How resilient is a philodendron? (flower, landscaping, growing, weeds)

[shyspider]

Please tell me I didn't kill my philodendron. I'm HORRIBLE when it comes to gardening matters, and probably worse at taking care of house plants. BUT...my philodendron was an Easter gift from my mom last year, so I strive to make sure I water it properly. And I've heard you're supposed to allow the soil to completely dry out between waterings. So that's what I've been doing for over a year now....except for these past few weeks.

I have it in a room I hardly ever go in, so it's easy for me to forget. I've been scatterbrained lately and neglected to water the poor thing these past few weeks. It finally dawned on me this evening that I needed to water it, so when I went to check on it, the thing was extremely droopy - I'm talking flatter than a pancake, hanging over the side of the top of the pot. And there were multiple yellow leaves and stems. So I hope I didn't kill the thing, and maybe I shouldn't have done this, but I picked off the yellow leaves. Should I have done that? Did it hurt the plant, or would they have turned green again?

[ArkansasSlim]

It was O.K. to pull the yellow ones and if the green ones are only droopy it will probably survive.

[Phawk57]

If you have a cellphone, you could put in a weekly reminder in the calendar to water your houseplants. Just put it for a time you are generally home. I use this for many of my appointments and things I don't want to forget.

[shyspider]

Thanks for the responses.

Good news! It survived. Checked on it this morning, and it had perked right up overnight.

[DewDropInn]

Glad to hear it perked up. Just remember to keep watering it. I grew them in So Calif (outside) and loved them because they would take a lot of punishment and just keep on growing. If, in the future, something happens to it and it doesn't "bounce back" do not hesitate to cut off the dead leaves. Just put the plant where it gets light and don't forget to water it. I would cut the heck out of mine in routine trimming and they always came back. Fabulous plant IMO.

[DewDropInn]

One more thing. My mother grew philodendrons indoors many, many years ago. She used to wipe milk onto their leaves to make them shiny. I think there are actually products for this use, but I can still remember her going through the house with her little dish of milk and a cloth. She had a very green thumb.

[PJSaturn]

It's pretty difficult to kill a philedendron!

[shyspider]

Thanks so much for the tips, DewDropInn. I recently told my mom that I definitely did not inherit the green thumb in the family....my brother did. When it comes to gardening and landscaping, I'll BUILD the wall around the flower bed, but I hate tending to it. I wouldn't know a weed from a legitimate flower. In fact, I know dandelions are considered weeds, but I like them. I've always had artificial plants in the house if I wanted that touch of green or feel of "nature indoors". So when my mom gave me the philodendron, I was almost as scared of it as a father is with his newborn first child. "Where do I put it? How much water does it get? How often? Do I feed it? Can I pour my cold coffee into the soil?" I also don't know if I'm supposed to be pruning this thing or not. It looks rather "crowded" toward the inner part of the plant. Do I need to thin it out?

[tasmtairy]

I have a "black thumb" and even I can't kill one!! LOL

[shyspider]

LOL! I wonder if these things can grow in a desert? I wish I had a video camera I could have set up to watch it overnight. It would have been funny to see it spring to life.