Dieffenbachia Plant Care | Today's Gardener

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Hello everyone, welcome to my complete guide on how to take care for dieffenbachia plant!

These tropical beauties, also known under the name “dumb cane” are quite easy to take care of and don’t need much of your time and effort, which makes them perfect decoration for your home, office or another area where you spend much of your time.

I will give you as much information on important and insights on care for dieffenbachia plant, such as watering, needed lighting, fertilization, propagation, etc.

Let’s start our guide on proper Dieffenbachia care!

How To Grow Dieffenbachia Plant

Dieffenbachia is a gorgeous and quite interesting looking tropical plant that belongs to the family Araceae. It was found for the first time in the area called “New World Tropics” which covers Mexico and West Indies and goes all the way down to Argentina.

It has a straight stem and big leaves whose color ranges from dark to light green with white and nude colored spots, making each one unique.

This is what primarily makes it one of the first choices for people who wish to purchase an indoor plant.

The only question is which kind you should get since there are dozens of different ones, such as D. picta, D. amoena, D. oerstedii, etc, and they can grow in different sizes.

Well, taken-care of Dieffenbachias can grow quite big, reaching five to six feet in height, with leaves that can be around one foot broad. However, this isn’t quite typical, especially for the ones kept indoors.

When we talk about dieffenbachia how to care for it has numerous answers, however, it doesn’t require much of your time, effort, sunlight, fertilizers or much of anything else, thus if you are wondering how to grow dieffenbachia indoors I am more than happy to say that it is quite easy and affordable.

The most important aspects one should focus on are providing sufficient light during winter and more shade during the growing season, enough water, but with lots of drainages, thus also fast-draining soil, certain pot mixes, the temperature that is above 60°F and fertilization.

After going thought this guide I am sure you will be quite ready to get your plant and start practicing all of the advice I am about to tell you.

Oh and I would like to add that this guide will primarily be on how to grow dieffenbachia indoors.

How to Take Care of Dieffenbachia Plant

1. Pay Attention To The Soil

It is quite important what kind of soil you get for your plant since Dieffenbachia plants cannot thrive in just any kind of it. You should always go for the fast-draining one, especially since you probably love taking care of your plant and wish to provide the best conditions for its growth.

Too much water and non-fast-draining soil can cause the plant to rot and have mold that attacks dieffenbachia roots. Excess water can cause its leaves to go yellow and brown and eventually cause the plant’s death, which is something you wouldn’t want for sure. Thus one of the first answers on how to care for dieffenbachia is to provide the right soil in the very beginning of the process.

2. Pot Does Matter

After picking the dieffenbachia soil, the next step would naturally be to find the right pot, which is crucial for the wellbeing of your precious plant.

Since too much water can be fatal for it, the pot that you choose must have holes in the bottom through which water will be easily drained, letting your plant keep only those amounts that it needs.

If you don’t opt for such a pot the fast-draining soil will not matter, since unused water won’t be able to leave the pot, and will still cause your Dieffenbachia to rot and mold.

3. Light Is Crucial As Well

What makes Dieffenbachia plants perfect for indoor decoration is the fact that they don’t require much light, and are even supposed to be kept away from the direct one.

Direct sunlight will hurt your plant, especially while it is growing, as it will burn its new, tender leaves. Because of this, you should keep it near the window with curtains, in fairly light room, so it constantly receives filtered light.

This will the perfect setting for it, as it will get much needed, however, indirect light, that will let it grow without making the leaves go brown, or even worse, without growing towards one side while trying to reach for the light.

4. Dieffenbachia Needs a Certain Temperature

Since your plant is a tropical one, it needs to be in certain pretty constant temperature that shouldn’t go below 15°C (10°C at the worst) or higher than 27°C. If you keep the plant in a cold room its leaves will start to yellow and drop.

It is okay to keep it in a room where the doors open and the air flows in cool waves, however, this shouldn’t be happening non-stop, or at least your plant shouldn’t be located near the door.

Another thing that matters quite a bit is humidity (due to its natural habitat, as you may imagine). Thus, the air in the room where you Dieffenbachia “lives” shouldn’t be dry at any cost.

If it is, please mist your plant on daily bases or keep a cup of water under the pot so the air around it can get humid. Another option is to purchase a humidifier that will be located near the plant.

