Get in the habit of trimming dead branches throughout the year whenever you see them. This keeps your plant healthy and makes it look great. If you don’t have pruning shears, a good pair of sharp scissors will work in a pinch. Just remember to disinfect them first! Gardening tools can have harmful bacteria on them and you don’t want to transfer that bacteria to your plants.
Can’t tell if a branch is dead? Snap off just the end of the branch and look for green. If the branch is still alive, you’ll see green. If not, it’s time to cut the dead branch off! Getting rid of dead, dry leaves makes your croton plant look more vibrant. It can also prevent pests like mites and scale insects from feeding on the decaying material.
Get in the habit of checking on the leaves whenever you water your plants. This way, you can catch diseases or pests early.
Diseases can be caused by bacteria, overwatering, fungi, or wet leaves. To treat bacterial or fungal problems, try a copper fungicide on your plant.
Remember to wear gloves for this! If you do get some of the irritating sap on your hands, just wash them right away with soap and water.
Summer is also a good season to prune your plant. Avoid pruning during winter and fall, as these tropical plants go dormant during these times. [8] X Expert Source Andi XochPlant Specialist Expert Interview. 4 August 2021.
It can be tempting to cut back more than a third if you’ve got a really big croton, but don’t do it! Pruning too hard can shock the plant and prevent healthy growth. Don’t forget to put on a pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands from the plant’s sap.
It’s fine to propagate any time of year, especially since you can bring the cutting inside where it’s warm to encourage roots to grow. You can propagate as many cuttings as you want! Crotons make great gifts, so you might want to propagate a handful to give away as presents. Remember to disinfect your shears so you don’t introduce bacteria when you take the cutting. Dip a cloth in isopropyl alcohol or any 70-100% alcohol and wipe it over both sides of the blades.
Don’t forget to wear gloves! The sticky sap can make your skin itchy or irritated.
Don’t have rooting hormone? Don’t worry! You can still propagate croton without it. It’s tempting to just stick the cutting into the container of rooting hormone, but don’t do it! You’ll introduce moisture and contaminate the powder in the container.
You might be wondering why you can’t just push the cutting directly into the soil. If you do this, you’ll rub a lot of the rooting hormone off before the cutting gets down into the soil.
Check the soil every few days. Always drag your finger through the potting soil before you water it. Skip a watering session if the soil feels damp or moist.
To make it easier to get to the cutting, you can leave the bag untied. Just put the pot inside the bag and tuck the ends under the pot so it’s weighted down.
Your croton’s leaves will change color as they get bigger and mature.
