How to grow dracaena at home at home?

Dracaena with a slender trunk and a lush cap of long, tough foliage is very reminiscent of another southern plant - a palm tree. In the wild, both one and the second culture are tall. But if nothing restricts the palm tree to grow upward, then for an indoor flower this becomes a serious problem.

Not only that, most domesticated species are capable of reaching heights of up to 2-3 meters. Plants lose their decorative effect without restrictive measures. Dracaena trunks become bare, elongate, and a small amount of leaves remains only on the tops of reluctantly branching lignified shoots.

How to propagate dracaena at home?

Faced with such a situation, novice flower growers sometimes strive to get rid of an overgrown pet. But why buy a new plant when there is already a specimen that can easily return to its former beauty? In addition, it is an excellent source of planting material for breeding dracaena at home!

But how does dracaena reproduce? In indoor conditions, it practically does not bloom, it is also extremely difficult to achieve the appearance of lateral shoots, and new plants from the roots appear only in exceptional cases.

It turns out there are several ways to obtain offspring from dracaena, and most of them do not require special knowledge and great efforts from the grower. In an apartment, the plant can be propagated using:

• apical cuttings;
• stem cuttings;
• air layering;
• seeds.

The first two methods of breeding dracaena at home are the most preferable. They are lightweight and give almost guaranteed results.

When is it better to propagate dracaena at home, and how to properly prepare planting material? You can test in practice the ease of reproduction of dracaena in spring. At this time, not only growth processes are activated, but also the defenses of plants. Therefore, even the most laborious method will definitely give a quick result. But attempts to root cuttings in winter or autumn most often end in failure.

Propagation of dracaena by apical cuttings

If there is an adult dracaena in the house that has lost its former attractiveness, it's time to update it and grow a young specimen with its help.

The top of the shoot covered with leaves, together with part of the stem, is cut off with a sharp knife. It is optimal if a clean cut perpendicular to the trunk is at a distance of 15–18 cm from the last leaf. All leaves and old foliage are removed from the stem.After that, the future dracaena seedling is dried for 2-3 hours in room conditions.

You can root a stalk taken for reproduction of dracaena at home:

• in ordinary water with a small addition of a root stimulant and charcoal;
• in a mixture of crushed coal, sand and peat;
• in vermiculite or perlite at the choice of the grower;
• in steamed soil for dracaena or decorative palm species.

Cuttings should be rooted in a greenhouse or under a film cover, the humidity inside which can be regulated by ventilation. To do this, the shelter is opened twice a day for 15–20 minutes.

It must be remembered that dracaena, propagated at home by cuttings, does not like excessive soil moisture.

To prevent root rudiments from decaying or drying out, you need regular, but very careful watering and maintaining the temperature within the range of 20-22 ° C. Seedlings are good for spraying. Only the water is better to take warm and always settled. In the same way, with the help of a spray bottle, plants can receive the first feeding in their life.

A video on how to propagate dracaena at home will help you to study the process in detail and get answers to your questions.

The stem with the root system remaining after cutting should not be thrown away! If you cover the upper cut with a bag, and put the plant in a pot in a warm place and water it moderately, then after about a month, awakened lateral shoots will become noticeable on the stem. They will give the future life to the renewed, already multi-barreled dracaena.

Propagation of dracaena by cuttings from the stem

If the stem is too long even after pruning and it is a pity to throw it away, you can start propagating dracaena at home with cuttings obtained not from the top, but from the middle of the shoot. The same technique will be useful if, with healthy roots, the upper part of the plant is withered or rotten.

To obtain cuttings, a healthy stem is cut into 10-15 cm pieces so that the cut passes exactly at the place where the leaf was spotted. The cut points must be level and clean, without cracks or peeling of tissue.

Rooting is carried out similarly to the first method of reproduction of dracaena by cuttings. But in this case, it is possible to place pieces of shoots in the substrate not only vertically, deepening a couple of centimeters, but also horizontally, slightly pressing into the wet soil mixture.

If during the rooting of the apical cuttings only roots are formed, then when growing dracaena from the stem cuttings, in addition to the roots, shoots also sprout from the buds that were at rest. Usually, the root system develops after 1–1.5 months, and the first shoots on the cuttings are shown after 2–4 weeks.

Propagation of dracaena by air layers

When the plant is small, and it is not yet possible to get cuttings in order to propagate dracaena at home, use another method:

1. On the trunk of the plant, under the former leaf, the place of formation of future roots is marked and a small transverse incision is made approximately to the middle of the trunk.
2. To prevent it from overgrowing, a match or a toothpick is inserted into the gap.
3. Around the incision, the trunk is wrapped in sphagnum and covered with a bag
4. It is important that the moss under the film does not dry out; it is moistened with a spray bottle.
5. When the roots sprout through the sphagnum, the plank is removed and an independent seedling is cut from the mother plant.

