Care for a Bird of Paradise Houseplant With Split Yellowing Leaves

Keep the plant's soil moist. Supply water until it comes out of the drainage holes in the pot. Water when the surface of the soil is dry. Consider buying a self-watering pot or other system that provides the plant a continuous supply of water.

Repot plants grown in containers when the leaves turn yellow and split. Use a pot of the same size the plant was in, and scatter stones or broken pieces of terra cotta pot on the bottom of the new container to aid in drainage. Add enough potting soil, typically 1 or 2 inches, so that when the plant and its root ball are placed in the pot, the top of the root ball is 1 inch below the lip of the pot.

Fill around the plant with potting soil. Water the bird of paradise when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch. Make sure the water drains through the soil rather than pooling at the bottom. Don't let the plant sit in a pool of water. Set the plants in full sun or partial shade.

Fertilize bird of paradise plants every three months when the plant is flowering. Use a slow-release, soluble fertilizer designed for flowering ornamentals and or an organic fertilizer such as blood meal or manure, per label instructions. Over-fertilizing burns the roots. Generally, the ratio for water-soluble fertilizer is 1-½ tsp. per gallon water. Dead leaves and stems don't normally drop off bird of paradise plants, so remove them at least once a year to prevent the growth of fungus.

Repot the plants when they outgrow their flowerpots. Use a pot that's one size larger than the container the plant was in.