My Sad Dieffenbachia

Over the years I have had all kinds of houseplants, everything from African violets to fichus trees. No matter how hard I try they all die. I even managed to kill cacti. I do not neglect them. I have bought books and watched shows on public television and cable on how to give them proper care. I have bought special potting soils, repotted at prescribed intervals and given them plant food. They all die.

Seventeen years ago when I moved into the house I live in now I had decided I would have no more house plants. After my eye surgery last October I was given a dieffenbachia. I have not killed it—yet. All winter I kept the scissors handy as one by one its leaves turned yellow. I remembered reading that a sign a deffenbachia is sick is when it starts growing small solid colored leaves. Mine is doing that. I bought some Miracle Grow plant food spikes for it. I don’t know if it is due the plant food or if the plant knows it is spring, but recently I noted a spurt of new growth. The new leaves are variegated the way they are supposed to be. It looks like this plant will be with me a while longer.