Watering Dieffenbachia Plant

One of the most common causes of the plant’s death is when you start overwatering it, and often doing so unknowingly.

This is why it is so important to know how often you should do it and when exactly. If you overwater it sometimes by accident, it won’t do any harm, however, if it is constant, it will cause your plant to die.

Before you start thinking how dry the soil is and that watering is needed, please check by sticking your finger one inch deep and feeling if it’s moist. It if is moist, no watering is needed and if it feels drier, then you should do it. The most optimal time to do it is when the top 1-2 inches have dried out. Also, it is best to use lukewarm water.

Be careful to never let the soil dry out completely since that will also harm the plant.

When it comes to dieffenbachia watering it is also important to know how much water to use and the answer is easy – keep pouring it until it starts leaving the pot thought the holes and then let it drain.

Also, empty the pot tray, so the plant doesn’t stay in the water, as it is harmful to it and causes the roots to rot and decay.

If you still aren’t sure how often to do it, or you are afraid of what will happen if you travel, then self-watering pots are the perfect solution for your dieffenbachia.

Another amazing product is a soil moisture gauge that is quite cheap to get and that measures how moist the soil is and lets you know when watering is needed.

Besides this gauge that measure the moisture level, there is also an amazing products soil meter that also reads pH value and light levels.

Another important thing to know is that humidity plays a great role in your plant’s health as well, besides enough watering. Since it comes from the tropical region, it naturally seeks to be in humid spaces, which often isn’t possible in our living conditions.

Thus, a great solution to this issue would be to purchase a humidifier and locate it close to the plant. This is quite recommended in case you are doing everything right, and its leaves are still yellowish. This will probably fix the problem for you.

As already mentioned, in case you want to refrain from getting a humidifier for any reason, misting your plant daily will be quite enough.

Proper Lighting for Diffenbachia

I have some great news for you, and they are that your dieffenbachia sunlight requirements are quite low, so having a very bright room for it is not a mandatory aspect for its quality growth.

This means that pretty much any person who wishes to have one can do it without paying much attention to lighting.

As I already said, its exposure to direct light, especially in the summer, when radiation goes up or when your plant is in the growing process, will cause problems, the most common being dieffenbachia brown leaves, or faded ones. They will also curl, so it is advisable to pay attention to this sign as well.

Direct sunlight is quite harmful, thus there should be a filter between it and the plant, such as curtain, or a shady part of the room.

However, your plant must have enough light for it to grow properly, so please don’t put it in a very dark spot. Or, if you don’t have any other option, and wish to possess this plant, purchasing a grow light for it is the best idea.

As we talk about plant care dieffenbachia can seem tricky due to its needs for lots of light, but not too much of it, and I understand the struggle. I hope you will be able to find the right spot for it.

Also, a very important point is to rotate your plant every few weeks, so all of its sides get enough sunlight in order to grow evenly. People often forget about this aspect of their plant’s growth and then wonder why it started bending towards one side.

When it comes to your plant “surviving” the winter, you should know it’s quite normal for it to grow very slowly, or almost stop growing at all, due to its tropical nature. They are just vulnerable in lower temperatures and very low light, and there is nothing to worry about.

You can just let them be, and not even move them to brighter spots since low light in winter won’t harm them.

Fertilizing Dieffenbachia Plant

I am sure you have heard of the fertilization process so many times so far and you understand how important it is for many plants, especially those that you have in your home or other indoor space.

Quite often these plants cannot obtain many nutrients, as they would from nature if they were outdoors, and plants can seriously be affected by this nutrient deficit.

Many small indoor plants can go easily without being fertilized and grow efficiently, however, feeding them can also not harm, as they will just have benefits from it (unless you overfeed them).

Dieffenbachia Plant Fertilizer – Does It Need It and When Exactly?

Whether you will fertilize your indoor dieffenbachia is all up to you and there won’t be much difference between the choices unless you have a very big species that will benefit a lot from fertilization.

However, it is a good choice to give your plant, especially the baby one a “push” and help it start growing faster with additional, much-needed nutrients. Quite often your indoor plant lacks potassium, nitrogen, salt, and other elements.