Often, in the place below the cut, over the past time, the rudiments of shoots are formed, which become new trunks of dracaena.

The separated sprout is rooted in the soil for adult plants, and it is useful to place it in a greenhouse for a week or cover it with a large jar for accelerated acclimatization.

This method is more complicated than reproduction of dracaena by cuttings taken from the stem or from the top of the shoot, but with proper care, the young seedling takes root and grows much faster.

Propagation of dracaena seeds

At home, it is extremely difficult to cause flowering, and even more so to get seeds.If such a rare planting material is at the disposal of the florist, do not hesitate.

Dracaena seeds are embedded in the ground only fresh, but before that they are thoroughly cleaned of fruit residues and immersed in a growth stimulator solution for 10-15 minutes:

1. Dried seeds are sown on the surface of a wet sand-peat, disinfected mixture.
2. Sprinkle a little with soil, cover with a film or put it in a greenhouse for germination. Seeds require light and a constant temperature of 25 ° C to bite.
3. Until the seeds have sprouted, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated, trying not to let cold air and condensation fall under the film.
4. Unsustained shoots should be expected in 25–30 days.

Little dracaena are gradually allowed to get used to the room air. And then the plants are dived and transferred to separate pots.

This is the most difficult and unusual way to reproduce dracaena at home, but it can also bear fruit and replenish the knowledge of the grower about an interesting indoor culture.

Video about breeding dracaena at home

The beautiful plants in the room are the result of careful attention to the needs of green pets. Knowing how to care for dracaena, you can extend the life of a flower up to 10 years. Plants from this group resemble a palm tree in shape, and one of the species was named "Lucky Bamboo" for its resemblance to the Chinese symbol of well-being.

Dracaena care at home

A rosette of long green or striped leaves at the top is the main decoration of plants of the genus Dracaena. Also a notable feature is the transverse stripes on the stem.

Requirements for soil and pot

In order for a plant to please for a long time with its well-groomed appearance, it initially needs to create good conditions. The substrate should be neutral (pH around 6). You can check the acidity of existing soil with test strips or buy soil with a specified pH value. Prepare a substrate for planting from three parts of ordinary garden soil, two parts of peat, one part of sand. Or use a mixture of peat, humus earth and sand (2: 1: 1).

The pot or container must be stable. The height of the container for planting dracaena with a height of 50–80 cm is 25 cm, the diameter is 20 cm. A drainage layer at the bottom of the pot is imperative, because the roots require good ventilation.

Temperature, humidity and lighting

Dracaena is a thermophilic plant. Indoor temperature in summer should be in the range of 19–25 ° С. If the room is cold, then the dracaena does not grow and may die. Dry air is also harmful, it is necessary to create a humidity above 50%.

Important! Dracaena tend to thrive well in partial shade, but grow slower in such conditions. There are some differences in light requirements between varieties with green and variegated leaves.

If a flower pot is placed far from a window or lamp, then the tops of the dracaena are bent. Variegated forms require more light, east and west windows are needed. The plant on the south window should be protected from direct sunlight at noon.

Watering the plant

In summer, dracaena should be watered every other day. The soil in a flowerpot or tub should not be allowed to dry out completely.

What kind of hydration does dracaena need:

• regular watering without stagnant water in the pan;
• frequent spraying with soft settled water;
• constantly moist, but not wet soil.

Proper care of dracaena at home involves daily spraying of the leaves in the summer. Often, dust remains even after regular washing. Then you have to wipe the leaves with a soft damp cloth or cotton pad.

Top dressing and fertilization

It is recommended to feed the dracaena once every two weeks in the summer. It is advisable to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers, dissolve and add to water for irrigation. Dracaena are sensitive to the content of fluorine and chlorine, so you need to choose fertilizers without these elements.Also, do not use chlorinated or fluorinated water for irrigation.

Transfer

This is a very important procedure, on the successful implementation of which the decorative appearance of an adult dracaena depends. Very carefully remove the root ball from the old pot. A suitable drainage material (ceramic shards, gravel, expanded clay or pieces of foam) should be placed on the bottom of the new, higher container.

How to transplant and transship dracaena:

1. A layer of washed sand and part of the prepared soil are poured on top of the drainage.
2. Install a root ball and add soil to the sides.
3. Water the soil in a pot.
4. Add the substrate, leaving 1.5 cm to the top.
5. The soil is compacted, sprinkled on top with a thin layer of peat.

