yucca leaves are long, straight, very sharp-pointed, very fibrous, and covered with a thick layer of wax. If using fresh yuca, you need to buy about 1½ pounds because of the trimming that has to be done. Use a saw or pruning shears to cut the yucca down to its stump. Pruning isn’t necessary for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for an easy way to keep it from completely overpowering the yard. However, this growth can sometimes be unpredictable. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and set it in a shady place until it has formed a callus on over the area in which it was cut. Caring for a plant also includes trimming it. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, The University of Texas at Austin: Ask Mr. Smarty Plants, Wayne's Word Palomar College: Yucca & Yucca Moth. Cut Yucca palm trees properly A stature height of 3 meters and more is not uncommon with Yucca. Wait until the yucca has stopped blooming for the season before removing the bloom stalk. Reach into the center of the red yucca plant with long-handled loppers, and cut the flower spike off at the base when the flower has faded. Trimming the yucca plant is not hard. You should leave a bit of greenery on the stem so that the look remains. This is another case in which you have to trim it. Use your hands to push the soil and firm it around the base of the cutting. To begin with, a big part of the palm has to be cut off. Cut a leaf into 3 inch sections. The plant has to be dipped headfirst into the liquid wax, so this method isn’t made for trimming the yucca palm. Cutting off a lone yucca stalk to the ground may not result in new pups, but it usually does on plants with strong root systems in a few months. Once established, it is likely permanent. How to Prune a Yucca Plant. With a sharp paring knife, cut lengthwise through the bark and the pink skin under the bark. You have to get a good knife, especially for safety reasons. The bottom leaves are called the yucca’s “skirt.” Start at the bottom of the plant, and begin cutting off leaves using a knife, blade, pruning shears, or scissors. By this, you can find the right amount and the roots can absorb the water in a better way. Drain the boiled cassava well and pat dry. Yucca plants can form textural key to landscape plantings. KC shares her DIY passion by creating original articles so others can pursue their own home improvement goals and ideas. Cut off all branches, stems, and shoots that come from the main stump. If the palm is outside you house, the grafting wax’s resistance to weather is also important. Lower leaves on the cut-off parts has to be cut with a household knife. Hold the candle skewed, so that the wax drops down onto the cutting surface. If the first spring sun appears you should wait about 14 days, so that the yucca palm can get used to the new conditions. Place the knife under the skin to loosen it and pull off the skin and bark. If they were to stay and touch the soil, they can rot. With just the occasional prune, Yuccas are very easy to look after and strike new plants from. Step 2. I see it more in the 20' range and taller - not 10' as listed. Remove any dead or damaged leaves by hand at the end of summer, gently plucking them off the plant. Cutting the plant back to reduce its size should be done in early spring, right before the growing season. How long does the Wax stay on the Cut Surface? Especially the trimming of big parts from the main stem acts as a burden for the yucca and it reaches its maximum strength during the spring. The cut-off part can also be divided again, if it’s big enough. If parts touch the ceiling, the walls or window, you definitely have to trim it. Native to the southeastern coast of North America, Yucca gloriosa grows best in U.S. The plant will be brought back to looking great and you can concentrate on healthy leaves. The more cuttings you want to gain, the higher the cost. Only if the water has seeped away into the soil, you can continue watering. Lay your yucca leaves on the table. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Cut the yuca chunks in half length … Over the last decade, KC has published thousands of articles and blog posts that have been read by millions. This yucca is found all over the east bay of the San Francisco bay area. This will leave a sparse trunk for a while, but new offsets should sprout from the cut point. The upper cuttings have to be coated with grafting wax, it can easily be spread with a knife and prevents the cuttings from drying out. However, at the latest when the plant collides with the ceiling, you should take countermeasures. A few means are concentrated with fungicides, they prevent a possible fungal infection. The wax is thick, similar to honey and can be spread without any problems. Liberally watering the yucca the day before taking a cutting allows the stem, also … Therefore it’s quite important that you act timely and give the plant enough space to grow. Often older flower pots are present that can be used again. In frost-prone areas tender yucca species can be grown in a cool greenhouse or conservatory. It is advised that plant parts have to be at least 30 centimetres. 