They are very helpful after winter, when the plant starts “waking up” from its winter sleep and when its growing season starts. At those times fertilizers are a great choice to help them grow faster, better and restore their previous beauty.

Also, if you’ve been traveling and forgot about your plant that maybe started to get dry or had additional problems, watering and fertilizing it will help the most to restore it.

Types of Dieffenbachia Fertilizers

1. Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer

If you are thinking about giving additional nutrients to your plant, then I must say I strongly recommend using organic products, and not chemical ones.

The reason for this is that the chemical ones can harm this plant and cause its leaves to turn brown. This happens regularly when plants are fertilized with more product than needed.

Also, chemical fertilizers lead to various buildups, such as mineral or salt buildup, that don’t happen naturally in nature and that affect the plant in bad ways. One of them is that your plant can become weak and susceptible to diseases and insect attacks.

Also, please don’t fertilize your plant in winter, since it doesn’t grow at that time and does not need all those nutrients, that can do much more harm than good in that period. It is enough to simply water it.

TIP: Before you fertilize your plant, make sure it is watered, since adding such product to dry soil, can harm your plant and burn it.

Also, if you repotted your plant recently, refrain from fertilizing it for several months, as it needs time to adjust to the new pot.

2. Pellet Fertilizer

This fertilizer is created from poultry waste by adding nutrients, such as Calcium. They are supposed to be sprinkled on top of the soil and used over a longer period, such as one year.

Pellet is mostly used for bigger plants and heavy-feeders, thus it is perfect in case you have a very large dumb cane in your home. This way you don’t have to think about feeding it too often.

3. Liquid Fertilizer

Liquid fertilizer is used more often than the pellet one, 2-3 times a year and you need to be careful not to over-fertilize your beautiful plant. It is much better to forget to add nutrients to your dumb cane than to overdo it and harm it with too many minerals, salts, and other ingredients.

Many gardeners around the world use liquid fertilizers, as they are safe, offer much faster results and can also be used in various ways, compared to the solid one.

Dieffenbachia Plant Pruning

Dieffenbachia pruning is a very important aspect of caring for your beautiful plant.

As you know pruning is the process of cutting overgrown branches and stems and this way you encourage better and faster growth of your plant. By doing this your plant will grow faster and its “glow” will be restored.

Does your Dieffenbachia Need Pruning?

The logic behind the pruning process is that your plant loses lots of energy and nutrients to nurture those overgrown parts that don’t even flatter its shape, making other, smaller parts get less much-needed food and water.

Dieffenbachia yellowing is what can happen if you leave your plant to grow on its own and not prune it.

Thus, you should prune your dieffenbachia and help it grow better and faster that way.

Now, it is important to know that young and small plants don’t really need pruning but only the big, overgrown ones require some trimming, and this process is quite simple.

Also, trimming is easier and much safer option, since pruning your dumb cane will easily expose it to bacteria, as it needs time to “heal” the cut spots. Also, you must take good care of the hygiene and use sterile sheers/knife, just like you would use clean ones for doing anything on your body.

In case you don’t wish to try pruning, then trimming the plant definitely the option I would choose.

If you opt for any of these options, it is important that you do it while the plant is in the growing phase, or better said, the active season in spring and summer. Since they grow actively during this period, your plant will recuperate much faster.

This process is also done when dumb cane has shed some leaves and when you can see exposed stems.

Pruning Steps

1. Wearing gloves is crucial

Many people don’t know, but dieffenbachia is not an easy plant to work with because of an ingredient of its sap. That is the chemical called calcium oxalate that is made up of tiny fibers that are quite sharp like tiny needles and resemble fiberglass. (even the sound of it makes me nervous since I had several quite unpleasant experiences with it).

When skin is exposed to it, it gets rash, becomes itchy and makes you want to go crazy since it feels like those fibers are everywhere and you can’t get rid of them easily. Also, do not touch your face by any chance, since getting them on it is even worse than having them on your hands.

In order to skip this unpleasant experience, please wear gloves before starting the pruning process and don’t think it is safe to touch yourself with gloves on, as those fibers will still be transferred on you.

2. 45-degree angle “rule”

When you get ready to prune your dumb cane plant, it is important to do it at a certain height and spot, and also at the angle of 45 degrees.

