# How can I root my cuttings from a sick Dracaena Massangeana (Corn Plant) house plant?



## david1234 (Jan 23, 2008)

I have a Dracaena Massangeana that is having a lot of problems. It had one good stalk coming out but almost all the leaves have died except the tiny little new leaf in the middle, but that hasnt shown growth in months. The stalk itself is becoming dry and brittle, but still some greenness at the top. The trunk itself is soft to the touch, which I know is a bad sign. I had gotten excited months ago when from below the soil (near the roots) another stalk came out. This is still healthy, with some leaves, but has not grown at all. 

It is around 20 feet away from two large North windows in a very bright apartment. I had watered it regularly until it became sick, but Im scared to over water it now.

Can I save this plant? How?  Should I just make cuttings of the two stalks instead?  Please be very detailed.  Thanks!


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## Leonard50 (Jan 23, 2008)

Sounds like your main trunk is dead and rotting. Cut your good stalk off. Dip it in some rooting hormone powder and just stick it in another pot with new dirt. Keep it moist (not wet) and it should root in a few week and start growing. 

You should rip the whole plant apart and cut off the healthy piece that sprang up.  Repot this with your other cutting.


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## Ekoostik_Hookah (Jan 23, 2008)

sounds like your growing corn and not weed.
 i do believe theres a famers forum about 2 sites over......:hubba:


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## Kupunakane (Jan 23, 2008)

Ahhhh,
    Another one that loves plants, COOL   All of the dracaena family can be propagated by air layering. My first suggestion is carefully check the bottom of the plants container, and I do mean the bottom. Sounds like you have a case of root rot going there, and it will move into your main trunk and show itself by juicing up and rotting the trunk. Soft is NOT good.
  To air layer, you want to fill this check list;
1. Some plastic wrap (saran wrap) will work.
2. Spagnum moss (coarse)
3. Heavy thread
4. A sharp knife

Support your plant so it does not fall over, above the soil level, (but still low), find a suitable site to make a single cut into the trunk approx. 1/4 of the way through. Carefully fill this cut with the moss and spray it with distilled water. Cover this cut/moss with the plastic wrap and tie the thread around to secure the plastic in place. Leave an opening in the top of the plastic to allow yourself to water the moss, and an similar opening at the bottom of the plastic to allow for any water run-off. Smell the site every so often to make certain you aren't starting to rot there. It can often take several weeks to get some roots going, but when they do, and you have a good amount of rooting, then carefully cut about 1 inch below the new roots. You can then place the entire top section into a new container.
  The lower section that has the new shoot should then be pulled, leaveing as much of the dirt as possible on the rootball. Trim away any rotted parts of the plant, and give the new shoot a good home.
  The three cardinal sins with plants are;
1. Over-watering
2. Over fertilizing
3. Not enough Light
    Following that,  is the rest of where we goof it up.
1. Over-crowded roots
2. Handling and moving the plant too much  *
3. Placing the plant in a bad location, (drafts, and injuries)

* Never turn a plant more than a 1/4 turn per photo period, (each day).

    If you like dracaena's you might also like the [SIZE=-1]Dieffenbachia.  It sometimes goes by the knickname The Dumb cane Plant as the plant is poisenous, but only if it is ingested or if you get the sap on your tongue, it will cause a temporary paralysis to the tongue, and one can choke to death if the tongue swells up. Don't play silly with it. They do get big, and if you over water it will sweat the water out through it's leaves, also it gets tall and over six feet it has a tendancy to fall over.

[/SIZE]Hope this helps you,
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## octobong007 (Jan 23, 2008)

Ekoostik_Hookah said:
			
		

> sounds like your growing corn and not weed.
> i do believe theres a famers forum about 2 sites over......:hubba:


 
know what, i've asked a couple questions concerning growing one or two things other than mj on here and i've gotten some "special"  responses...even worse than this one.  LEARN TO READ!!!  if you go to the MAIN FORUM and scroll down to GENERAL GARDENING it reads 

"*ardening General* (1 Viewing) 
Discuss here anything about growing plants other then marijuana plants"  

now, i KNOW i can read, but apparantly there's a few on here that cant.  if someone cant give a reasonable response, then keep your pie hole shut!!!!!!!
and if NOTHING other than mj is to be talked about, why not take this part of the forum down and quit TRYING to act like your so smart...especially when your still trying to learn to tie your shoes.

sorry for the venting, but i've been told the same thing about a LEGAL plant, in the correct section...


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