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Yes, podocarpus grows well in pots. Podocarpus can grow in pots for years as long as you use a container with drainage holes, a loose, well-drained mix, and enough light, and the compact forms like Podocarpus macrophyllus ‘Maki’ are the easiest choice for patios and bright rooms. It’s a slow, steady grower, so a potted … Read more >>
Yes, podocarpus is poisonous to cats, and the ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs and horses too. The plant is sold as yew pine, Buddhist pine, or Japanese yew. If your cat chews the needles or seeds, expect stomach trouble such as vomiting and diarrhea. The good news is that podocarpus is far less … Read more >>
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 >>