The promises are encouraging: Dieffenbachia grows up to 3 meters in height! Read in today's article what to do if Dieffenbachia does not grow: causes and methods of recovery.

Dieffenbachia does not grow - what to do?

When learning the basics of Dieffenbachia care, you expect that the purchased or planted plant will also reach several meters in height and will form large and luxurious leaves with little care. The homeland of Dieffenbachia was originally South America, after which the plant moved to the USA, and from there it spread throughout the globe. Despite the universal popularity of Dieffenbachia, the plant belongs to the southern territories and feels better in countries such as Hawaii, Costa Rica, Honduras, Tahiti, etc. Tropical and subtropical climate– the pinnacle of ideal for Dieffenbachia. Perhaps it is precisely on this principle that it is worth organizing care so that Dieffenbachia grows?

Care for Dieffenbachia growth

Let's review the basics- something that we often forget about some time after purchasing or planting Dieffenbachia, but V basic care the answers to the questions lie, why the plant does not grow, turns yellow or rots.

Basic care for Dieffenbachia growth:

Keeping at above-zero temperatures;
Complete absence of drafts;
Moderate watering;
Shading in summer period;
Humidification from 40% to 45%;
Seasonal feeding;

Finding yourself in European hotels, where Dieffenbachia is used for decoration, or walking along the languid summer streets of South American cities, you are surprised that Dieffenbachia is left “unattended” and cared for long time, while the plant does not suffer from developmental disorders. What is the secret to the growth of Dieffenbachia?

Dieffenbachia needs place in a shaded place , but be sure to stay warm. In the case of this plant, the emphasis in care is on air temperature, and not on lighting.

Air temperature and lighting:

Temperature +21-24°C. The permissible minimum level for Dieffenbachia to feel comfortable is +16° C. Begins to shed leaves and stop growth already at +10 ° C;
Lighting is moderate, placement on the southeast window in spring and autumn, on the west or north in summer. Small plants dry out faster in the heat, so they are shaded more than adults;

If Dieffenbachia does not grow, look for a problem in temperature and lighting - these are two main criteria in care to which the plant immediately reacts. Then pay attention to the air humidity. The norm, as was said, is 40-45%, but in hot weather summer days It is necessary to additionally spray the air to prevent the Dieffenbachia from drying out.

Comfortable watering: Once every 3-4 days from the beginning of spring to the end of summer. There is no need to flood the plant, despite the heat and dry air - focus on moistening the room, but not the soil. It is better to place Dieffenbachia on a balcony or in a ventilated room, but not in the path of a draft, since temperature changes caused by exposure to cold air in a warm environment disrupt the functioning of the root system, causing a response - stress. A similar failure occurs if Dieffenbachia is standing near a radiator and a ventilated window - hello, Khrushchev - or if the window is opened for ventilation in winter.

Mandatory feeding once every 2 weeks prevent exposure of the lower part of the trunk. Dieffenbachia may therefore stop growing and even shed its leaves if it lacks nutrients. when to feed: from the beginning of May, finish at the end of August. What to use: mineral fertilizers in combination on the root system soaked with water.

Dieffenbachia does not grow, so what to do:

Raise the temperature to a comfortable level + change the lighting system if there is little light or direct rays.
Protect from drafts and check the humidity of the soil in the pot and the air in the room.
Water moderately and, if it is flooded, dry the soil. Feed if the land is depleted.

↓ Write in the comments why your Dieffenbachia did not grow and what methods did you resort to to restore the plant?

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Once every 2-3 years, in spring In summer up to 30, in winter - not lower than 16 When the top layer of soil dries out It is useful to spray and wipe the leaves from dust Light partial shade, no direct sunlight Does not tolerate drafts and sudden temperature changes

Lighting

In the wild, the plant lives in tropical forests under the canopies of tall trees. That's why direct sun is harmful to Dieffenbachia. If a flower is exposed to the sun, its delicate leaves get severe burns. The optimal lighting for it is light partial shade.

Dieffenbachia also grows well in bright but diffuse lighting. It should not be placed in the shade. Lack of lighting will cause excessive elongation of the shoots and their severe weakening. With a lack of light, a flower quickly loses its decorative effect.

IN winter time Dieffenbachia most often suffers from insufficient lighting. You should move it to the most illuminated southern window sill. You should not be afraid of direct sun in winter; during this period it will not harm the flower.

Temperature

Dieffenbachia is very thermophilic.

In winter it can withstand temperatures below 16 C, but this is undesirable.

