Codiaeum variegatum 'Sloppy Painter'

Hi Everyone! I need help! The leaves on my Croton will not stop falling off. I don’t know if it’s dying or because it’s winter in Brisbane, QLD. It’s currently inside my house and about 33cm tall with only a few leaves left! Thank you 😊 #croton

@brightcolours more plant problems 😵

It’s not at all happy. Mine are planted outside in the garden and NOT losing their leaves. How wet/dry is potting mix? How much light is it getting? What’s the watering regime? @Annettenoosa @jaybee

@jaybee Needs to be grown outside with 4 hours sunshine a day. They do not like too much or too little water. Best in the ground. When I grew them in shade they dropped leaves and were not happy. Now have them in full sunshine and they are thriving. @brightcolours

Thank you @brightcolours and @Annettenoosa for your guidance! I have put it outside now as it wasn’t getting any sunshine. I bought it from Bunnings and it said it was an indoor plant on the tag but I know now to research first (or ask you guys ☺️). The potting mix is slightly damp but I have not formed a proper watering regime. Do you water you plants at different times depending on needs or just water everything every couple of days? I wouldn’t know where to begin with a watering regime

Annette and I both live on the Sunshine Coast so the climate is same as yours in Brisbane. I’ve never grown them indoors but then I do know Crotons don’t like cold weather.

“Crotons are easy to grow. As indoor pot plants water regularly and give a liquid feed monthly in summer. If grown outdoors give them a deep watering in dry weather, particularly in winter in northern Australia. Colouration is always brighter if grown in shade for half a day. But further south, in Tasmania, crotons need all the available sunshine.“ www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/crotons/9424052

@jaybee. Plant tag from Bunnings will sell in NSW and Vic too where it will be classed as indoor plant and will probably die. Tags that say 'full sun' may mean Vic sun, not Qld sun. Very annoying. Some plants like to dry out, some do not. I steer clear of demanding, fussy plants, preferring those suitable to my area. Look at neighbours gardens to see which plants are thriving. Happy to help. @brightcolours

@jaybee another area to get local information from is Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. They have lots of exhibitions put on by local growers. Also the many open gardens in your area. 🐝🐝

Re: watering regime. Depends on what the plant is and what season it is. Also depends if it’s in an heated room. More indoor plants are killed by over-watering than under-watering.

#brisbane