3. It’s not as poisonous, which is a plus for households with children. The cut-off part can also be divided again, if it’s big enough. Each are pruned slightly differently. Yucca plants, even those growing outdoors, do not need heavy pruning in order to stay healthy. The upper cuttings have to be coated with grafting wax, it can easily be spread with a knife and prevents the cuttings from drying out. TIP:Thurber advises, "Yucca plants grow in two forms, tree-like or in a rosette. Cut off the lower leaves with a blade if you want to remove its "skirt. " The classic way is to put the palm into water, so that the roots can sprout. All undesired parts have to be cut off, but be careful. You mustn’t cut too many twigs, since the plant will be strained by this. You should generally aim for keeping the wax on the plant as long as possible. Using a saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the trunk in half. Candle wax, or homemade grafting wax is cheaper and a good alternative. Unlike most plants, where pruning means the cutting of branches and blooms, the yucca is a cane plant, and thus pruning means cutting the trunk. If the plant has already grown so big that you cannot avoid this situation, you definitely have to trim it. Keep the soil evenly moist until germination. But this also comes with the risk of rotting, which is high for yucca palms. But if the plant is well-cared for and under ideal conditions, it can quickly reach the ceiling and you will have to trim it. We usually assume that some means are available at the household. You should leave a bit of greenery on the stem so that the look remains. You must, however, prune the shrub once a while to ensure that the dead stalks do not make the plant unsightly. You do have to consider that the plant has to adapt to the sun, after the darker months. Use a sharp pair of pruning shears to cut the stalk off 3 to 4 inches above where the stalk grows from the main trunk. 6. Place the hunks of peeled yucca root in the boiling water, and allow them to cook for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the root is very soft when poked with a fork. Place the yucca cutting in an area that remains between 65 and 95 degrees F and receives filtered sunlight. Cut the Flower Stalks Regularly. Yuccas are members of the lily family with blooms of similar form but much different foliage. If that’s the case, the following costs will occur. If you don’t want to use grafting wax, you can use normal candle wax. Notch the bottom of the leaf (end that was closest to the trunk). If they have dried, you can try pulling them off, but be careful not to harm the stem. Plants should also not be watered in a gushing way, but slowly. Stick leaf cuttings, notched end down, in vermiculite or a well-drained potting … Yucca palms should ideally be trimmed during the spring. Cutting it down, digging it up - … Simply cut off the top portion of a trunk down to the desired size. The wax is thick, similar to honey and can be spread without any problems. Cuts should be quick, clean and made at a slight angle. In the warmer parts of Australia, yucca cuttings can be taken almost anytime of the year. The method of planting it directly into the earth has proven itself and increases your chances of success. The Narrowleaf Yucca is a member of the Agavaceae or Agave Family but, fortunately, unlike the Century Plants in that family, does not die after it has bloomed once. Trimming the Yucca PalmTo begin with, a big part of the palm has to be cut off. In the cooler zones like Victoria, take cuttings from December to May. Leaves shouldn’t bump against the window since sunlight can cause burning. Step 4: Replant the bottom half Place the bottom, rooted portion of the plant back in the container, or in the ground if you are planting it outdoors. Yucca plants are great indoor plants, but they can grow too tall and need to be pruned to fit. Tips on how to prune a yucca Yucca If there is no proper spacing in your garden anymore, it’s high time you did some pruning, This process may seem a drastic one, but it is a perfect way of controlling the height of the plant, getting rid of dead leaves and flower stocks and even propagating. After that, you do have to apply grafting wax onto all cut surfaces. Besides, strive to give the yucca plant a desirable shape. If it has grown too big, it has to be cut, too. The product should also be plant compatible. 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