AboutDarlene K. Kittle Expertise I have been a Master Gardener for 19 years and I raise around 300 houseplants a year including tropicals, succulents, and cacti.
Experience She is also studying the Japanese art of bonsai with tropical plants and is President of the Fort Wayne, IN Bonsai Club.
Question Hi Darlene,
i just bought a yucca plant yesterday. Two spines in one pot. I took it home, replanted it and then filled the pot up with some soil I had lying around from filling in some ground holes. It now, after watering looks like mud. Am I going to suffocate this yucca if it cant ventilate well? How often should I water. The stems of the plants already have half an inch of dark around the base..I fear too much moisture?
Answer Jo,
Yes, you may drown it. It should only have been repotted in a pot with a diameter no more than 2 inches larger than the diameter of the original pot. If it is in too large a pot you will overwater it. Also the soil you use should be a light weight potting soil with extra perlite added for better drainage or even better you should use a sandy cactus soil. Either soil, sandy or light with perlite will add a lot more air around the roots in the soil and make them healthier. I reccommend you repot it immediately in the right size pot with better soil. Then be very careful never to leave it sit with water in it's drainage tray. Always empty it an hour after watering it. Good luck.