When you look at your plant’s height, know that you should never remove more than one-third of its foliage. There should be at least 6 inches between the cut and the ground and the cut should be made only above a node, around half an inch above it.

The nod is a bit thicker part on your plant’s stem that is encircled with a darker ring, from which leaves start growing. Nods resemble knuckles on our hands that are naturally a bit thicker.

When you cut there, you give your plant the best chance to “recover” and start growing faster and prettier.

I will repeat once again that you should use a very sharp knife or sheers and clean them before the process, so you keep the plant as safe as possible from any bacteria and further complications.

3. Water Your Dumb Cane

Your plant will be more vulnerable after pruning, so please make sure to water it regularly. If there are times you just forget about it, please don’t let it be during this period. It will need water and nutrients, so fertilization during this process is also advisable.

Dieffenbachia Plant Propagation

Dieffenbachia propagation is the process through which you will reproduce your plant and get new baby plants pretty easily.

I will now cover all the important information and things you need to do to propagate successfully and safely for your mother plant.

Before you start you will first need a sharp knife or shears, just like for pruning and they need to be very clean, so your plant doesn’t get infected.

There are two ways in which you can propagate your dumb cane and those are via stem cutting and air-layering and we are about to cover both.

Stem Cutting Dieffenbachia Propagation

If you opt for propagation from stem-cutting you will have to decide how you will continue the process, since rooting can begin either in a potting medium or water. It will give you the same result and the option depends on which one you find easier, faster and more comfortable doing.

Rooting Process in a Potting Medium

As we said, hygiene comes first! Before you start the cutting, you will have to clean the sheers or the knife, so it doesn’t have any bacteria or dirt on it. The best way to do so create a solution by using pine oil cleaner and water. Their ratio should be 1:3, water to cleaner and will be a very good sterilizing solution.
In general, you can cut any part of the plant’s stem – base, middle or lower section, but you should know that the tips root the fastest, so you can just keep that in mind. As you start cutting, put on your gloves, for the reasons mentioned above.

Believe me, you don’t wish to get sap on your hands, face, or mouth. As you cut, you should remove 3-4 inches of the chosen cane and I suggest that you cut around 3-4 sections and increase chances of success.

If the cut sections have any leaves on them, remove them and let the dieffenbachia cuttings dry. This can be done by placing them in direct sunlight, for example on a window or in the garden if you have it, or by letting it dry during the night. After your cutting gets drier, you should have a high-quality potting mix ready and waiting to stick them in it.
The next step of the process is to prepare the pot you previously set aside for your new babies. You should fill it with potting soil that will consist of two ingredients evenly distributed: sand and peat moss. After filling the pot, moist the soil generously.
After you’ve completed all of the steps above, you should take the cuttings and place them in the pot, so the bottom is planted in the soil and the top above it.
It is crucial that you keep the cutting in a warm room, where the temperature isn’t going to drop below 75°F (24°C) and always keep it most, so the new baby plants have enough food and water as well.

In case you won’t be home, or be able to take care of them as carefully as you’d like, there is a good tip and it is to cover the pot with a plastic sheet. By doing so, the sheet will stop water from evaporating, creating a pocket where humidity will be constant and perfect for the plant.

After you’ve completed everything, the only thing you are left to do is to wait. (it sucks, I know). Your new baby plants will take around 1-2 months to start rooting. After this period, feel free to transfer them from the first pot to a bigger one, let’s say a 3-inch one and keep them in a sunny spot outdoors (in a bright shade I would suggest).

Just please make sure to fill that new pot with a good quality potting mix, so the growth process continues properly.

Rooting Process in a Water Medium

This process is the easier and faster one that rooting in a water medium.

To do it correctly, I advise that you follow the next steps.

The first step is the same for both ways, you should remove several sections that should be 4-6 inches long from the mother’s stem and it can be from any part of it – bottom, middle or the top.
The next thing you should do is to pour fresh water in a glass and place the cutting in there. They will stay in it for a few weeks and water should be changed every few days. In the meantime keep that glass in a bright and also warm place, but not in direct light, since it can cause the cuttings to die out.
In several weeks you should be able to see new baby roots on your cuttings and that will be the time to take them out of the water and place in their own pots. Each cutting should get its own, 3-4″ pot that will have a high-quality potting mix that drains well and peat in it.
It is also important to know that you should transplant them as soon as roots start appearing, since doing so when they get bigger can make the transplantation harder.

