Aglaonema plants, also known as Chinese Evergreen, are a popular houseplant choice due to their attractive and colourful foliage with different patterns and colors. These plants are extremely easy to care for. No wonder it’s always a choice in any houseplant community.
Aglaonema’s are herbaceous tropical evergreens native to the forest of South East Asia. Chinese evergreen thrives in low to medium light conditions and prefers well-draining soil. With a little attention, they can grow into beautiful, lush plants that add a touch of nature to any indoor space.
Also, Chinese evergreen plants have air-purifying qualities, making them a great choice for improving indoor air quality.
Aglaonema Ideal Lighting
Ok, the first thing that you need to know here is that not all Aglaonemas require the same amount of light. How so? Well, for starters, there are many varieties/variegations of Aglaonema, so you need to be sure of which one is yours.
For example, Aglaonema maria and red Aglaonema care are not the same. Basically, the main fact here is that the lighter variegations (i.e. the ones with brighter leaves) require more light, and the darker ones will thrive in shade.
Still, in no case whatsoever you should expose your Aglaonema directly to the sun. It’s a NO. A big one! You can never go wrong with bright, indirect light to any variety of your Chinese evergreen plants.
If you treat your Aglaonema as an outdoor plant ( which by the way they all are ), make sure to place them near a tree or large plants that it can get shade from when the heat is too extreme.
Aglaonema Temperature and Humidity
To be perfectly honest with you here – Aglaonemas are kinda delicate creatures. They do like high humidity – they like it very much so. So, to aid the humidity in the air and the soil itself, try misting it every once in a while.
It goes a long way in creating (not to say, imitating) the greenhouse conditions that Aglaonema thrives in. As for temperature, keep it at 65°F and it’ll do just fine.
To further support my claim about the delicacy of Aglaonema (any variety), they are highly draft intolerant. So, keep them away from windows, air conditioning, balconies, and the like. Keep the temperature at the given optimum if you want your beauty Aglaonema to grow properly.
Aglaonema Best Potting Mix
Our Chinese evergreen yellow leaves plant cannot go with just any soil that comes to your mind. Naturally, you will go with well-drained soil that doesn’t keep the excess water for too long. As for the mix itself, stick to the peat-based mix with added perlite.
This will be the best choice for optimum drainage. On the other hand, some nitrogen is also a good choice (though, not too much). Basically, any loose soil will do great.
Watering your Aglaonema
Ah, I learned the hard way that Aglaonema plants love water. Particularly so during the summer. Obviously, you will have to water abundantly during the summer season so the plant has sufficient humidity. Also, remember to mist!
On the other hand, you can cut back on watering during the wintertime since Aglaonema will not require that much water. And just like any other plants, they don’t like to be overwatered coz it can lead to root rot. Only water these gorgeous beasts when the top 2-inch soil is dry.
ATTENTION!
Never let your Aglaonema dry out. This is detrimental or their overall health. Drying out means depriving your Aglaonema of the required water and humidity levels it needs to survive. Even if it is quite dry, don’t try to make it up with the next watering. Be moderate but take proper care to water regularly.
Fertilizing Aglaonema
Adding fertilizer to Aglaonema is always a good idea since it will boost growth and improve the general well-being of the plant.
As is the case with plants in general, fertilizer is omitted when Aglaonema is in its dormant phase. Naturally, this is the winter season so hold back the fertilizer until spring.
At that time, you can start mixing fertilizer with your soil. I am sure you already know that there are multiple forms of fertilizer to choose from, but for optimum results for an Aglaonema, pellets (slow-releasing ones, mind you) are a perfectly good choice.
Another option is to give it a try to liquid fertilizer. See what works best and fertilize away.
Again, don’t overdo it. Too much fertilizer can cause the leaves or stems to burn, so be moderate.
Aglaonema Plant Propagation
Once you get to love a plant, you keep finding ways to propagate it. However, it’s not that simple at times. I remember my gerbera developed some side shoots (I don’t know how either) and I plucked them out and placed them in water.
Of course, I didn’t achieve anything since it is a fact that gerberas propagate by root division every two years. So, stick to the “traditional” methods of propagating. For Aglaonema, this means that you need to stick to newly developed plant shoots that you can use for further repotting.
Another way is when you have just purchased the plant you divide it (there will be multiple shoots).Good luck!
Potting & Repotting your Aglaonema
Interestingly, this maintenance step is the one where we see how simple Aglaonema is (in a good way). Namely, Aglaonema is a slow-growing plant and it doesn’t grow very high or wide. When fully grown, it can reach some 10–48 inches, which is not a lot.
Still, it takes time and time for the Aglaonema to reach this size. This is why you have this advantage that you can repot it every two to three years. Then go a size up with the pot and you’re good to go.
From experience, I figured that the pierced pots are the best option for Aglaonema since they make the excess water run through eliminating the threat of rot.
Common Diseases and Pests
We are all aware that there comes a time when you just can’t but watch your plant give in to the pests. Luckily, it is in our nature to care for the plants sufficiently to help them overcome this problem. Speaking of Aglaonema, mealybugs, and spider mites are the most typical pests.
You can get rid of these with adequate pesticides. Just follow the instructions on use inscribed on the product of your choosing.
Final Thought
Aglaonemas are lovely plants and you should definitely get one, no matter if it is Aglaonema Creta, Maria, or Aurora. Although Aglaonema care may seem a bit tricky at first, this is where you got all the info, so use them to your advantage and grow a beautiful Aglaonema yourself.
Try it today and leave some photos and feedback in the comments.