How to Care for Flowering Dracaena Deremensis

Locate the corn plant in an area with bright, indirect light, if possible. This plant will also grow in low light as well. Keep this tropical plant in a room with temperatures no colder than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pour water in the top of the container until it runs out the bottom and discard any excess water by emptying the water catch tray. Use room temperature water, because cold water gives the plant a chill and stunts its already slow growth. Water the plant whenever the top inch of soil is dry.

Trim off any yellow or brown leaves with a pair of sharp scissors. Cut the cane back with a knife to any height desired in the spring right before new growth begins. Keep this plant at a manageable size by pruning it back every couple of years. The corn plant will grow leaves back at the point where the stem is cut.

Plant the cut canes in a plant pot filled with a mixture of 2 parts peat moss, 1 part potting soil and 1 part sand. The canes will grow roots on the cut parts placed in the soil. Rooting hormone is not necessary but it can speed up the rooting process. Keep the soil moist until new growth appears.

Mix 1/4 teaspoon of liquid 10-15-10 houseplant fertilizer with 1 quart of water. Water the plant with this mixture once every four weeks during the growing season. Do not feed the corn plant in the winter when it is dormant.

Pour water through the soil twice a year to leach the accumulated fertilizer salt out of the soil. Flood the plant pot for at least 5 minutes and let the plant freely drain. Wait one hour and leach the soil again.

Remove the corn plant from its container every two years and repot it. This refreshes the nutrients in the soil. Prune back the dead roots with a pair of pruning shears and untangle wrapped roots with your fingers. Replant it in the same container or one that is a couple of inches larger if needed.

Spray the corn plant outside with a strong stream of water if it becomes infested with pests like mites, thrips and aphids. If the weather is too cold, give the plant a lukewarm shower to knock the pests off the leaves. Wipe the leaves down with a soft, damp cloth to keep the leaves pest-free and clean.