Rooting Via Air-Layering Process

This process is usually used if you wish your plant to grow more robust than it normally would and it is mostly used for larger kinds of Dieffenbachia plants.

Another reason when this method is used is when your plant is not completely healthy (it is leggy or its leaves are losing their color), so this way you can use the healthiest parts and get new healthy and beautiful baby plants.

As you can see this is a great method to get perfect plants from the flourishing parts, but it is not the easiest one.

Here are the steps I encourage you to follow.

Since you are using this method, the stem you use needs to be perfectly healthy and thorough inspection needs to be conducted. Look carefully at the plant and find the stems that have perfectly healthy leaf buds. Once you find the stem that fits the description make a 2-inch long vertical slit along the stem.
Once the slit is made, you will have to place a toothpick or a small twig in between so the two separated slits don’t touch. After you’ve done this you will need to cover the cut part of the plant with a rooting medium. (between the two slits)
The next thing you will need to do is to have a handful of peat moss ready. You will then need to pour it with water and then squeeze to remove excess water, so it doesn’t drip.
The following step is to take this wet peat moss and cover the cut part of your plant. You can fixate it with regular tape so it stands still on the cut part.
You will then need to cover the fixed moss with a sheet so there isn’t any air between it and the moss. You can also use insulating tape.
After several days you should be able to see new baby roots growing from the cut section and they will be quiet obvious while growing through the moss.
After you’ve made sure they are growing, feel free to remove the sheet. Afterward, you should use a sharp knife to detach the new baby plant from the mother stem.
The next step is an ordinary one and it is to plant the baby dieffenbachia in a pot with a high-quality potting mix.
Just like in the previous method, it is advisable to cover this growing section with a sheet so it keeps as much needed moisture as possible.
After your plant starts growing and becomes stronger, you can remove the sheet and place the pot to a bright spot, but not direct light.

Repotting Dieffenbachia Plant

Many different plants require repotting more or less often. It all depends on their size and how fast they grow.

Most often people choose smaller kinds of this plant as they grow it in their homes, so when it comes to growing dieffenbachia indoors, you won’t have to worry much about repotting.

The very first time you might have to do it is when you purchase the baby plant since they are usually sold in tiny pots where roots take up almost the whole volume, outgrowing them very fast.

As soon as you transplant it to another pot, it should grow in it well for one to two years, before needing to move -to the bigger “house”.

As you prepare to report your dieffenbachia, please pay attention to the following:

The pot must have a hole on the bottom because your plant hates too much water. As you already read, it will cause her to mold and eventually rot and die if it’s always surrounded with water. The pot needs to have openings through which excess water will drain, leaving the roots with just enough moisture.
You should use a high-quality fast-drainage soil mix that will provide your dumb cane with enough nutrients. Many people think that just any soil is enough, and this is partly true, but only when your plant is located in your garden. That way it naturally gets nutrients from the rain, deceased bugs, insects, food and other sources.

However, when you keep it in your home, it needs to be kept in a soil mix that will provide all of the needed nutrients and other elements as it is its only source.

Transplantation Process

As you prepare for the repotting as part of your regular dieffenbachia indoor care you might feel nervous if that is the first time you are about to do it. Therefore you might wonder if everything will go well and if the plant will continue to flourish in its next pot.

However, please don’t worry, as you will see what a short and easy process it is.

1. Water Your Dieffenbachia

It is quite important to do that 2-3 days before its transplantation because much moisture will “help it get ready” for the repotting process and it will not go through such a big shock, as it would if it were dry.

2. Take It Out of the Pot

The next thing to do is to start the process after several days of preparing for it. If your plant has spent substantial time in the pot, you might be surprised to see how stuck its roots are to the interior walls.

This means you will have to take a sharp knife and detach the roots from the walls going in a circle with the knife.

You will see that you will cut some roots, but there is no other way to do it.

When you are finished with this and the plant is standing loosely in the pot, you can then take it out it gently.

