Croton - some leaves partially dry and yellow
Adam S
Posts: 3
Hello!
Since two weeks I got really interested in plans. We have only two plants at home but I do not want to get anything new until I learn how to take care of what I already have.
About a half year ago we got a nice croton as a gift. When I started reading more about plans two weeks ago I realized that the plant had terrible care. By simply doing the proper watering, maintaining constant temperature and providing more sunlight it got really, really better in just a few days.
Unfortunately, despite having good care now, the plan has some damage done before it received the proper care.
During the Christmas time the plant was left completely alone for two weeks. No water and temperature not high enough. Some leaves dropped off, and some became partially dry and yellow.
Here are the pictures of the leaves that I am worried about:
I am most worrying about the leaf that dried almost in half. What can I do in order to make it better? Will it heal itself, or should I remove the dry part, or maybe remove the entire leaf?
I am very curious what you will say. Thank you very much!
- Adam
Posts
I don't think the damaged leaves will heal now. If they look messy, better remove them and the plant will probably grow new ones elsewhere. You can also cut back a croton and if it still has healthy roots it will grow new shoots and be less leggy. Lower leaves do fall off eventally anyway.
I got away with cutting back a several times during the 15 or 20 years I had my croton.Then one frosty February we left it while we went away for two weeks and it got really chilled. All the leaves came off. It didn't quite die but struggled on for another year or so, producing only tiny new leaves. When I eventually gave up on it, I found the roots were black and shrivelled. The poor plant had never recovered from catching a cold.
So the moral is: they can survive quite a bit of neglect but not very low temperatures. Yours looks to me as if it will recover in the spring, just cut off any damaged leaves and shoots and give it lots of sunlight and an occasional feed.
Thank you for the time, Green Magpie!
I will cut the damaged leaves today.
I am wondering when I could cut back the plant. Can I do this now, or it is better to wait to spring when temperatures will get higher?
I would wait until the plant is in active growth before cutting it back - hopefully the end of March/beginning of April. You can use the off-cuts as cuttings Lots of useful info here http://sosplantcare.com/croton-care/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes, I agree with Dove, wait until the sap is rising and cut back then.
The link is a great lecture and is very useful. I will wait then by the beginning of April.
Thank you very much for the answers, Dovefromabove and Green Magpie!
I hope our croton will grow back to it's pride, this is what I have found today