| I just bought a croton plant in a gallon container. It's been loosing leaves rapidly since it came home with me. Is there a problem with it? the soil is fairly moist. |
| It sounds as though your new croton is showing signs of stress. A dip in temperatures can cause leaf drop (perhaps as a result of being transported during the winter?), drafts from a frequently opened outside door or from heater vents can also stress the plant. Lower light levels than it is accustomed to can also cause stress. In general, crotons can be demanding houseplants. They must be right in front of a sunny window (south or west facing) where they can get lots of direct sunlight. Without lots of light, they drop off their older leaves and replace them with smaller, mostly all-green leaves. In addition, Crotons often drop leaves in response to a change in their environment. So even if you have great light, there may still be an adjustment period of several months. Crotons do not tolerate dryness, but they can't be kept soaking wet all the time either. As soon as the surface of the soil feels dry to the touch, then it is time to water thoroughly (until some water trickles through the drainage holes). If you can pinpoint and resolve the problem, your croton should recover. Hope this information is helpful. |