Dracaena is transplanted annually up to three years of age. In the future, the procedure can be performed less often, and once a year only change the top layer in the pot to fresh soil.

Winter care

Dracaena requirements for keeping conditions in a warm room in winter are almost the same as in summer. However, a room with a temperature of 15 ° C is more suitable. At the same time, the number of watering and spraying is reduced to once a week. If the room is warm and dry, then dracaena is watered twice a week. In autumn and winter, the plant does not need feeding.

Dracaena reproduction

If several branches depart from the central stem, then one shoot can be used as material for cuttings. The top 12 cm long is cut off, the rest of the stem is cut into 7 cm long sections. The cut on the mother plant is sprinkled with crushed charcoal or ash. In this place, under favorable conditions, new shoots appear.

The cuttings are rooted in a pot of wet sand or in a glass of water. The leaves on the cut top should be shortened, leaving 5–7 cm. The room temperature should be at least 20–22 ° С. From above, the cuttings are covered with a plastic bag, which is removed daily for airing and spraying the substrate. Rooting occurs within 3-4 weeks. After 1-2 months, several shoots grow, which can be divided and planted in different pots.

Seed propagation is mainly used by professionals. If you can buy seeds, then first they are soaked in warm water. After 5 days, they are sown in moist soil in mini-greenhouses or plastic boxes with a transparent lid. Dracaena seeds germinate for a long time.

The main problems in growing

Dracaena leaves often turn yellow and die off in a dry room. Drafts and cold air can be the cause. Yellowing and loss of 1 or 2 leaves per month is normal. Fluorides in water or fertilizers can cause yellow and brown spots.

Recommendation. The diseased plant is removed from the pot, damaged leaves, rotten roots are removed. Then the dracaena is transplanted, watered moderately and regularly sprayed with water.

Direct sunlight leaves light burn spots on the leaves. It is necessary to find another place for the plant where the dracaena will be better protected from ultraviolet radiation. Brown spots at the ends and along the edge of the leaf blades can occur with insufficient watering. The humidity of the earthen coma should be maintained at a constant level. Over-watering is also bad. If the abundance of moisture is combined with a low temperature, then the dracaena dies.

Pests, diseases and methods of dealing with them

Natural species of the genus Dracaena rarely get sick, little is attacked by pests. Modern forms and varieties are more susceptible to infections. Fungal diseases cause rotting of the roots and base of the stem, yellowing of the leaves. Fusarium causes red and black spots to form. The soil under the dracaena is treated with a solution of wood ash, the whole plant is sprayed with biofungicide.

White filaments at the base of the leaves on the stem are a sign of a spider mite attack. The plant is wiped with a sponge dipped in a solution of laundry soap, then washed under a warm shower.When infected with a mealybug, a scabbard, the dracaena is first washed with soapy water, then sprayed with an insecticidal preparation with pyrethrin for indoor flowers.

Types and varieties of plants and the nuances of caring for them

Dracaena are valued for their exotic look and the beauty of their leaves. Each species, variety can liven up a room, office and other premises.

Dracaena Marginata (bordered)

A graceful plant with a rosette of thin leaves at the top of a woody stem, from 50 cm to 3 m high. Dracaena Marginata with an openwork crown retains its decorative effect for a long time due to good care. With sufficient light, red, in some varieties, also white stripes along the edge of the leaves, look more expressive.

Colorama has a crimson hue, Tricolor attracts with a combination of green, red and yellow colors, Magenta has a raspberry border. Dracaena bordered "Bicolor" is distinguished by a combination of pink and green stripes. Forms with variegated leaves need good lighting and frequent spraying with water.

Sander

Thin shoots of this species grow quickly, bend easily at a young age. Florists use this property to obtain the famous "Bamboo of Happiness". Dracaena Sander, even when twisted, takes root well. Lanceolate leaves of light green color up to 20 cm long grow quickly.

Spiral curved, tied in bundles of 3, 5, 7 or more, dracaena Sander cuttings are symbols of prosperity, wealth and prosperity. Young stems are weaved when they are still well bent. "Bamboo of happiness" needs diffused lighting, it can grow without soil in a nutrient solution.

Fragrant (Fragrant)

Fast growing species with glossy lancet-shaped leaves. The stem is straight, thickened, or strongly shortened. There are varieties with pure green, as well as two- and three-colored leaves. Paniculate inflorescences consist of small pinkish-white corollas.

Fragrant dracaena - little demanding to care, can grow with a lack of light. Needs good watering during the period of active growth, does not tolerate too dry air and temperatures below 20 ° C. In winter, watering is moderate.

