Q.Yucca
I have a very large yucca in my front garden which I’m going to prune very soon. Do I need to cover the cut edge with wax? And what wax would I use? Would beeswax be ok, as I have loads available to me? To plant the part I prune off, will normal multi purpose compost be ok, or is there a perticular type of compost to use?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
You do not need to cover the edge with wax. This can actually harm the plant as it can trap fungus and bacteria in the cut. I would recommend using potting soil instead of compost, or, if you want to use the compost, sterilize it in your oven by spreading it out on a tray and baking it for an hour at 350 F. This will kill any pathogens that might be in the compost. Normally these would not cause a problem, but when rooting cuttings, they are very susceptible to pathogens in the rooting mix.
