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Avatar for NerfHerder
Sep 10, 2022 12:38 PM CST
Thread OP

Hi, I need some help with potting and watering a yucca cane. We bought this about a year ago and it's not doing so well. I don't think we potted it properly.

It's in a large pot, about 2'x2'. We plugged the drain in the bottom so that we wouldn't ruin the wood floor. The bottom half is filled with large river rock, roughly 5 pounds each. Then filled the rest with Miracle Grow potting soil. It took maybe 10-15 bags if I remember right.

I think I should have used sand in the bottom, or at least filled in the empty space around the river rock with sand. I think the water was running through the soil and collecting at the bottom of the pot.

Whenever we would check the soil, it would be bone dry, so we would water it once or twice a week. The leaves were dying, so I asked at the nursery and they said to only water it once a month. We switched to that and as you can see it's not working out.

At this point, I think we're looking at getting a new yucca cane and starting over. It's going to be so much work repotting it, it's probably not worth trying to salvage a dying plant. But I wanted to get some advice how to pot it properly and water it. Not sure if I'm giving it too much or too little water at one time.
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Sep 10, 2022 1:46 PM CST
Name: Di
Ontario, Canada (Zone 5a)
Birds Region: Canadian Dog Lover Enjoys or suffers cold winters
LOVE your pot but thinking that is what is causing your problems. If you actually were able to seal it so that no water has ever leaked out onto your floor, there must be water sitting at the bottom, and your plants roots are probably soaking it in. This plant needs good drainage. Another thought is when you say that your soil is always bone dry, perhaps the water is draining down the sides of the pot rather than through the soil. Happens when the soil gets compacted. I would suggest putting you plant in another pot which can fit into your beautiful pot, but one that you can lift out, water thoroughly, and drain before replacing it back in. Your plant still looks in good shape from the photos, maybe remove any damaged leafs and see if it picks up. Good luck
"There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Leonard Cohen
Avatar for NerfHerder
Sep 10, 2022 3:25 PM CST
Thread OP

Here's a closer view of the leaves. I had been pruning the dead ones, but gave up.
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Sep 10, 2022 8:53 PM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
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Hi, welcome, Welcome!
Interesting pot but terrible for planting in. If you can get this out , you can try as rosebuddy said. But I doubt you find a pot small enough for that opening yet big enough for the plant roots.
I suggest you go shopping for a new plant and buy a corresponding size and shape pot at the same time. Set the cheap nursery pot in the nice pot as rosebuddy says. Do not do anything to the pot the new plant is in. Keep it as is.
Rocks don't work as you hoped, sand in the rock would be even worse.
Plant it and they will come.
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Sep 10, 2022 9:58 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
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I would echo the same advice already given by others.

You may use that existing container as a cache pot if you still have preference for that..but the plant itself should be in another container with drain holes. Yucca is quite a slow growing plant and by this time your plant is doing a slow death since media has not been flushed out of potential pooled water inside and salts.

But I still see some green leaves..and if that cane remains firm to your touch and has no mushy part, then maybe there is still a chance to salvage it.

They do like to drink water especially in summer which is its active growing period, ideally in an area that is also very hot and dry, and that is why they are typically grown outdoors in full sun, since it has very high heat and drought tolerance.

In your case, your plant is being grown indoors, unable to drain excess water, and is not getting as much light. Hence it is also manifesting thru its leaves inability to get proper moisture and airflow at the rootzone, since roots may have already rotted for soaking too long in wet media or due to the perched water table inside the container when the drain hole was blocked.

So improve the cultural growing conditions..repot in a container with drain holes, do not plug the drain holes with rocks..just use a mesh or even a coffee paper filter to cover the hole to save the soil, add pumice to your media to increase porosity and airflow at the rootzone. If you find it hard to gauge how much water to utilize, try using an improvised water spike. I did that to my Yuccas and it was enough for what they need. By water spike, you can use an old water bottle, put a cloth or foam cover on the main opening and cut the other end of the bottle, do not cut all the way, just enough that you can flip that back part so you can refill water as needed. With the bottle tip upside down, stick it into the soil, so water goes direct to the soil. At times one whole bottle is enough. Or you can get a terracotta water spike holder, and just turn the bottle upside down, no need to cut the other end of the bottle. It will still passively water the rootzone as needed.

