Dieffenbachia

The large and showy Dieffenbachia can be the perfect living decoration for the home or office. When you learn how to care for a Dieffenbachia plant, you’ll find it to be adaptable to different kinds of lighting and conditions in which you might not expect a Dieffenbachia houseplant to grow.

Root bound Dieffenbachias can be repotted at any time of the year, using any good commercial potting soil. The leaves of your plant should be cleaned occasionally with a damp sponge to prevent the pores from being clogged with dust. As your Dieffenbachia gets larger, the lower leaves naturally wither and die, creating the distinguishing 'cane'. This natural function allows the plant's energy to be diverted to the production of new top leaves. If the plant becomes too tall and leggy, it can be cut back to any height and the cut portions used for propagation. The uncut portion of the cane will then begin to branch from the old leaf nodes.

The Dieffenbachia plant can do well outdoors, but it’s also easily grown indoors. It generally thrives on year-round temperatures around 65 to 75 degrees F. Keep in mind that this plant is not a fan of low temperatures and it shouldn’t be kept in temperatures below 60 degrees F. When it comes to light, it’s important to remember that it can not handle full sun but it thrives in good lighting. It will do well on a kitchen window. When deciding on how much to water your Dieffenbachia, it’s important to keep in mind that they are from the aroid family. Their cousins are Aglaonema, Spathiphyllum and Philodendron. It means that Dieffenbachias like humidity a lot. During the summer, it’s also important to provide a lot of water. Soil has to stay moist but never fully wet being wet can promote the root rot. During the winter, all the watering should be reduced. During the growing season, meaning, March to October, you should feed it every other week, when watering. It’s best to use a complete liquid food. During the winter months you should not fertilize at all this is when you should water only, and make sure to reduce even that one.