3. Get Rid Of the Excess Dirt

As you take your pretty plant in your hands, it is time to remove as much old dirt from its roots as possible. Since it will be moved to the new one, there is no need to take the old dirt with it, unless it’s quite tangled in the roots. The new soil mix will give your plant a very new and fresh start it needs.

As you try to take off dirt gently, you will be able to examine the roots and see in kind of what shape they are.

It could happen that you see a bit mold, or some tiny pests, it does happen quite often. Some roots could be a bit soggy as well and this is all normal. It is just important to cut these parts away, as they are infected and you don’t need to coming to the new soil and spreading even more.

As you remove everything that doesn’t seem 100% healthy, you will refresh your plant and prepare it for its new home.

4. Move the Plant to the New Pot

Since you are done with removing the dirt and examining the roots it is time to settle your beautiful dieffenbachia to its new pot where it will spend next months or even years.

As we mentioned, it is crucial that you prepare a high-quality potting mix, but I would also suggest that you add some charcoal as well.

You can mix charcoal with the soil mix and it will help in a very specific way – it can absorb any ingredients or impurities that could harm your plants, such as the ones located in water or lower quality.

5. Use Compost as Well

It is advisable to add some compost as well the best one out there is the worm compost if you ask me. It will nurture your plant even more than the potting mix alone and will assist with your plant’s adjustment to the new pot.

Taking Care of Your Dieffenbachia Plant After Repotting

After you are finished with repotting your dieffenbachia, it will still need your effort and additional care, as the adjustment process will just have started. It will be more fragile, due to the shock it went through.

I advise that you carefully pick the place where you will keep her and that it is any kind of brighter shade with a warm temperature.

As we mentioned several times, don’t ever put it in the direct sunlight, since it will burn for sure and get damaged.

The next following days water your plant very well, but again not too much, so it doesn’t rot.

It will take it around two weeks to get fully adjusted to the new pot. After this time you can analyze it and see if there are any brown, yellow or very dry leaves and take them off.

Dieffenbachia Plant Problems and Solutions

There are many potential problems you and your plant can face, however, not so serious ones that may occur when taking care of this plant and I am about to cover most of them. This way you will know exactly what you are facing and how to go about solving them successfully.

1. Dieffenbachia Yellow Leaves

You Are Using too Much Fertilizer

Using fertilizer can be an amazing facilitator for your plant’s fast and quality growth, however, it can also be the cause of many problems, such as its leaves turning yellow.

If you see even one dieffenbachia yellow leaf as you inspect it, and you do fertilize the plant, this is 99% cause of that issue.

As I already mentioned, your plant needs to be fertilized only once a year, or twice if you combine solid and liquid fertilizer at most!

Anything additional and abundant will cause the opposite effect.

In case you have used more fertilizer and your plant is suffering, I suggest that you repot it and get rid of the old soil as much as you can, giving it a nice, fresh start.

It Has Too Many Minerals

Another reason is that there is a larger mineral or salt buildup in the soil that is doing it much harm.

If you aren’t sure if this is the reason, you could try to use the best liquid there is for plants: rainwater or distilled water, that doesn’t have excess minerals.

If you see any improvement, please continue to use that kind of water, as the tap one has something that is hurting the plant.

The Light is Too Strong

I mentioned this around 10 times already and will do it once again – picking the right spot for your dumb cane can be quite tricky, as it needs to be in the shade, but also a bright spot as well. It needs to be a perfect balance.

I know someone could say: “Hey, but they are tropical plants, they love the sun!”, however, this isn’t true. Direct sunlight is too strong for their tender leaves and will either make them fade or turn them yellow.

On the other hand, the too dark area will cause it to become dull and lose its vibrant green color.

2. Dieffenbachia Leaves Turning Brown

Watering Too Much Or Too Little

When leaves turn brown you can almost rest assured that you have a watering problem, or better said overwatering problem. Dieffenbachia plants indeed love moisture and humidity, but nit excessively.

If you aren’t sure how often to do it, then wait for the 1-2 inches of the soil to get dry and then water the plant. Also, let the water drain before setting the pot on a plate.

Repotting Is Seriously Needed

When you’ve kept your plant in a pot for some time, there is no way you can know how tangled and big the roots are. Thus, if the leaves start turning brown and you know that watering shouldn’t be the problem then you should try to repot your plant as soon as possible.