When they are grown indoors, they will not be as active in growth like the ones outdoors since the dynamics are different. So got to be careful they do not end up being overwatered.

If you do not like using a water spike, then just make sure you water thoroughly and allow excess water to escape. Use bamboo skewers to test the soil to see if media below has truly dried out. If skewer comes out still wet delay watering another day.

As the seasons change you may further lengthen the intervals of watering especially during the cold season when light levels are naturally shorter and intensity weaker. Indoor grown plants also slow down in growing..so do not overwater..maybe at most once a month, all depends on the temperature you have indoors and light levels.

To give you an idea about water spikes..here are my Yuccas. But I grow them outdoors, and the water spikes helped quite well. Before Yucca would easily have brown dried out older, lower leaves. This time it is holding well the older lower leaves and continues growing new ones at the tips.

This is the mother plant
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And cutting I took two years ago..and now thriving much better. If you look closely at the base of the plants, I have water spikes there. As long as there is still water in those spikes then I wait till the plant uses it all before I refill again.
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They have endured recently our week long excessive heat conditions here that was reaching highs of 116F at times..so it was really thirsty.

Good luck on your plant. It would be also simpler to just find a different container with drain holes and use a saucer to catch excess water. Your plant is big so it may be too heavy if you do the cache pot method.
Last edited by tarev Sep 10, 2022 10:01 PM Icon for preview
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Sep 10, 2022 10:06 PM CST

Really awesome advice, you're in good hands.

If you swap it for a new plant to keep the place looking good, I'd still try to rehab it somewhere or offer it to a friend. It'll probably turn around and be gorgeous with patience.
Avatar for NerfHerder
Sep 10, 2022 10:50 PM CST
Thread OP

Thanks for the advice. I could move it to a planter on the patio where it can drain. We have a few we're not using for anything.

Any thoughts on plants I could grow indoors that don't need to drain? I like the exotic look of the yucca, so something similar would be great.

My wife's idea is to move that pot outdoors and put a piano there. A different plant would be cheaper.
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Sep 10, 2022 11:16 PM CST

NerfHerder said: Thanks for the advice. I could move it to a planter on the patio where it can drain. We have a few we're not using for anything.

Any thoughts on plants I could grow indoors that don't need to drain? I like the exotic look of the yucca, so something similar would be great.

My wife's idea is to move that pot outdoors and put a piano there. A different plant would be cheaper.


Just a little cheaper!

Indoor, non-draining?
Nothing coming to mind except Dracena snake plant, even then I have little experience with non-draining pots except replacing them with ones that do, hoping someone will post otherwise.

I'm finding search results for lots but never tried them.
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Sep 10, 2022 11:32 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
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Try to watch this video channel in Youtube. It explains techniques you can use when using self watering containers. It also explains why there is a need for a method to still have a drainage.
Because drainage is always an important aspect in container gardening. Hope it helps you out.
https://youtu.be/X4LGc7OqTmQ
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Sep 11, 2022 7:42 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
I have various pots without drain holes, but would not plant my only copy of something that way. When the pot is too big to tip sideways to check if there is any extra water that drips out, it would be more challenging. As long as you understand that adding too much water one time could kill your plant, there's no reason to not try it if you want to and pre-agree with yourself that if it dies, you'll just get another one.
A discussion about pots w/o holes:
https://garden.org/thread/go/7...

A parlor palm could be a good alternative because it doesn't need so much light to thrive. Or a self-heading Philodendron.

Agree with the above advice that it's so much easier to double-pot and take the inner pot out to water, or least to dump excess water if you don't want to remove every time. After about 30 mins after watering, excess water should be dumped out. If you decide to usually water in place, also agree about flushing occasionally by watering gently but excessively, so a lot of water flows through the soil.

