Need desperate help!!!!

[buxton24]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if there are any avid gardeners that can help me in desperate need!

A friend of mine who sadly passed away a month ago had bought a Dieffenbachia Camilla.

The pot was very small and the plant was falling all over the place so I transferred this to a bigger pot, during this I discovered that the root has snapped.

I have come in today to find that the leaves are incredibly droopy and does not look healthy at all.

Has anyone got any advice please? I will be beyond devastated if the plant dies.

Thank you

It should be just fine, it’s getting over being repotted. Do not overwater it at this stage, just keep it moist and in a light, but out of direct sunlight place.
The plants can be reproduces by root cuttings, so a snapped root shouldn’t be a problem, it will make more.
When you think it’s recovered you could give it some houseplant food.

Thank you for your reply!

The soil was dry this morning so I have watered a little and kept by the window.

How dry is "dry"? The compost should be moist but not wet. If it was just surface dry, fine, if it's dry below the surface, plunge the whole pot into a bowl of water for about and hour, then take out and drain well. Then don't water again until the soil begins to dry out.

You could mist the leaves now and again to prevent too much water loss.

Assuming you potted it into compost rather than garden soil, there should be enough fertiliser in the compost to keep it going for 6 weeks.

Just a side note - Dieffenbachia are poisonous, and the leaves cause convulsions if eaten. Keep it away from toddlers or pets.

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, when I repotted it, I put new compost in the pot. I have come in this morning to this, it's getting worse.

I will try misting the leaves. Is the soil meant to be moist all over? Some of the soil is bone dry but then other bits of moist? I don't want to over water it.

Sorry, just really panicking now that it has gone beyond repair.

Babdoc - It is in the office so away from any toddlers / pets :)

Try dunking the pot in water for an hour (as suggested above) and let it drain.
This is done to soak the soil/ compost after which you can keep it moist.

Another thought, it looks like it’s in an office. They like an evenly warm temperature. Although it’s summer, is your office running air con?

MuthaFunka61 - I have put it in a bowl to soak for an hour. Thank you.

Beebumble2 - We have had the air con on for a bit, but it doesn't seem to bother the plant, it'd only been since transferring it to a bigger pot that it's done this. I also make sure the plant is out of the way of where the AHU unit is.

Is the soil meant to be moist all over? Yes. If you have dry bits, not only will roots in that bit be unable to take up water, it will also be difficult to re-wet - the water will run straight through. Hence the recommendation to let it soak for an hour or so.

Beebumble warned against overwatering as this is the most common mistake - letting the soil get wet through and perhaps leaving the pot permanently in water, so the roots rot off, the leaves wilt because they're not getting any water from the now-dead roots, so the person says "it's wilting - it must need more water". But that's not the case with yours if there are dry bits in the compost.

MereDintofPandiculation - Thank you for the advice.

Plant went out of the bowl of water after an hour. Soil seems soaked through so i'll just keep an eye on it.

Can anyone let me know their thoughts?

Came in to work to a lot of dead leaves which I have cut off, however there seems to be new leaves sprouting.

Is there hope???

Oh most definitely if there's new leaves. You know the bit in a bad novel when the heroine/sweet young girl stops thrashing around in her bed, her fever survives, she sinks into an easy sleep, and the male doctor says "the crisis is past"? That's where you are - lots of tlc still needed, and a long recuperation, but it's responding to treatment.

MereDintofPandiculation - This has made my day :D