Dieffenbachia grows well at temperatures above 25 C, and while maintaining high humidity can withstand 30-degree heat.

To successfully grow Dieffenbachia, it is best to maintain a stable indoor temperature throughout the year. It's not difficult to do. The plant does not require a period of rest, so in winter it grows well in a heated city apartment.

In summer, the flower may suffer from sudden temperature changes. Therefore, it is not advisable to grow it in an air-conditioned room. In spring and summer, you need to protect it from cold drafts. You cannot place it near a balcony door or openable window sashes.

Watering

Dieffenbachia should be watered sparingly. It does not tolerate drying out of the soil in the pot, but also does not tolerate stagnation of water. Therefore, the drainage for it should be such that excess water goes well into the pan. Dieffenbachia should be watered only when the top layer of soil dries out..

Before watering Dieffenbachia, you need to prepare the water. Dieffenbachia should sit for several days and be room temperature. You also need to take into account that the flower reacts poorly to hard water.

Spraying is very beneficial for the plant. In addition, you can moisten the leaves by wiping them with a damp cloth.

This tropical plant is very demanding on air humidity. Dieffenbachia feels good only if the air humidity is at least 65%. In drier air, tender leaves begin to dry out, turn yellow and fall off. Therefore, you need to regularly humidify the air in the room by spraying moisture near the flower.

The soil

Dieffenbachia grows well in soil with an acidity of 5.6-5.8. The soil for Dieffenbachia should be well permeable to water and air. This will allow oxygen to penetrate to the roots of the flower, and water will flow away without stagnating in the soil.

A universal substrate for decorative deciduous plants with the addition of peat is suitable..

When making soil for Dieffenbachia yourself, you can use the following compositions:

4 parts leaf soil, 2 parts peat, 2 parts dry moss, 1 part sand and 0.5 parts charcoal;
4 parts leaf soil, 1 part sand, peat and humus, 0.5 parts charcoal.

Fertilizer

The plant needs to be fed from late April to early October. For this purpose, liquid complex fertilizers for decorative foliage plants will be the best. Feeding frequency – 2-3 times a month.

After spring transplantation, the flower does not need to be fed for 1-1.5 months. But then you should definitely start fertilizing the soil. Because of active growth and the development of the root system, the soil mixture in the pot is quickly depleted, the plant requires more nutrients.

Liquid nutrient compositions for indoor flowers must be diluted with water so that their concentration is 2 times less than that indicated on the package. Then the flower is watered with the resulting solution. This is done only 5-6 hours after the main watering of the plant, when the soil in the pot is well saturated with moisture. Fertilizers should not be applied to dry soil, as the fertilizer solution can damage the roots of the plant.

Peculiarities

Dieffenbachia is a demanding plant for which all environmental factors are important. It is necessary not only to maintain temperature and humidity, but also to protect it from drafts. The plant is placed away from opening windows and balconies. You can take it to another room for airing.

Leaves should be cleaned of dust and dirt only with clean water.

None special means It should not be used to clean plants so as not to damage the delicate leaves.

Dieffenbachia flowering in an apartment is very rare. However, it is recommended to remove the buds so that the plant does not become depleted and does not lose its decorative appearance.

You need to know that Dieffenbachia juice is poisonous. It severely irritates the mucous membrane, and if ingested, signs of poisoning appear.

Therefore, you should not place this flower where children or pets can reach it.

All transplanting and cutting work should be carried out with gloves..

Special pruning of Dieffenbachia is not carried out. Sometimes already adult Dieffenbachias stretch strongly upward, shedding their lower leaves. Such plants look ugly and require updating. To do this, the top is cut off and rooted, and then planted in the ground. The remaining trunk is cut into cuttings and also rooted.

Diseases

Let's look at how to care for Dieffenbachia at home if the plant is sick. Dieffenbachia is susceptible to some diseases of fungal and viral origin. It is also often inhabited by harmful insects that feed on its sap.

Most often, Dieffenbachia is affected by root and stem rot, leaf spotting. These fungal infections develop well in high humidity, so it is important not to over-moisten the soil and the air surrounding the flower.

If rotten areas and affected leaves are detected, all diseased parts of the plant must be removed and destroyed.

In case of root rot, immediate transplantation into new soil is advisable.. Good results gives spraying of the plant with any antifungal drugs, for example phytosporin or foundationazole.

Sometimes a plant is infected with a leaf mosaic virus, which forms necrotic light spots on the leaf blade and leads to its deformation.

