Expert: Diana Hamilton - 8/11/2009

Question
QUESTION: If I just purchased a mass cane plant and re-potted the plant, I did add miracle plant fertilizer to it. Now the stems of the plant are falling off very easily. Is there something I did wrong, or something I need to do to correct this? All-so will those stems ever grow back or is that whole branch dead?

ANSWER: Dear Kenyatta,

By mass cane do you mean Dracaena massangeana?

When you repot a plant it is not necessary to fertilise it for about three months because there are enough nutrients in the new potting compost you have added to the plant.

Also when you say the stems are falling off do you mean the leaves?  The leaves grow diretcly from the cane so I am not sure what you mean about the stems and the branch.  If you cut off the end of a stem [or cane] from where all the leaves have fallen and it is still green then it is not dead - if however it is brown then it is well and truly dead.

Can you send me a photo so that I can identify the plant and see the damage for myself?

Diana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Can you tell me if the rest of the plant looks healthy? Will the others ever grow or just take it out?

Answer
Dear Kenyatta,

Is the stem still firm?  If so there is hope!  If it is soft and mushy then you might as well pull it up and throw it away.  At the moment it looks as if nothing is ever going to happen but hang on to it and you may well be surprised - after all it is causing no trouble just sitting there so be patient! Obviously nothing is going to grow from the top of the stem as it has been sealed but maybe you will get some side shoots.   Good Luck

Diana