I overwatered one that I had just bought and the stalks rotted off. Was lazy about throwing it out and a couple of weeks later 3 shoots came out. So be aware they seem to regenerate.
I had unexpected experiment with my ZZ plant. Due to russian war I left our house. My parents visited it after 7 months and found, that ZZ plant is alive and even has several new branches. Of course it looked not super healthy, but it was green and alive
I had a ZZ Plant next to an open fish tank and literally never watered it. It was extremely happy just absorbing moisture from the air it seemed. I had to fill up the fish tank more often, though!
Greetings from America Thank you Mr Sheffield for helping me save a couple of zz plants I rescued. It's been a year I adopted the two variants of zz's and today I had to transplant them in a slightly larger pot. One bit of advice I would share is to make sure you don't plant a ZZ in a round pot as I did a year ago. I ended up hurting the plant as it had grown to completely fill the round pot making it very difficult to remove the plant because of the lip of the pot curving. This time I put her to bed in a pot with slightly angling out. Again, thank you for helping me with all of my plants. You have some of the wisest info on you tube. Richard
I recently repotted my ZZ it was in a 6" pot from store and the rhizomes were breaking out of the pot! Its now in a 9" pot suitable for bottom watering one day, seems happy as it has now put out two large shoots :)
I needed this today! I JUST noticed last night that my ZZ has 3 yellow leaves!!!!! What I saw online said to take out of the moist soil ASAP and put in drier soil and leave it alone. Hopefully that helps. I am so sad I did that to her. I feel terrible. Thanks for this video!
Just wanna say thanks.u just saved all my snake plants and some of most of my other plants.make up dirt with cactus mix and added half vermiculite and some peat moss and won’t be watering them for month or two .like how u explained how they come from west Africa and get rain once a month then heat again and desert conditions thanks again.Melissa xx
The ZZ species name zamiifolia means ‘leaf like a zamia’. Zamias are really cool cycads that probably even tougher than ZZ plants. My big one is about 30 years old but Zamia can live 500 years or more. Cycads are actually conifers so when they flower they have cones. Mine is a boy Zamia so the cones only have pollen, no seeds.
Cycads are gymnosperms like conifers, but are not conifers! They're actually in their own division, the Cycadophyta, and indeed are very badass plants.
Thanks, Rich. I think it was another video where I commented that I bought a ZZ plant and watered it on day 5. You suggested I then let it be for a while and it's now coming up on 5 weeks since I've watered it. It's in a place I see all the time, and I've been checking on it. It's grown two new stems with leaves forming and one of those about to open up. I just checked the soil with the meter and it's at 2, so I came to see if I should panic or not. It's hard for me to not want to water it, so I needed the reassurance. :) While checking the soil, I noticed the tips of two more new stems forming. I will watch the existing leaves to see if they start showing any lack of water and maybe wait until the meter gets to 1. It's in a lower-light situation, somewhat far from a window that has some indirect light coming in.
Just subbed, thanks so much for this....just got one of these plants last week. I did my research on watering and lights with every new plant. You added so much more info.
I was out for my home for exactly 2 months and both my Zz, one black raven including survived without any damage, it was on my balcony under a shade net since we receive good amount of sunlight.
More light means a faster growing ZZ. They like a lot of light and warmth, but not to be scorching hot. They will basically shut down if it is too hot. A slow growing ZZ is an unhappy one. Sure they tolerate low light but their slow growth rate and tendency to rot under these conditions is a sign that they don't like what you are doing. I'm all about aesthetically stressing plants...it's how we succulent growers keep our plants colorful, but it's a fine line between stress and torture, lol.
I’m terrible with succulents! I’m trying to keep the ones alive that I have but I’m not buying anymore!! 😅 I’m happy for you in your little succulent heaven, sounds beautiful 😍
My cat just chomped the longer one of the 2 stems on my baby Raven ZZ that I just bought from a local seller. He doesn’t eat them, just likes decapitating my plants! Going to try to propagate what survived and keep even further out of his reach!!
I prefer to use everything organic on my plants, it's hard to find organic fertilizer, so I mostly use fish fertilizer, except it has a very bad odor that lingers , especially indoors.. is there any organic that you could recommend?
If my zz, its a smol one, is always thirsty - shall I pot it up ? I've had it for months and I know they grow slowly but she's not pushed any growth and is always thirsty (curled leaves). I'm under the impression they prefer to be root bound but mine still has plenty of room.
@Sheffield Made Plants 1-2x a week I'll give it a drink when the leaves start to curl. The water seems to soak the soil ok and run through as intended. I'm hoping maybe she's getting ready to give me some new growth lol thanks for responding!
HELP 😖 I accidentally stabbed one of the rhizomes (with my chopstick) when I was checking to see if it was needing water. Is it going to rot it out now?? What should I do? I rescued this thing from Walmart 3 months ago over watered and dying and it was getting so pretty and now I did this 😞
I water my ZZ quite infrequently. It looks very happy! Thanks for agreeing with me. I don’t bottom water my plants. I am a big advocate for drenching the soil from the top and allowing it to completely drain. My ZZ is about 18 years old. It’s 3 ft tall and wide.
