Indoor Yucca â?? too big!

Hi everyone

I am new to the board. Iâ??m not the keenest of gardeners but I do my bit and do have questions from time to time and hope that you guys will be able to help me with some advice. And who knows I may even be able to help out too, even if it turns out to be for amusement only. Anyway on to my first question

I have an indoor yucca it is now over 20 years old. Started off as a small window sill plant but now touches the ceiling even though it is standing on the floor. My question is what can I do with it now? Its leaves are bending over at the ceiling and Iâ??m assuming it will die if I move it outside. Any ideas? Can I make it smaller? or is that ridiculous?:o

 

Hello and welcome Strawfoot.

Can't help you with your query but more experienced members of this forum will be along soon.

I have a Yucca plant too but mine is always poorly, no matter where I move it to in the house. I have decided that Yucca's and me don't go together.

 

Hi Strawfoot welcome,When your yucca plant becomes too tall for the space it is in, gently remove it from the pot. Determine where the halfway mark is on the trunk or a point where you wish to be pruning a yucca that is above the halfway point. Using a saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the trunk in half repot the bottom bit and give it a good watering it will soon grow new leaves,the bit you have chopped off can be made into new plants cut it up into 12"lengths remember which way up they were growing plant them in pots a couple of inches deep throw the top leafy bit in the compost.

 

You could try rerooting a large section as well.

I have had yucca elephantipes (the usual indoor one) growing outdoors in a pot for several years. The larger ones can survive in a sheltered location in less cold parts of the country. Mine has taken -6 several times, and has prooved hardier than small canary island date palms. I will plant it out as it should do better in the ground.

 

It really works! When I moved in here in february there was a heap of compost outside, not rotten at all (too dry inside) and while I was turning it I found a piece of yucca in it. No leaves at all, but it looked sound and I could not resist potting it. It's thriving now! I was not sure which was the up and which was the down so I laid it flat in a rectangular pot, and it's sprouting new leaves all along. I guess it will be a sort of colony :D

 

Hi Walnut

Thanks, thatâ??s very interesting; I did not know you could do that. So you are saying that I can make two or more new plants out of my big one? So presumably roots will soon appear on the cut off bit?

I have taken a photo and marked potential cut off points A & B. So could I cut the trunk at a point between A and B and replant the cut bit (i.e. the bit with no roots)?

Thanks to everyone else for responding

 

Hi SF yes you can do that no problem the bit below B with the original roots will re-shoot, yes you can transplant the bit between A and B it will develope roots just make sure you plant it the right way up it's not always obvious once it's cut,you could cut it into several pieces between B and the leaves,discard the leaf bit as the cutting will not be able to sustain the leaves.