Okay, let’s talk about my dieffenbachia reflector. I’ve been growing this baby for a while now, and I gotta say, it’s become one of my favorites. So, I figured I’d share my experience and how I’ve been taking care of it.
First off, I got this plant as a small cutting from a friend. I remember being super excited because I’d always wanted one of these. The leaves are just so unique! Anyway, I started by putting the cutting in a jar of water. Made sure to change the water every few days to keep it fresh, you know how it is. After a few weeks, I noticed some little roots starting to pop out. That’s when I knew it was time to move it to soil.
I picked up a regular potting mix from the local store – nothing fancy. I’ve learned that these plants aren’t too picky about soil, as long as it drains well. I made a little hole in the soil, gently placed the rooted cutting in, and covered it up. Then, I gave it a good watering.
- Finding the right spot for this plant was a bit of a trial-and-error thing. At first, I put it in a super bright spot, right by the window. But then I noticed the leaves were starting to get a bit pale and scorched. Turns out, these guys prefer bright, indirect light.
- So, I moved it to a spot a few feet away from the window, where it gets plenty of light but not that harsh, direct sun. And bam! It started thriving. The leaves got that deep, rich color back.
- Now, about watering. I let the soil dry out a bit between waterings. I stick my finger in about an inch, and if it’s dry, I water it. If it’s still damp, I wait a bit longer. I’ve found that overwatering can be a real problem for these plants, so it’s better to err on the side of underwatering.
- I also started fertilizing it every month or so during the growing season (spring and summer). I just use a regular houseplant fertilizer, diluted to half strength. Seems to be working fine, it’s been putting out new leaves like crazy.
One thing I noticed is that it likes a bit of humidity. I have a humidifier in the room, which helps. Sometimes, I also mist the leaves, especially during the winter when the air gets really dry.
Some Other Things
I have rotated the plant every now and then, so it grows evenly. Otherwise, it might start leaning towards the light, and we don’t want that.
Another time I noticed some yellowing on the lower leaves. After some googling, I figured it was probably just normal aging, so I just snipped them off. No biggie.
And lastly, I repotted it last year into a slightly bigger pot. It seemed to be getting a bit root-bound, and the new pot gave it more room to grow. All in all it took me a couple of weeks to get the roots. During this whole time, I took care to place it where it’ll receive the ideal light.
So yeah, that’s pretty much my dieffenbachia reflector journey so far. It’s been a fun and rewarding experience. These plants are pretty easy to care for once you get the hang of it. And they’re so beautiful, it’s totally worth the effort!