Wow! 18 years old! How many times have you repotted it? I have a large tall pot I want to repot mine into, but I'm afraid that as it grows it will become root bound and I won't be able to get it out for repotting.
I am guilty of underwatering mine to the point the stems shrink. So I bought a large planner and keep a watering log of who got what and on what dates. I found mine needed water every 20 to 25 days given my household conditions. What I found most interesting about my ZZ is it had babies in winter but none in spring or summer lol. I call her Tesla cause she's always finding new ways to stump me in plant care lol. Totally gonna start bottom watering her and chart the difference with her. TY!
bottom watering only works well for a while. It is the way commercial nurseries water their house plants. However in time salts and the products of decay of the growing medium slowly build up to toxic levels in the growing medium and eventually kill the plant. It is necessary to occasionally soak the whole pot in a bucket of water for half and hour or so then to drain it and flush the growing medium out a few rimes with fresh water.
I can confirm that this is a hard to kill plant. After I bought it I started doing some home projects and moved the plant to a dark corner and forgot about it for a little over 2 months. Didn't bother it one bit, still going strong 6 months later.
Should i be concern about the thick roots when using the water meter. If i puncture the thick potato like roots will it be ok? Thank you for all of your very useful videos.
I started a ZZ propagation box about 5 months ago from leaves ..i put them in a container with drain holes and a clear lid. I used cactus soil ... I literally had to forget about it...but it worked and out of it I have 3 pots full of new plants. Patience ...
my zz only has one stem. I think I killed its other stem by over watering :(. I don't think there's anything to separate to prop this guy. Can I encourage more stem growth somehow?
I water my large ZZ plant maybe once in 2 months. No change in plumpness of stalks/leaves and still pushing new growth. Actually don't understand how it survived. With 150+ plants in the home she really is the most easy going.
I overwatered my ZZ plant a lot and went to repot it. There was a TON of water and one of the rhizomes even burst, so definitely feel out the soil pretty deep. But, even with overwatering, it shot out even more stalks. If you overwater it but the roots are loosened and in a bigger pot, it will probably grow a ton with enough sunlight.
After killing 3 out of 4 stock by over watering i found out the best way staisfy the urge of watering. 😂 Dip the bottom half part of your pot in water.
Interesting that you’ve only had one stem growth in three years. My mom has a ZZ plant and we get one to two stems per year and we’ve had it for four years. Maybe it’s because it’s warmer here, we keep it in a room that has a south facing window even though it’s further into the room
My experience with this plant has been different, I have it on a shelf just below a bright window and every spring it shoots out 2 new shoots that grow relatively rapidly, it is such a joy to see the extra growth after a weekend or even the next morning. This plant tolerates low light well but it will certainly thrive if you do place it in a bright spot (I water it about once a month or when the pot feels light).
I agree with everything you've said about the ZZ plant. However, there is a contradiction (imo) with what you recommended for Alocasia a few months ago. Alocasias have rhizomes, but in that case you recommended more watering. Am I remembering wrong? Bcause I do water both the ZZ and the Alocasia very little, but the first is thriving while di Alocasia is suffering
Absolutely ... agree, my finding as well always seemed to like being root bound .. because I like indoor plants being more at window height find it works nicely potted in smaller clay pots sunken in much larger Planters (soil) looks good too ... while a fortnight on the porch works as well ..thanks again for assuring my learn by error plant life .. your thoughts of keeping Poinsettia thriving here, west exposure seems best?
I acquired a ZZ plant about 1 yr ago. I think it’s a super nova ZZ, because it’s 6ftx4ft. It’s flowered 3 flowers after I repotted. Because it was in the same pot 15 years. ❤And I found that it puts out new branches regularly with worm castings every month or so. I skip fertilizer. This keeps it happy and growing.
My ZZ Plant thrived in the darkness at my old job, but when I had to move almost all steams and leaves fell off and now 1 year later I am left with 1 stump and some half grown stems, one where the leaves haven't uncurled for months and it hasn't grown anyhow. I have now watered it until soil is dry and I wonder if there is too many dead Rhyzomes in the soil and I have to repot it and remove them. Could that be an issue?
I never water my zz, and It had been growing VERY well! However, occasionally on new leaves, the top most leaf will turn brownish yellow. What do you think is the cause of it?
I've been neglecting my ZZ for a while, it's still been just fine though! I've moved it to where it gets more sun and where I'll see it more. I've been worried about how much water it'll need now, so this is great information! 💖 Thank you!
I thoroughly water mine roughly every 2 months and it is the happiest plant in my house! Got lots of new growth in a bright indirect light in a NW facing window.
Hi, thank you for this awesome video. A question: In order to bottom water, must the roots be at the bottom of the pot? Asked another way, how close to the bottom must the roots be in order for bottom watering to work? For when I transplant a plant I make sure it has at least 2 inches of open soil all around the root ball. Thank you again!