No treatment has been developed for mosaic disease. It is necessary to destroy the diseased plant, as it becomes a source of infection of healthy flowers.

Dieffenbachia is affected by most known pests indoor plants.

Dieffenbachia lives on spider mites, aphids, mealybug, thrips, scale insects. If detected, it is necessary to treat the plant with pesticides as soon as possible in order to destroy the insects and prevent them from multiplying in large quantities.

Problems

The capricious Dieffenbachia often causes a lot of trouble for its owner. Her appearance suffers greatly even from small mistakes in caring for her. The plant suffers most severely from excess moisture. This leads to rotting of the roots, the leaves of the plants are taken out and fall down.

However, moisture deficiency also has a bad effect on the general condition of the plant. Insufficient watering leads to yellowing and falling leaves, starting from the bottom, especially at low air humidity.

You can read more about yellowing of Dieffenbachia leaves.

Drying of the tips of the plant leaves indicates insufficient moisture or high temperature air. Dieffenbachia also reacts to drafts.

Leaf deformation and loss of bright color appear when using hard water for irrigation.. Also, the color of the leaf will be less bright if there is insufficient lighting and a deficiency of microelements in the soil.

If the lighting is very bright and direct rays of the sun fall on the plant, then the leaf plates may become covered with burns in the form of brown, dry areas. After this, the leaves may fall off. Dieffenbachia also sheds its leaves when the air temperature is too low. This happens if the plant is standing under a running air conditioner.

Reproduction

Usually in room conditions Dieffenbachia is propagated by apical cuttings. This plant rarely branches and grows upward very quickly.

Soon such a flower becomes very tall and not very decorative. In this case, it is recommended to cut and root the top of the plant. 2-3 new shoots can grow from the remaining stump.

Cut off the top with a sharp knife. To ensure that less juice flows out of the cut, the plant is not watered for 5-7 days before pruning. The cut on the remaining hemp is sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.

The cuttings for rooting should not be large. If a sufficiently long part of the plant is cut, it is recommended to cut it into pieces 15 cm long and then root them. Root apical and stem cuttings in boiled water room temperature. After the roots have formed, they are planted in separate pots.

Sometimes Dieffenbachia is propagated by leaves. Large, intact leaves are rooted in water or directly in the soil. This method does not give a guaranteed result. For better rooting of leaves, it is recommended to use root formation stimulants.

You can read more about the propagation of Dieffenbachia.

Transfer

Capricious Dieffenbachia does not tolerate transplantation, so it must be done carefully and not too often. It is enough to replant the plant once every 2-3 years. Dieffenbachia transplantation at home is usually carried out in the spring at the end of April or beginning of May.

The pot for Dieffenbachia does not need to be very large. It should be slightly larger than the previous one. It needs good drainage; it needs to be poured onto the bottom of the pot, having previously covered the hole for water drainage with a shard.

The plant is removed from the pot, the old soil is removed and the root system is examined.

Rotten plant roots must be removed, and place the plant in a new pot and cover it with an earthen mixture with the addition of charcoal. After this, the soil must be compacted well and then watered.

Healthy Dieffenbachia is characterized by vigorous growth and bright leaves of appropriate size and color for the variety. If a plant loses its attractiveness and begins to get sick, this is most often due to errors in care, violations of temperature or water conditions. Let's take a closer look at why Dieffenbachia gets sick and what measures need to be taken to prevent damage to the flower by pests and diseases.

Pests of Dieffenbachia

Despite the fact that the plants are poisonous, they are often attacked by pests.

The most common:

Spider mite, a sign of damage to which is the presence of cobwebs in the internodes of the trunks, sluggish and falling leaves.

Thrips, small (1-2 mm) bugs that suck the juices from the plant, which leads to stunted growth, curling and drying of the leaves.

Aphids, numerous colonies of which not only weaken plants by sucking out intercellular fluid, but are also carriers of various diseases.

The appearance of spider mites, thrips and aphids on Dieffenbachia is especially favored by dry indoor air (relative humidity below 60%).

Scale insects and false scale insects, which suck the juice from leaves and stems, leaving a characteristic discharge, brown plaques that are difficult to remove. The leaves become discolored, dry out and fall off.

Mealybugs, insects 3-6 mm in size, attack leaves, stems and flowers, which are covered with a white mealy coating. The leaves become deformed and dry out, which can lead to the death of the entire plant.

Measures to combat all of the listed Dieffenbachia pests are similar; they consist of their mechanical removal using a sponge and soap solution, followed by rinsing under running warm water, and treatment, if necessary, with insecticidal preparations, actellik or karbofos, at a concentration of 15 drops per liter of water.

