i am a 44 year old male who is in trouble. my better half is not very good with plants, but she has one corn plant that has survived for quite a while. the problem is our dogs tend to dig into to it and i kept cleaning it up. one time i got SO angry that i moved the plant outside. it is now in sorry shape and my better half is about to clock me one in the head!! the plant has many dead or dying leaves.

my mother and sister and great-grandmother had VERY green thumbs. i used to work with an old friend of mine and grow a garden every year when i was younger so i do understand some things about plants but am woefully ignorant about house plants.

first, let me ask. a friend of mine told me to cut away all the dead leaves and trim the top. he says it will cause the plant to bush out and not be so (stalky). i have trimmed away the dead leaves but am scared to death to trim the top. the plant has two separate stalks one about 4 feet and the other about two feet. should i cut the top off?? it only has live leaves at about the top 1/4 of the plant. will it grow new leaves where it is now bare?? the stalk is good and green however i do fear the the plant may be root bound.

i have not been active with house plants. however, being around them most of my life i do love them and feel bad about my impulsive action.

thank you for your attention. i hope someone can point me in the right direction. i promised my better half i would do everything i could to save her plant

lonnie wright

short answer, your corn plant is a variety of draceana and those are the easiest plants to propagate. cut the top off where you want it to be, don't worry about leaves on the bottom part, dip the cut end of the top in rooting hormone (or not, i've done it successfully both ways), plop it in the pot next to the original plant, and pretend it is just shorter. water as normal, and don't stick it in full sun. it will be fine. and yes, the bottom will send out new "arms" from the sides, making it "bushier"