Excellent tips on caring for ZZ plants especially on the watering part. The first time I bought a ZZ plant I must have over watered it. Because it rotted I actually thought it was a member of the palm family. I got a beautiful large ZZ plant which one of my neighbors put out by the curb to throw out I was driving by and I saw the plant by the curb and immediately stopped my car and bought it home. I water it very infrequently and have it growing in a south facing window in my house it's doing great. I just bought it back into my home from its summer vacation in my backyard. It's a beautiful plant to own. Thanks for all your wonderful plant tips. Love your British accent. Have a great day mate :)
I have killed so many ZZ plants that I lost count. I have a few that do well in the garden but indoors they just rot away. This is the same problem with Aspidistra. I will follow your advice and get a moisture meter. Great video. Thanks for the tips.
But if we water it from the bottom , how do we actually know if the water reaches the roots and is not absorbed only by few cm on the bottom of the pot?
Thanks, this video was a very good one again! 😎 I have one more question though... What kind of soil could be good for them? Is the aroid mix a good choice?
I saved a zz from next to a dumpster. So sad. It was water logged but i managed to dry it out really well then gave it new soil and pot. That was 2 months ago. I just now gave it more water as the soil was dry. The leaves look beautiful but there are a couple stocks that arent as dark green as the others. I hope this plant is ok??
YEP! I have two ZZ plants and I only water them every 3 to 4 weeks unless it looks thirsty. They are doing well. You can top water though, you just water well and then do not water again for 3 to 4 weeks.
I acquired a 6 ft x 4 ft possible super nova ZZ plant. It hardly had any soil when I repotted. I only give worm castings every month or so. This keeps it happy and growing. No fertilizer. 😂
believe it or not, i started a zz plant from a leaf cutting. after about 2 months it developed a small tuber on the end and 6 months later finaly some kind of shot is coming up. long wait for a leaf cutting right?
Thanks for the video! For the first year my ZZ plant was very healthy. Recently though some of the leaves have started to brown and stems have toppled so I've had to pull them out. I've only got about 6 stems left (had about 14 to begin with). I'm watering it only every 2-3 months or so, or even longer, as I'm using a probe and it's constantly showing moist (for some reason the plant drinks extremely slowly indeed). It's not in direct sunlight either. Any idea why this is happening? Thanks!
There is a new zz coming out in stores....the camelian....I have seen the zz zenzi in stores once, and passed it up because I was making too many other purchases....and have never seen it since in stores...I knew I should of bought it :) anyways I got 2 minature zz's dwarf variety, love them, highly recommend if you ever find one, I have 2 ravens, and 2 green!! I have killed my share as well..A few! This has been helpful...thank you
I have no idea how but my sister managed to kill a ZZ by under watering it, I'm not sure if she did one of those oh no I haven't watered it in 3 months and then overwatered it accidentally or if it just dried up but we still laugh about it sometimes. The funniest part is that she is actually really knowledgeable about plants and a lot of my plants are props from hers.
Oh no! That reminds me, 20 years ago my neighbor Bob said he would take care of my houseplants while we were away on our 2 week honeymoon. I had a big beautiful jade plant, about 2 feet around. I believe he forgot to water that one, then flooded it the day before we came home. I tried taking it out of the pot and laying it on its side on newspaper for a couple of days to dry out. It had just absorbed too much water. I was broken hearted because I'd had it for 15 years. That said, the honeymoon in Jamaica was fabulous and we had a wonderful 30 marriage before my dear husband died last year. 🌿💔🌿
My zz plant is in my bedroom and I more or less forget to water it. I’ve had it 6 weeks and watered it twice, but I already have a new shoot. This could be the easiest and most rewarding plant I’ve ever owned.
Could you please make a video on how to rescue an over watered ZZ plant please. I have done the absolute opposite to the info you gave in the video. I now have one cut stem with one new leaf growing out the top of it. the other stems have wilted and turned black, obviously from too much water. I seem to make a habit of killing even the most robust plant. I do love your videos though, I have only just stumbled upon your channel a few days ago and am learning heaps! So thank you muchly!
Excellent video! I have a question, I bought a zz plant and it came tied loosely with flexible plastic all around the base of the plant near the soil. Should I remove that or is it there for support since it’s quite big?
I have a ZZ plant for the last 3 or 4 years and every year at this time - early fall - a couple of the shorter or younger shoots' leaves tend to yellow. Did you ever notice something like that? The stalk is fine and plump on the bottom, it's mainly the leaves and start on the top. The longer stalks are fine with chunky leaves in a deep green. As soon as they do that, I snip them off and propagate (Eventually... Leaves-only do propagate faster somehow?). Maybe I just need to get a bigger pot? The smaller branches might not get enough light? I'm up to any theory right now
Ohh I didn't know this info. But I water zz weekly thrice or so. Anyway there are only 2 stems from many months and only those 2 remain without any new sprouts 😂 So let me see from today Wl change my watering schedule. Hope for the new shoots. Tq
After months and countless videos, I finally used your link for the longer water meter (less than$20 US!). Anyways, THANK YOU, IT'S SAVED my Plants! No more Mushy Roots! 🎉
Get exclusive bonus content at www.patreon.com/sheffieldmadeplants
I almost never water my ZZ and it thrives, constantly putting out new shoots and always looks healthy. Best plant for a beginner
Definitely 👍
Com que frequência você rega a sua planta? Obrigada,Isabel.