Dieffenbachia diseases

Most Dieffenbachia diseases belong to the fungal group, the most common of which are:

Leaf spot, causing the appearance along the edges of leaves, primarily the lower ones, of small brown spots with an orange border, gradually covering the surface of the entire leaf plate. The disease is transmitted through plant debris and water.

Anthracnose, in which fairly large spots appear on the edges of the leaf plates, gradually spreading over the entire surface and causing drying and death of the leaf. It is also transmitted through infected plant parts.

Both diseases are provoked by high temperatures and humidity, waterlogged soil; as control measures it is recommended to optimize temperature regime and watering, as well as treat the affected specimens with a systemic fungicide, for example, foundationazol or vitaros.

Fusarium, affects the root collar and root of the flower, where dark depressed spots of an elongated shape are formed. Infected Dieffenbachia turns yellow and wilts. In damaged areas you can see light pink mycelium of the fungus. The causative agent of the disease persists in the soil for a long time and spreads when it touches diseased and healthy plant roots. The disease is promoted by overdrying and lack of potassium.

To prevent fusarium, it is recommended to use high-quality soil, healthy planting material, treated for disinfection with a biological fungicide (for example, hyocladine). When signs of disease appear, spray with a systemic fungicide.

Root rot, manifested in the form of dark depressed areas on the neck and roots, gradually capturing the entire tissue and causing decay, and subsequently lodging and death of the plant. The affected parts are covered with light gray mycelium. The disease is transmitted through the soil; it is facilitated by an excess of fertilizers and moisture in the soil, lack of ventilation, and high temperature. If there are signs of damage, limit watering, replace the substrate and treat with a systemic fungicide.

Among bacterial diseases, we note Dieffenbachia bacteriosis, in which watery areas with sharply defined boundaries appear on the trunks and leaves. Later they acquire brown or Brown color. The disease spreads through infected plant remains due to mechanical damage, for example, during cuttings. Flowers kept at elevated temperatures and humidity, with an increased amount of fertilizer in the soil, are more severely affected. Diseased specimens are destroyed.

Viral diseases include:

Bronzing of Dieffenbachia, manifested in the appearance of yellow circles, rings and arcs on the surfaces, the affected leaves wither and remain hanging on the trunks, often on one infected side.

Viral mosaic, which is characterized by mosaic leaf spotting.

Dieffenbachia affected by these diseases does not grow, stops developing, cannot be treated and must be destroyed to prevent the spread of the virus. The pathogen is carried by insects, thrips (bronzing) or aphids (mosaic). A preventive measure is treatment with insecticides.

The leaves of bush dieffenbachia have become small and sparse

Thus, regular watering is required, as well as washing the leaves with water from a spray bottle. For watering and spraying, use only well-settled tap water at room temperature. Needs frequent spraying and regular washing of leaves.

Transfer

At least once every 3-4 years, Dieffenbachias are transplanted into not very large pots and ordinary soil for indoor plants, to which you need to add a little charcoal. Regular weekly fertilizing from April to August - but only during this period - stimulates the formation of new leaves and improves the overall condition of the plants. If the plants have become too large with an unattractive bare stem, they can be trimmed back, leaving a stump about 10cm high from which new shoots will begin to grow.

Reproduction

The base of the stem is soft and loses color - stem rotting. The disease is promoted by waterlogging of the soil and low air temperature. At the beginning of the disease, you can cut out the affected area, wipe the wound with crushed charcoal and replant the plant in fresh soil. If the damage to Dieffenbachia is extensive, the apical part of the stem can be rooted and the rest of the plant discarded.

The lower leaves turn yellow and curl up - low temperatures in winter or cold drafts. The plant will be able to survive temperatures of 10 - 12 C, but the lower leaves will inevitably suffer.

Loss of color - too bright light or direct sunlight on the leaves leads to their discoloration. Move the plant to a less lit place.

It's the same for me too (

I'm just waiting for it to grow, it's already growing)

And it’s easy to care for)

Why do Dieffenbachia leaves become smaller?

Move the plant to a less lit place.

Dying of leaves - the most likely causes of dying of young leaves are too low a temperature, dry air or cold drafts. Old leaves always die off with age.

Brown leaf edges indicate drying out soil. It should always be moist, but not over-moistened. Another reason could be cold air.

ventilate the room and remove it from the radiator.

Spray more often, because dry air!

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