Q.diefenbachia cutting and propagating
I have just 2 days ago, taken a cutting of an older diefenbachia plant and re-rooted it into another pot with rooting hormone (stem root) and today, 2 days later, am noticing a yellowing of the leaves whence previously they were very green. Can you explain what is happening here or is it just because it will do so for a couple of weeks, as I remember previously this having happened.
The lower leaves of cuttings commonly yellow and drop off. This is because when the branch is separated from the rest of the plant, it no longer has water flowing into it through the plant's vascular system. The plant's response to no water is to pull nutrients out of the leaf - you see this as yellowing; pull water out of the leaf - wilting; then let the leaf go - dropping. That's why when you make cuttings, you generally pull off all but 2 or 3 leaves. Deiffenbachia is a little different, in that it roots so easily, people commonly just cut the stem into pieces and stick them into the soil. You should soon be the parent of bouncing baby dieff.