I got mine 9 months ago and it hasn't done anything except lose two shoots. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
I overwatered one that I had just bought and the stalks rotted off. Was lazy about throwing it out and a couple of weeks later 3 shoots came out. So be aware they seem to regenerate.
Good to know, thanks
I had unexpected experiment with my ZZ plant. Due to russian war I left our house. My parents visited it after 7 months and found, that ZZ plant is alive and even has several new branches. Of course it looked not super healthy, but it was green and alive
Are you Ukrainian?
@@SheffieldMadePlants yes
@@izachokOla sorry to see what’s happening in your country. Glad your ZZ survived 😁
Glad your ZZ survived but much happier you have. 🤗
Z
I had a ZZ Plant next to an open fish tank and literally never watered it. It was extremely happy just absorbing moisture from the air it seemed. I had to fill up the fish tank more often, though!
That is awesome!
That’s cool. Was it a tropical fish tank that you heated? They always need filling as the water evaporates so fast. 😅
@@LostInThisGardenofLife no, just a guppy tank. I did have a heated tank further away as well but it had a lid to stop the evaporation slightly 🤣
Greetings from America
Thank you Mr Sheffield for helping me save a couple of zz plants I rescued. It's been a year I adopted the two variants of zz's and today I had to transplant them in a slightly larger pot. One bit of advice I would share is to make sure you don't plant a ZZ in a round pot as I did a year ago. I ended up hurting the plant as it had grown to completely fill the round pot making it very difficult to remove the plant because of the lip of the pot curving. This time I put her to bed in a pot with slightly angling out. Again, thank you for helping me with all of my plants. You have some of the wisest info on you tube.
Richard
Thank you 😊
Great tips my friend! I’ve jut realised the reason why my zz plant isn’t healthy: too much water. Thanks a lot for the excellent videos!
Cool thanks nuno 👍
I recently repotted my ZZ it was in a 6" pot from store and the rhizomes were breaking out of the pot! Its now in a 9" pot suitable for bottom watering one day, seems happy as it has now put out two large shoots :)
Great stuff 👍
I needed this today! I JUST noticed last night that my ZZ has 3 yellow leaves!!!!! What I saw online said to take out of the moist soil ASAP and put in drier soil and leave it alone. Hopefully that helps. I am so sad I did that to her. I feel terrible. Thanks for this video!
Glad it was useful, thanks Monica!
Just wanna say thanks.u just saved all my snake plants and some of most of my other plants.make up dirt with cactus mix and added half vermiculite and some peat moss and won’t be watering them for month or two .like how u explained how they come from west Africa and get rain once a month then heat again and desert conditions thanks again.Melissa xx
Glad you found it useful 👍
I keep my zz plant in my south facing room, water as needed and it’s been just over a year since I got her 🥰 she’s given me 5 new stems 🎉
The ZZ species name zamiifolia means ‘leaf like a zamia’. Zamias are really cool cycads that probably even tougher than ZZ plants. My big one is about 30 years old but Zamia can live 500 years or more. Cycads are actually conifers so when they flower they have cones. Mine is a boy Zamia so the cones only have pollen, no seeds.
Great knowledge!
Cycads are gymnosperms like conifers, but are not conifers! They're actually in their own division, the Cycadophyta, and indeed are very badass plants.
Thanks, Rich. I think it was another video where I commented that I bought a ZZ plant and watered it on day 5. You suggested I then let it be for a while and it's now coming up on 5 weeks since I've watered it. It's in a place I see all the time, and I've been checking on it. It's grown two new stems with leaves forming and one of those about to open up. I just checked the soil with the meter and it's at 2, so I came to see if I should panic or not. It's hard for me to not want to water it, so I needed the reassurance. :) While checking the soil, I noticed the tips of two more new stems forming. I will watch the existing leaves to see if they start showing any lack of water and maybe wait until the meter gets to 1. It's in a lower-light situation, somewhat far from a window that has some indirect light coming in.
Sounds like it’s in good shape. 2 is a little early for a Zz. Depends on your climate and home etc but they normally want to dry out fully
@@SheffieldMadePlantsOkay, thanks, Rich! I think I can hold off a while, then. :)
9 pro tips for a big bushy Monstera Deliciosa 👉 ua-cam.com/video/2_N0LXJo9Zc/v-deo.html
Just subbed, thanks so much for this....just got one of these plants last week. I did my research on watering and lights with every new plant. You added so much more info.
Thank you very much Chell! Glad you found it useful 👍
I have just got this plant,repotted in succulent mix and a bigger pot and it has five new leafs and a flower
Great 👍
Very informative! TIL the plants can go from the leaves, thank you sir! 😮😊
You bet!