Dracaena deremskaya

The lignified stem of an evergreen perennial reaches a height of 0.5–3 m. The lower leaves die off as they age, but they can persist. The edges of the leaf blade are wavy, the color is dark green, as in a natural species, or with longitudinal lines
- yellow, white, light green. It does not bloom every year.

Godsef

A semi-shrub that looks like a reed. Leaves are oval in shape with pointed tops, collected in groups of 3-5 pieces. Green color predominates, there are lighter streaks and spots. Nice-smelling greenish-yellow inflorescences emerge from the leaf axils.

Reflex (bent)

Green leaves with a yellow border reach a length of 15 cm. The tall stem of the plant needs support. Trimming can be used to make the shape more compact. Reflexa is a more demanding species to care for, compared to related dracaena.

When buying a plant from a flower shop, it is recommended to pay attention to the leaves - the ends should not be dry. Initially healthy dracaena, with proper care, retains its decorative effect for more than 5 years.

At home, it is necessary to choose a well-lit place for the variegated variety, to protect the plant from direct sunlight. With a lack of natural light, dracaena develops well under artificial lighting. The plant should be regularly washed with warm water in order to preserve the main decoration - a dense rosette of leaves.

Dracaena in room conditions is in harmony with variegated varieties of chlorophytum, dieffenbachia, Veich's pandanus. All of these plants need the same lighting and moisture conditions, so it will be easy to care for the decorative group.

This beautiful plant has long been loved by gardeners. The beauty of a tropical plant attracts eyes and creates a good mood.Such large plants, in most cases, are installed in offices; a small palm tree fits perfectly into the interior of any apartment.

This African plant, with proper care, can live in an apartment for about 15 years. It is very easy to care for and propagate it and does not require any special care.

What types of dracaena is subdivided

Many varieties of dracaena are known. The most popular household species grown by gardeners are:

1. Dracaena unbent. This plant got its name because of the leaves strongly inclined downwards. The plant is distinguished by a weak stem that starts branching right from the beginning of the root. The leaves are elongated, bright green with a yellow longitudinal stripe. Such a dracaena ennobles the room.
2. Dracaena Surculosis. The plant belongs to the shoot-forming species. This exotic palm tree is very different from other varieties. Dracaena is distinguished by its bushy shape, dark green leaves, oval in shape, with golden splashes. The flower decorates the room, it becomes more comfortable in it.
3. Dracaena is fragrant. The height of this plant can exceed three meters, the size of the leaves, which have a wavy, hanging appearance, exceeds 80 cm. Such a tropical palm tree blooms with pink flowers emitting a pleasant aroma. For such a pleasant smell it was called fragrant.
4. Dracaena Deremskaya. This tall variety has a powerful tree-like trunk. Its leaves are dark green, half a meter long. On the leaves, depending on the variety, there may be multi-colored stripes. This dracaena blooms only in the wild.
5. Dracaena Marginata. The first time this variety was discovered in Madagascar. The height of this plant in natural conditions can exceed five meters. This is perhaps the most unpretentious view. This indoor palm cleans the air from formaldehyde. The plant is often grown where factories and large plants are nearby.

How dracaena reproduces

When the dracaena grows gigantic in size and begins to rest against the ceiling, its appearance becomes not very attractive, you need to start reproducing it.

The easiest way to reproduce at home is a plant of the following type:

• deremska;
• bordered;
• Sander.

You need to propagate the plant in March or Aprilwhen the growth process is activated. Dracaena propagation can be done in several ways:

• By cutting the tops.
• Stem.

To reproduce dracaena at home, use apical cuttings, more than ten centimeters long. In addition, you can propagate the plant with pieces of the trunk, small layering. To do this, it is necessary to warm up the soil, apply heteroauxin.

Cut off the top of the plant put in a container with water and small lumps of charcoal are added. After about 90 days, roots begin to appear on the plant, after which the dracaena can be planted in a large flower pot.

At the cut off site, the formation of new shoots will occur, which will give buds located on the sides.

Dracaena is fertilized during its active growth, which begins in April and ends at the end of August. Top dressing should be done once every two weeks special fertilizerswhich contain all the nutrients that houseplants need. They can be bought at any Sady-Ogorody store.

How to propagate dracaena using stem cuttings

This breeding technology is used only if the top of the dracaena has wilted. A healthy stem is taken, more than two centimeters in diameter. His cut into piecesless than 20 cm long.

Each cut must be done with neatness, in places where the leaf is attached to the stem. Use a very sharp tool to cut the pieces.

