How to Split a Dieffenbachia Plant

One of the best home decorations available to man in the form of a flower is the Dieffenbachia plant. The colorful leaf improves not only your house décor but also the environment in which you place it. However, the plant requires special care to prevent accidents from happening if you have kids.

The plant known for its numbing effects also goes by the name Dumb Cane. It is versatile and highly adaptable to different weather conditions and lighting. In other words, in environments where many plants do not survive, the Dieffenbachia plant proves to be an anomaly.

Based on the above observations, it is essential for protective gear and the right equipment. Some of the supplies you will need include:

Thick Gloves

The plant has raphides that cause skin irritation. Your hands are the most susceptible to the plant. Holding it with enough force with a simple cloth will not do. The raphides penetrate through, which can be discomfiting.

Long sleeves

When dealing with a vast Dieffenbachia plant, it is advisable to wear long sleeves to cover your arms and hands. Severing the Dieffenbachia plant into different plants can cause sap to splatter to your skin. Without protective gear, your arms gain exposure, and the numbing effects will spread through your body.

Safety Glasses

Your eyes are most valuable when gearing up to severe a Dieffenbachia or Dumb cane. Safety glasses protect your eyes from any splatter resulting from the split.

Severing the Plant

Once all supplies you need to severe the plant, it is now time to proceed to the actual process.

Step one

Put on the protective gear. Start with the long-sleeved protective clothing, ensure it is from a material that does not absorb the plant’s sap. Next are the hand gloves. Ensure they go all the way to your elbows if possible. If not, the protective clothing will have to do.

Step two

Your Dieffenbachia plant can either be an in-house plant or one that is present in your backyard. If outside, the splitting process follows a simple process. The first step is to make a circle with the plant remaining in the middle of it. The perimeter should be around 4 inches from the side of the Dieffenbachia plant leaves for ease of removal for you to severe it.

A spade digs the circle efficiently. A sharp blade is essential in the process of splitting the plant. Once you are severe, take hold of the blade and pull it out. Use your hands to pull out the severed piece.

Step three

Once the plant is out of the soil, it carries a lot of dirt. The root ball is not visible and requires cleaning. Use a brush if available or wipe off the dirt using your hands. The aim is to expose the ball, the plant cane, and the roots.

Step four

The ball has unique separations indicating a grouping of similar canes. The canes might seem part of the same plant, but they have faults, and some appear closer together. These are the pieces you need to severe and remove.

Step five

The grouping in the ball root is the pieces you are to clip or split. The number of pieces your split into depending on the size of the original plant. Use your hands to try and pull them apart. However, if they are too firm and held together, you may want to sterilize a sharp knife or saw to separate the different canes.

Step six

The original plant goes back into the soil or pot. Be sure to add all essential nutrients and water to the plant after replanting. The severed pieces require new pots for you to plant them. Ensure that you keep them under the shade and away from direct sunlight. Only two hours under the sun is permissible for the Dieffenbachia plant.

The outdoors provides a vibrant space to grow any type of plant. For the Dieffenbachia plant, the soil must drain well. Soil for pots must have holes at the bottom for more natural drainage. Ensure you add some organic matter to provide the plant with essential nutrients.

Related Post: Mushroom Grow Bag

Tips for taking care of a Dieffenbachia plant

Avoid frequently watering the plant. It can result in excess water, especially if the drainage system is imperfect.

Select the right type of soil that does not hold water but remains moist enough to provide for the plant.

Always check the plant-soil in the pot or garden for moisture content before proceeding to water them

The plant requires constant rotation to ensure every edge gets under the sun. If a single side does not get enough sunlight, the plant grows and bends towards the light resulting in deformation. Light requirements differ from one type of Dieffenbachia plant to another. Be sure to check with cultivators on the requirement of yours before proceeding to split and replant.

Summary

Splitting the Dieffenbachia plant or the dumb cane is a relatively simple affair. However, the process is a dangerous one as the plant sap, and growth on the leaves can affect the skin and result in irritation or burning sensations. If you ingest the sap from the plant, your tongue goes numb, making it impossible to communicate.

These chemical reactions necessitate the need for protective gear. A cutting tool that is sharp and sterile to severe canes is also essential to the process—additional pot to repot the original plant and several others for the new plants. Knowledge for care after splitting is essential as it promotes growth within a short period.

Finally, caring for the split dumb cane takes priority to ensure it retains its appearance and flowers. The only way to do so is to maintain the right temperatures, water moderately, feeds the plant using, and organic matter. So split your dumb cane and use the split pieces to grow more unusual plants.