Outdoor bendy yukkas - help!

We have two outdoor yukkas and they are really badly bending. I've done some reading - they are either being overwatered (unlikely as I am a terrible plant mother and always forget to water things), underwatered (very likely), or experiencing shock. Please see pictures. Does anyone have any advice for getting these standing upright again, or are they a lost cause? We have a west-facing garden that gets lots of sun in the afternoon so I'm not sure if light is the problem. The trunks are firm and not spongey and the leaves seem to be doing fine.

We live on a terrace and at some point some absolute nugget planted loads of bamboo directly into the ground and it's spread like wildfire, we are constantly battling it (poisoning it, cutting it, pouring boiling water on it, etc) but I wonder if it's causing any damage to the yukkas? Nearby plants (a conifer, a clematis, a cherry blossom tree) all seem to be unaffected.

 

I would say, you are correct with the underwatering, Yucca should be watered every 10 days or so, fill up a washing up bowl/bucket with water, and pour it around the plant twice. After a few hours the plant should recover, Water again in 10 days time.

 

Well I've never watered an out door yucca growing directly in the ground.

They really don't need it unless perhaps your soil is very sandy and extremely dry.

They appear to be too close to the fence and probably trying to grow away from it. In the process fallen over.
Have they ever flowered?
Some types grow stouter stems than others, some no stems at all.

They are just top heavy.
If they were mine I'd cut the tops off with a 6 to 8 inch length of stem and re root them.

 

Thank you both for the super quick responses! I've sloshed a load of water on them (we are in East London and the soil quality is crap, I am considering digging some up and putting some new stuff down though that may be a bit advanced for me). I think it has flowered before...but not for awhile? I do have some large pots so I could try digging them up and putting them into those.

 

Well I'd go for re rooting, can't really see that bent over stem either holding the weight or straightening up.
You could re root the stems in posts, then either leave the original roots where they are or dig them out.
Yuccas don't actually mind poor soil, they don't like winter wet, so a bit stoney and dry is ideal.

 

Thanks Pete! I've gone out to have another look this morning and the tops are VERY heavy so I imagine you're right, they're never going to straighten up again. Our garden is very small however without really anywhere else to put them, so I think it'll have to be pots. Should I just lop the leafy tops off, dig up the rest and put them each in a big pot?

 

My suggestion would be to cut the tops off with 6ins of stem.
Put them somewhere in the shade for a week to dry off the cut area.

Get some reasonable sized pots and fill with a mixture of 50:50 john innes compost and potting sand or grit.
Terracotter pots are best as heavier and they drain faster.
When the cuttings have dried plant with the base of the leaves pretty much at soil level.
Leave them in half shade and water occasionally, but don't over do it as they will rot if you do.
Hopefully they will root in 2 to 3 months.

 

Thanks Pete! That's a job for the bank holiday then.