I was out for my home for exactly 2 months and both my Zz, one black raven including survived without any damage, it was on my balcony under a shade net since we receive good amount of sunlight.
They like neglect for sure
More light means a faster growing ZZ. They like a lot of light and warmth, but not to be scorching hot. They will basically shut down if it is too hot.
A slow growing ZZ is an unhappy one. Sure they tolerate low light but their slow growth rate and tendency to rot under these conditions is a sign that they don't like what you are doing.
I'm all about aesthetically stressing plants...it's how we succulent growers keep our plants colorful, but it's a fine line between stress and torture, lol.
Thanks for the tips.
I’m terrible with succulents! I’m trying to keep the ones alive that I have but I’m not buying anymore!! 😅 I’m happy for you in your little succulent heaven, sounds beautiful 😍
My cat just chomped the longer one of the 2 stems on my baby Raven ZZ that I just bought from a local seller. He doesn’t eat them, just likes decapitating my plants! Going to try to propagate what survived and keep even further out of his reach!!
It's toxic to cats and can cause kidney issues. He/she should have bloodwork done and not be allowed to reach it at all.
Well I definitely agree about oxalis, such a top plant.
I just got a zz plant and it looks very healthy , hope I can keep it that way😢
You’ve got this ✊
Please do video on ferns.
Raving about this raven video!
😁
I recently discovered that it's similar for the alocasia, or at least that's what they thought me
Thank you! Did not know this!
You bet!
Can a ZZ be divided any time of the year? I want to divide mine while it’s still summer, and want to make sure that’s okay. Thanks!
Yeah
Thanks ☺️
Yip. Our UA-cam honey, Nick Pellegi, advised watering when you get your paychecks. Ie monthly. My ZZ looks gorgeous!
What are small white ish spots on back of my zzplant 4:06
My ZZ sings "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and Daddy complies.
Like it
@@SheffieldMadePlants "Sharped Dressed Man" was a hot jam, too.
Mr Sheffield, can you give some info on the Ponytail Palm? Mine just looks sad....any advice??
Sorry never had the plant
I prefer to use everything organic on my plants, it's hard to find organic fertilizer, so I mostly use fish fertilizer, except it has a very bad odor that lingers , especially indoors.. is there any organic that you could recommend?
I’ve heard good things about houseplant focus
My moisture metre consistently shows dry no matter whether plants are soaking or not.
Might be a dud not sure
If my zz, its a smol one, is always thirsty - shall I pot it up ? I've had it for months and I know they grow slowly but she's not pushed any growth and is always thirsty (curled leaves). I'm under the impression they prefer to be root bound but mine still has plenty of room.
If it has plenty of room I’d leave it. They like to be crowded like you say. Not sure why yours of always thirsty that’s unusual. How often do water?
@Sheffield Made Plants 1-2x a week I'll give it a drink when the leaves start to curl. The water seems to soak the soil ok and run through as intended. I'm hoping maybe she's getting ready to give me some new growth lol thanks for responding!
HELP 😖 I accidentally stabbed one of the rhizomes (with my chopstick) when I was checking to see if it was needing water. Is it going to rot it out now?? What should I do? I rescued this thing from Walmart 3 months ago over watered and dying and it was getting so pretty and now I did this 😞
I think it should be fine. I'd leave it be
@@SheffieldMadePlants I sure hope so 🙂 Thank You so much for always responding!
Can a large zz plant potted in a ceramic pot be bottom watered?
Don’t see why not
@@SheffieldMadePlants
Thank you for responding. I was just unsure if the water would penetrate the pot.
does the zz plant require humidity. please let me know thank you
I don’t think it’s particularly fussy about humidity
so thats the reason, this is the only plant that survives me ...
😂
I have a zz that is dying I repotted it and watered it
But now the main stem the leaves are yellow and the stem is drying up
What can I do
Hard to say. How wet is the soil?
I water mine like once every 6 months LOL
is this plant a sukkulent?
Yes they are considered a type of succulent
I certainly killed my ZZ due to overwatering. 🙂
😬
I water my ZZ quite infrequently. It looks very happy! Thanks for agreeing with me. I don’t bottom water my plants. I am a big advocate for drenching the soil from the top and allowing it to completely drain. My ZZ is about 18 years old. It’s 3 ft tall and wide.
Wow 18 years old that’s fantastic. Thanks Marie
Wow! 18 years old! How many times have you repotted it?
I have a large tall pot I want to repot mine into, but I'm afraid that as it grows it will become root bound and I won't be able to get it out for repotting.
If a plants ever stuck in a pot (root bound), it can be possible to cut it out depending on the pot if that helps 😊
@@mayadasilva5952my comment was not about getting the plant out of the pot. It was about watering. I am an advocate for less stress on my plants.
My zz is 18 too. What kind of pot do you use?
I am guilty of underwatering mine to the point the stems shrink. So I bought a large planner and keep a watering log of who got what and on what dates. I found mine needed water every 20 to 25 days given my household conditions. What I found most interesting about my ZZ is it had babies in winter but none in spring or summer lol. I call her Tesla cause she's always finding new ways to stump me in plant care lol. Totally gonna start bottom watering her and chart the difference with her. TY!