There's no harm in just deciding you don't really enjoy a plant anymore and getting something different. It's not necessary to hold yourself responsible for keeping every plant alive that you bring to your home. It's OK to let go or find a new home for any of them.
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Sep 11, 2022 9:02 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
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My personal vote, this globe pot has too small a hole to insert a nursery pot and grow something big enough to look balanced.
So you could try again with a different plant and now better understanding of the factors involved. Asparagus fern? Not actually a fern.
One other risk.. something grows so well for a time, but later fails, and then to get the roots out because of the small hole is a tough job. Asparagus fern could be that way.
Plant it and they will come.
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Sep 11, 2022 9:15 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
No doubt, once I got this plant out, I would not plant directly in that pot again.

My suggestions for palm or Philo were in regard to the spot, not suggesting something to put directly in that pot.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
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The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
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Sep 11, 2022 9:45 AM CST
Name: Zoë
Albuquerque NM, Elev 5310 ft (Zone 7b)
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What's the diameter of the hole, 11-12 inches? That could accommodate a 5 gallon nursery pot. You would want to place a tall support inside the outer pot to raise the plant level with the opening. Doable, in my opinion.

Getting all that soil out of the large round (but beautiful!) pot will be a chore.

That's the sort of pot decorators use for artificial plants.
Last edited by NMoasis Sep 11, 2022 11:51 AM Icon for preview
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Sep 11, 2022 10:39 AM CST
Name: Di
Ontario, Canada (Zone 5a)
Birds Region: Canadian Dog Lover Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Here's a photo of my Yucca still in the nursery pot that it was brought home in, and the pot that it sits in, the decorative pot is about 10 1/2 inches in diameter at its opening. The nursery pot is raised about 5 inches inside to bring it up the the rim. Even if your opening is an inch smaller, I think it would fit. The nursery pot is about 9 inches in diameter.
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"There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Leonard Cohen
Last edited by rosebuddy2 Sep 11, 2022 10:44 AM Icon for preview
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Sep 11, 2022 10:55 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
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That pot looks a lot easier to move than this!
Thumb of 2022-09-11/purpleinopp/5cf510
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
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Avatar for NerfHerder
Sep 11, 2022 11:13 AM CST
Thread OP

The opening is 13 inches, so I think we could get a large enough pot in there for a new yucca. I'm sure it'll take the two of us hours to get this one out. But just to confirm, you take the inner pot out completely to water it then put it back in after the excess water has drained?
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Sep 11, 2022 11:23 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Yes, or at least dump the excess water if there is still some water after about 30 minutes. Sometimes a little more water will soak back into the soil, but if not, leaving it there is when the problem can occur.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
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Sep 11, 2022 11:27 AM CST
Name: Di
Ontario, Canada (Zone 5a)
Birds Region: Canadian Dog Lover Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Quite often I just water it in the decorative pot since its waterproof. So long as the water that drips through does not reach the nursery pot, I figure the plant gets a bit of extra humidity. I do check often though and dump the water out if it gets too high (or starts to smell a bit). Don't know how heavy your pot would be to dump, so you might find it easier to take the plant out every time and let it drain.
"There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Leonard Cohen
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Sep 11, 2022 11:55 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
See you in the funny papers!
Charter ATP Member Frogs and Toads Houseplants Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Region: Maryland
Composter Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Region: United States of America Cat Lover Birds
What rosebuddy says, 100 percent!!
That's a good sized opening, and the existing yucca may not have a lot of roots as it has struggled. I think Home Depot here now stocks some of the cheap pots just for these purposes, if you don't have the original or need slightly bigger.
Plant it and they will come.
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Sep 11, 2022 11:58 AM CST
Name: Zoë
Albuquerque NM, Elev 5310 ft (Zone 7b)
Bee Lover Salvias Region: New Mexico Herbs Container Gardener Composter
Cat Lover Butterflies Bookworm Birds Enjoys or suffers hot summers
NerfHerder said: . . . But just to confirm, you take the inner pot out completely to water it then put it back in after the excess water has drained?


I also agree that's the best method.
Since the plant pot will be raised, it won't sit in water, but water left in the bottom of the outer pot can get icky and attract insects.

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