Read more >>
When dieffenbachia leaves start turning brown, the plant is telling you something in its care has slipped. Most brown leaves on a dieffenbachia come from uneven watering, dry indoor air, or too much direct sun, with salt buildup from tap water or fertilizer close behind. Cold drafts, root rot, and leaf spot disease cause the … Read more >>
You can grow cabbage in a pot with good results. Give each plant its own container that holds at least 5 gallons and is 12 or more inches deep, pick a compact early variety, and grow it in the cool weather of spring or fall with 6 or more hours of sun. If you meet … Read more >>