So organised, that's really good. Wish I was organised enough to have a chart!
Then I have two Teslas 😄
I wonder if maybe she is near a heater?
Yes mine just had shoots come up right as seasons cooled. I also had a sterling silver that is doing the same 🤔
K
This is one of the most comprehensive ZZ plant care videos I've found!
Awesome thank you very much 😁
bottom watering only works well for a while. It is the way commercial nurseries water their house plants. However in time salts and the products of decay of the growing medium slowly build up to toxic levels in the growing medium and eventually kill the plant. It is necessary to occasionally soak the whole pot in a bucket of water for half and hour or so then to drain it and flush the growing medium out a few rimes with fresh water.
Most boring plant I ever owned. Sorry I just needed to rid of it.
I can confirm that this is a hard to kill plant. After I bought it I started doing some home projects and moved the plant to a dark corner and forgot about it for a little over 2 months. Didn't bother it one bit, still going strong 6 months later.
That's great 👍
Should i be concern about the thick roots when using the water meter. If i puncture the thick potato like roots will it be ok? Thank you for all of your very useful videos.
Go gently and try to avoid if you can but it will be ok with the odd poke
@@SheffieldMadePlants thank you.
I damaged mine with a moisture meter and had to cut away two rhizomes. So I'll stop stabbing mine now.
I started a ZZ propagation box about 5 months ago from leaves ..i put them in a container with drain holes and a clear lid. I used cactus soil ... I literally had to forget about it...but it worked and out of it I have 3 pots full of new plants. Patience ...
You’ve got more patience than me!
@@SheffieldMadePlants honestly..it happened quicker than I would have thought...the key is to set it and forget it lol ..
I have many ZZs,they get rained on every day and are doing great,some of them are having a spread of 6ft( btw,I live in the Costa Rican rainforest)
I bet they look great
AMAZING! I’m soo jealous of your life!
my zz only has one stem. I think I killed its other stem by over watering :(. I don't think there's anything to separate to prop this guy. Can I encourage more stem growth somehow?
New stems will sprout from the rhizome in time and with good watering. Good light helps
If the soil has a lot of perlite and great drainage , doesnt that mitigate the risks involved by overwatering?
Yes it does
I water my large ZZ plant maybe once in 2 months. No change in plumpness of stalks/leaves and still pushing new growth. Actually don't understand how it survived. With 150+ plants in the home she really is the most easy going.
The less love you give it the better 😂
I overwatered my ZZ plant a lot and went to repot it. There was a TON of water and one of the rhizomes even burst, so definitely feel out the soil pretty deep. But, even with overwatering, it shot out even more stalks. If you overwater it but the roots are loosened and in a bigger pot, it will probably grow a ton with enough sunlight.
I put my zz outside for a few months right after I bought it and WOW! It grew another 5 stems and grew another 6 inches taller
Perfect 👍
Mine didn't grow any new leaves for about two years. I placed it at the south-west facing window and a month later, new leaf began to grow. Yeah!
Good job 👍
I water mine every month to six weeks. She’s really happy and has new shoots on the bottom of the plant. She likes it dry.
👍👍
After killing 3 out of 4 stock by over watering i found out the best way staisfy the urge of watering. 😂
Dip the bottom half part of your pot in water.
Interesting that you’ve only had one stem growth in three years. My mom has a ZZ plant and we get one to two stems per year and we’ve had it for four years. Maybe it’s because it’s warmer here, we keep it in a room that has a south facing window even though it’s further into the room
My experience with this plant has been different, I have it on a shelf just below a bright window and every spring it shoots out 2 new shoots that grow relatively rapidly, it is such a joy to see the extra growth after a weekend or even the next morning. This plant tolerates low light well but it will certainly thrive if you do place it in a bright spot (I water it about once a month or when the pot feels light).
You’re doing something right!
I agree with everything you've said about the ZZ plant. However, there is a contradiction (imo) with what you recommended for Alocasia a few months ago. Alocasias have rhizomes, but in that case you recommended more watering. Am I remembering wrong?
Bcause I do water both the ZZ and the Alocasia very little, but the first is thriving while di Alocasia is suffering
The rhizomes in a ZZ are massive and store lots of water. The rhizomes in Alocasias are smaller and will need watering more than a ZZ.
I have been checking my zz monthly to see if it needs to be watered. It’s been almost 3 months’
Absolutely ... agree, my finding as well always seemed to like being root bound .. because I like indoor plants being more at window height find it works nicely potted in smaller clay pots sunken in much larger
Planters (soil) looks good too ... while a fortnight on the porch works as well ..thanks again for assuring my learn by error plant life .. your thoughts of keeping Poinsettia thriving here, west exposure seems best?
