Maroba - Info Needed

[Helen+Paul]

>A While ago I bought a ...
>>'Maroba'
>Dieffenbachia seg.
>
>All I have on the card in the pot is 'stand in a light place, not in
>direct sunlight. Water & spray regularly. Fertilise once evey 14 days.
>

You again! At least you like nice plants.
Having worked in a nursery, I suggest you ask the folks that you bought 
the plant off.  They should know the answer, or they should find out for 
you and themselves.  If you bought it in a supermarket, cheaply?, then 
you are not helping the retail nursery industry.

For "dieffs", keep 'em moist (not wet, and a lot less water in winter) 
and provide good to OK light indoors, not direct sun. You don't need to 
feed every fortnight (unless you own a fertiliser company), every couple 
of months with a general plant food, or twice a year with a Controlled 
Release fertiliser should be adequate.  Dieffs are pretty hardy and 
shouldn't give you too many problems. Scale, mealy bugs or black sooty 
mould may occur, use white oil and/or pyrethrum to control.  A spell 
outside when it is raining (not freezing cold) for a few days (even a 
week or two) will revitalise the poor thing andf then back inside to look 
nice again.

Main things: don't overwater!, don't sit in a saucer of water for days 
and days (it'll drown), feed occasionally, don't worry.

Best wishes,

Paul Kristiansen

Dept. of Natural Resources
Brisbane, Austarlia