Dieffenbachia is one of the mostcommon and most unpretentious indoor plants. In fact, dieffenbachia is a tropical forest semi-shrub that can put out new roots from a lodging stem. Therefore, over time, the dieffenbachia stem becomes bare - the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. In the remaining internodes, aerial roots first form, and when the stem touches the ground, the roots sprout, and a new vertical shoot appears from the internode. In short, in nature, adult dieffenbachias look like octopuses spreading their tentacles. However, at home, dieffenbachia leaves can turn yellow and fall off not only naturally. Why does this happen? What can cause healthy leaves to turn yellow, dry out and fall off? Let's figure it out.
Conditions of detention
First of all, it is necessary to create conditions for the plantfavorable conditions of maintenance. If it is comfortable, the risk of diseases will decrease significantly. So, dieffenbachia is a light-loving indoor plant. Therefore, the flower pot should be placed in a bright room or near a window. However, this houseplant needs diffused light, since direct sunlight can cause leaf burns. But in winter, additional lighting will not hurt dieffenbachia. As for the watering regime, it should be remembered that dieffenbachia is a native of the tropics, where it is always humid and warm. It is from the lack of moisture in the air that its leaves can suffer, turning yellow and drying out. Therefore, it should be watered abundantly almost all year round, but especially during the active growth period (summer, autumn and spring). However, the plant should not be flooded, since excessive watering can cause root rot. In addition, you need to spray the leaves and the air around the plant. It is necessary to take into account both dieffenbachia's love for fresh air and its fear of drafts. Therefore, the room in which the flower pot is located should be periodically ventilated, protecting the plant from cold air flows. And in the summer, you can move the dieffenbachia to an open loggia or to the garden, not forgetting to shade it from direct sunlight. Under such conditions, your dieffenbachia will certainly feel comfortable. However, sometimes even with good care, the plant turns yellow. Why does this happen? Let's try to analyze the possible reasons why dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow and dry out.
Costs of care and illness
No matter how hard you try to provide for yourdieffenbachia good care, no one is immune from mistakes. Therefore, take into account, first of all, these very mistakes, from which the leaves of the plant turn yellow. So, why do dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow?
The reason for the yellowing of the leaves (in addition to errors incare) can be a spider mite. The most unpleasant thing about this disease is that it is almost impossible to notice the pest on the affected leaves at first. However, there is one characteristic feature that allows you to identify this particular cause: the leaves turn yellow with a constant frequency - once a week. Having noticed something like this, try to find the pest. You need to look for the mite on green leaves that are closer to those that have already turned yellow. The mite will look like many small black dots. To rid the plant of the parasite, the leaves need to be washed with a soap solution or tobacco infusion, and then treated with a suitable insecticide.
Natural drying of leaves
Already in the second year of life of dieffenbachia, its leavesbegin to turn yellow and fall off. This is a natural process, and it should alert you. In any case, it is impossible and pointless to fight it. This is how this plant is designed, that over time its trunk becomes bare, and the lower leaves fall off. In this case, your task is to return the dieffenbachia to a decorative appearance. How can this be done? Experienced gardeners recommend simply cutting the trunk of too elongated old plants at a level of ten centimeters above the ground. New shoots will soon begin to grow from the stump. And the cut off top can be rooted. To do this, the apical cut with part of the trunk is placed in a container with water and left for some time. Dieffenbachia produces roots very quickly, so you will not have to wait long. The rooted flower is then planted in a pot with peat soil mixture and the renewed plant is cared for according to all the rules. Note that the most powerful and healthy specimens of dieffenbachia develop from the apical cuttings. But what to do with yellowed leaves or their dried edges? If you follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners, then you do not need to remove the leaves from the plant at all - this will weaken it and cause rapid aging of the dieffenbachia. The dead edges of the leaves just need to be cut off with sharp scissors. And if the leaves have completely turned yellow and withered, they should be removed.
Let's sum up the results
So, in conclusion I would like to say that inIn most cases, dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow due to improper care. Therefore, we remind you that the flower should be placed in a well-lit place, but protected from sunlight and drafts. Dieffenbachia should be watered abundantly, but excessively. That is, the soil in the pot should be slightly damp all the time. In addition, you should spray the air around the flower or place a wide container of water near it. Well, if the leaves on your dieffenbachia turn yellow naturally, then just remove them in time. And let this variegated tropical miracle, similar to a palm tree, decorate your home and remain healthy. Good luck!