Thanks. Poinsettias are tricky, especially to get the red bracts back. I've got a video on that
I acquired a ZZ plant about 1 yr ago. I think it’s a super nova ZZ, because it’s 6ftx4ft. It’s flowered 3 flowers after I repotted. Because it was in the same pot 15 years. ❤And I found that it puts out new branches regularly with worm castings every month or so. I skip fertilizer. This keeps it happy and growing.
have you ever had fungus gnat issues while using worm castings?
My ZZ Plant thrived in the darkness at my old job, but when I had to move almost all steams and leaves fell off and now 1 year later I am left with 1 stump and some half grown stems, one where the leaves haven't uncurled for months and it hasn't grown anyhow. I have now watered it until soil is dry and I wonder if there is too many dead Rhyzomes in the soil and I have to repot it and remove them. Could that be an issue?
Yeah I’d have a look
After watching this I really want a ZZ plant 😊
Btw The toned down music is much better 👍
Thanks Angela. ZZs are definitely worth having!
@@SheffieldMadePlants it’ll be my next plant purchase 👍
There was only one plant that fought with me as much as ZZ ;(
I never water my zz, and It had been growing VERY well! However, occasionally on new leaves, the top most leaf will turn brownish yellow. What do you think is the cause of it?
Maybe a lack of nutrients. When did you last fertilise?
@@SheffieldMadePlants I haven't 😅 What kind would you recommend?
@@im_cheepy1143 a decent liquid fertiliser. I use miracle gro. Use a light dose because we’re heading into winter now.
@@SheffieldMadePlants Thank you very much!
Awesome because I was looking at this plant yesterday but was nervous because I'm still learning about taking care of plants that is potted in soil
This plant is really easy so fear not 😁
I've been neglecting my ZZ for a while, it's still been just fine though! I've moved it to where it gets more sun and where I'll see it more. I've been worried about how much water it'll need now, so this is great information! 💖 Thank you!
Thanks for watching 👍
Chock-full of helpful instructions, tips and great laughs.... Really enjoying your vids. Thanks!
Super! Thanks very much Steve 😁
I thoroughly water mine roughly every 2 months and it is the happiest plant in my house! Got lots of new growth in a bright indirect light in a NW facing window.
The more neglect the better 😂
Two months seems like a long time not to water a plant. Is your ZZ plant still doing well with that watering schedule?
I live in a tropical country and I water it every 2 weeks in indirect sunlight
@@gregq55 still the happiest plant in my house! I check all my plants weekly and water accordingly, but my zz still only needs watered every 6-8 weeks
Hi, thank you for this awesome video. A question: In order to bottom water, must the roots be at the bottom of the pot? Asked another way, how close to the bottom must the roots be in order for bottom watering to work? For when I transplant a plant I make sure it has at least 2 inches of open soil all around the root ball. Thank you again!
It shouldn’t matter. When watering the soil should be wet enough to hydrate the roots even if it’s not as wet at the top
@@SheffieldMadePlants Thank you 🙏
Excellent tips on caring for ZZ plants especially on the watering part. The first time I bought a ZZ plant I must have over watered it. Because it rotted I actually thought it was a member of the palm family. I got a beautiful large ZZ plant which one of my neighbors put out by the curb to throw out I was driving by and I saw the plant by the curb and immediately stopped my car and bought it home. I water it very infrequently and have it growing in a south facing window in my house it's doing great. I just bought it back into my home from its summer vacation in my backyard. It's a beautiful plant to own. Thanks for all your wonderful plant tips. Love your British accent. Have a great day mate :)
Thanks Gary 👍 You’ve got a nice free plant there!
I have killed so many ZZ plants that I lost count. I have a few that do well in the garden but indoors they just rot away. This is the same problem with Aspidistra. I will follow your advice and get a moisture meter. Great video. Thanks for the tips.
Thanks for watching
But if we water it from the bottom , how do we actually know if the water reaches the roots and is not absorbed only by few cm on the bottom of the pot?
You can check the next day with a probe or finger
Thanks, this video was a very good one again! 😎
I have one more question though... What kind of soil could be good for them? Is the aroid mix a good choice?
Yes aroid mix is good. Anything free draining with something like perlite in
@@SheffieldMadePlants Thanks for the answer! 😊
I find that my zz grows best outside. Hes been on my north facing porch for the summer and has given me 6 new shoots!
Outside is always great for plants 👍
Outside is always great for plants 👍
I saved a zz from next to a dumpster. So sad. It was water logged but i managed to dry it out really well then gave it new soil and pot. That was 2 months ago. I just now gave it more water as the soil was dry. The leaves look beautiful but there are a couple stocks that arent as dark green as the others. I hope this plant is ok??
Sounds like you did a good job
YEP! I have two ZZ plants and I only water them every 3 to 4 weeks unless it looks thirsty. They are doing well. You can top water though, you just water well and then do not water again for 3 to 4 weeks.
👍
I acquired a 6 ft x 4 ft possible super nova ZZ plant. It hardly had any soil when I repotted. I only give worm castings every month or so. This keeps it happy and growing. No fertilizer. 😂
Those worm casting sure are doing the trick. And the light!
