A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Dieffenbacha yellowing leaves

I love this plant but it doesn't seem to love me Just when I thought it might have fungus gnats, I took one advice that was posted here which was to put sand on the top soil,yet,some of the leaves that were turning yellow and now seem to be even yellowER. The plant is about 8-12 inches so the 4 yellow leaves look like alot to me. I haven't watered in a couple of days since the soil seems to be holding water pretty well. It gets medium-bright filtered light all day away from a window. I don't know what else to do. I've decided that if this one doesn't make it I wont get another one.

I had a simillar problem.
Try to put a plant out of the soil and check if it is healty. Maybe you have too much water...

If the roots are not healty, try to cut them off. Cut a whole plant, till you get to the healty part. Then put it in the water. It will make new roots in a month.

same problem for me..... and i am feeling your pain.

i have struggled with this plant over the last 3 years, and it finally took a turn for the better. thank god!

I put some sand on top of the soil to kill the fungus gnat larvae, and it worked, but like you said, some of the leaves started turning yellow.

Make sure that the sand on top of the soil is not forming a layer to lock in the moisture underneath. i think it is really important to let this plant dry out enough between waterings. poke some holes through the sand, so that the water and air can flow freely between the two types of dirt.

oh, and i eventually cut off the leaves that were yellowing, allowing the plant to focus its energy on fresh new growth. they happened to be leaves significantly larger than the ones they replaced.

don't give up, this plant is very resiliant.