I laughed too many times in video 😂. I learned a lot buttt I’m sure I laughed more. Great video
Awesome! Thank you!
My ZZ plant is HUGE! I'm not sure what to do. It's hanging over the sides of the pot. Please help Me.
Divide it into multiple plants to keep or give away
believe it or not, i started a zz plant from a leaf cutting. after about 2 months it developed a small tuber on the end and 6 months later finaly some kind of shot is coming up. long wait for a leaf cutting right?
Oh yeah it takes an age!
Thanks for the video! For the first year my ZZ plant was very healthy. Recently though some of the leaves have started to brown and stems have toppled so I've had to pull them out. I've only got about 6 stems left (had about 14 to begin with). I'm watering it only every 2-3 months or so, or even longer, as I'm using a probe and it's constantly showing moist (for some reason the plant drinks extremely slowly indeed). It's not in direct sunlight either. Any idea why this is happening? Thanks!
Might be a lack of light?
When you fertilize the zz plant do you mean giving it new soil as well? (Sorry for the dumb question)
Giving it liquid fertiliser you mix in with water
There is a new zz coming out in stores....the camelian....I have seen the zz zenzi in stores once, and passed it up because I was making too many other purchases....and have never seen it since in stores...I knew I should of bought it :) anyways I got 2 minature zz's dwarf variety, love them, highly recommend if you ever find one, I have 2 ravens, and 2 green!! I have killed my share as well..A few! This has been helpful...thank you
Thanks Justina. So the Camelian has lighter leaves? I want me a Raven for sure.
I think the ZZ Zenzii is a miniature ZZ same variety just under another supply name 😊
Does the ZZ plant like to be sprayed water on the leafs or does it prefer a dry environment ? Thank you.
I wouldn't regularly spray the leaves of any of my houseplants.
I have no idea how but my sister managed to kill a ZZ by under watering it, I'm not sure if she did one of those oh no I haven't watered it in 3 months and then overwatered it accidentally or if it just dried up but we still laugh about it sometimes. The funniest part is that she is actually really knowledgeable about plants and a lot of my plants are props from hers.
Ah well it's all a learning experience I guess. I've lost a few along the way. Happens to the best of us!
Oh no! That reminds me, 20 years ago my neighbor Bob said he would take care of my houseplants while we were away on our 2 week honeymoon. I had a big beautiful jade plant, about 2 feet around. I believe he forgot to water that one, then flooded it the day before we came home. I tried taking it out of the pot and laying it on its side on newspaper for a couple of days to dry out. It had just absorbed too much water. I was broken hearted because I'd had it for 15 years. That said, the honeymoon in Jamaica was fabulous and we had a wonderful 30 marriage before my dear husband died last year. 🌿💔🌿
My zz plant is in my bedroom and I more or less forget to water it. I’ve had it 6 weeks and watered it twice, but I already have a new shoot. This could be the easiest and most rewarding plant I’ve ever owned.
Absolutely 👍
My ZZ's are very lanky, do you know how can I help it to grow thicker petioles?
Give it more light
Que tipo de planta es esta , alguien me puede decir , saludos desde MÉXICO
Zanzibar Gem
Could you please make a video on how to rescue an over watered ZZ plant please. I have done the absolute opposite to the info you gave in the video. I now have one cut stem with one new leaf growing out the top of it. the other stems have wilted and turned black, obviously from too much water. I seem to make a habit of killing even the most robust plant. I do love your videos though, I have only just stumbled upon your channel a few days ago and am learning heaps! So thank you muchly!
Thanks Marianne. I’ll add that to the list 👍
Excellent video! I have a question, I bought a zz plant and it came tied loosely with flexible plastic all around the base of the plant near the soil. Should I remove that or is it there for support since it’s quite big?
Depends if you think it’s going to end up strangling the stems? A Zz plant should be able to support itself if it’s healthy
@@SheffieldMadePlants thank you so much!
I have a ZZ plant for the last 3 or 4 years and every year at this time - early fall - a couple of the shorter or younger shoots' leaves tend to yellow. Did you ever notice something like that?
The stalk is fine and plump on the bottom, it's mainly the leaves and start on the top. The longer stalks are fine with chunky leaves in a deep green. As soon as they do that, I snip them off and propagate (Eventually... Leaves-only do propagate faster somehow?). Maybe I just need to get a bigger pot? The smaller branches might not get enough light? I'm up to any theory right now
Not sure to be honest. Could be light, too much water, rootbound
Ohh I didn't know this info.
But I water zz weekly thrice or so.
Anyway there are only 2 stems from many months and only those 2 remain without any new sprouts 😂
So let me see from today
Wl change my watering schedule.
Hope for the new shoots.
Tq
I think you need to 😅
my zz was not straight in the pot. i tried to straighten it and it snapped off the rhizome 🫣 i put the stem in water and it developed a new rhizome 🎉
Not too shabby
After months and countless videos, I finally used your link for the longer water meter (less than$20 US!). Anyways, THANK YOU, IT'S SAVED my Plants! No more Mushy Roots! 🎉
Glad I could help!