How to propagate dracaena at home with stem cuttings? There are several ways to do this.

Vertical propagation... The bottom of the plant cutting is immersed in the fertilized soil by about three cm. From above, the soil must be sprinkled with sand, the layer thickness of which should reach 6 cm. In this case, the cutting will not need to be replanted again. It first puts its roots in the sand, and only then into the soil.

Horizontal propagation... The cuttings are placed on a damp surface, then slightly pressed into the soil. The ambient temperature should not exceed 24 ° C. Rooting is best done in greenhouse conditions.

Rooting differs in apical cuttings from stem cuttings in that at the top, only roots are formed, and shoots begin to germinate at the stem.

When horizontal rooting is applied, stem destruction occurs. The reason for this is the high consumption of nutrients for the emergence of new shoots. How to plant dracaena, after the emergence of shoots? As soon as they begin to feed from their roots, the finished cuttings are planted in pots.

Reproduction by layering... In everyday life, such reproduction occurs using apical shoots. They are immersed in a bowl of warm water. For disinfection, several tablets of activated carbon are added to the water. Experts advise changing the water more often. It will take 90 days and the shoots will have roots. All that remains is to plant the stalk in the right place.

Lighting and temperature conditions for dracaena

In order for dracaena to reproduce successfully, it is necessary to observe the correct temperature regime and have certain lighting.

Plant loves average temperature... The thermometer should not exceed 32 degrees. A comfortable temperature in winter is considered to be a range of 15-18 degrees. During this period, you need to abandon abundant watering.

If there is poor lighting and very warm content, the plant loses its beautiful appearance. Dracaena in the daytime does not tolerate sunlight. It is better to put it in a slightly dark place. In complete darkness, the plant withers quickly.

For good formation and growth, the plant strong lighting needed... It grows well in the light of fluorescent lamps. A one and a half meter palm tree will grow beautifully in the light of two such devices, with a power of 18 watts. Moreover, the crown of the plant should have maximum uniform illumination.

If you properly care for this plant in your room, then it will delight its owner with a gorgeous look for a very long time.

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How to care for dracaena at home? This plant does not require unusual keeping conditions. Despite the fact that it comes from tropical forests, with proper care it grows and develops well in our climate. Naturally, in the house, not on the street. And even the harsh dry air in a room with central heating cannot harm him. But, only with the right attitude.

In principle, even the most inexperienced indoor florist is quite capable of keeping dracaena at home. You just need to follow a few simple conditions.

The soil

Dracaena is very unpretentious to the composition of the soil. You could say the rougher the better. After buying a plant in a store, it must be transplanted. As a rule, flowers are found in transport soil, which is not very suitable for full development. Therefore, they either buy specialized soil for palm trees or dracaena, or make up the soil mixture on their own. Moreover, it is not difficult to do this at all.

It is necessary to take in equal proportions clean sand, peat and rough turf soil. Mix thoroughly and spill with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. A day after cultivation, the land is ready to embrace the plant.

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Transplant features

The dracaena root system is located in the upper layers of the soil.But the pot will have to be deep and stable. Because the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture at all. This means that the drainage layer at the bottom of the pot should be at least 5 cm. Many people use expanded clay, but we recommend taking something more weighty. Gravel, pebbles, clay shards, marble chips. Together with the drainage function, such heavy materials create a good counterweight. Otherwise, the dracaena will simply topple over if it reaches a decent size.

Which pot to take? The size of the pot is very easy to determine. For every 15 cm of the stem, there should be 5 cm of the diameter of the container. That is, if your dracaena is 60 cm high, then the diameter of the pot should be at least 20 cm. The material does not matter. Dracaena feels great in both plastic and ceramics. Again, earthenware is still preferable. It has enough weight to keep the flower from tumbling.

When dracaena is transplanted

You can transplant the plant all year round. But we recommend doing this around the end of winter. With the onset of spring, the dracaena begins an active growth phase, and it is better not to disturb it at this time.

Young plants need to be replanted once a year, adults less often. They are guided by the roots. As soon as they become visible above the soil surface, then the time has come.

The least traumatic for the root system is the transshipment of a completely earthen coma. If your flower is already too big for transplanting, then just replace the top 7 cm of soil with a fresh one once a year. Just be careful not to damage the roots.

Watering dracaena

This plant is very fond of water. But he does not like to swim in it at all. Therefore, drainage is needed of this thickness. Proper planting ensures good drainage of excess fluid from the root system.

The most correct thing would be to put the pot of dracaena in a wide tray. Peat, moss or expanded clay are applied to it. Any liquid that drains from the pot will be absorbed into these materials. Then it will gradually evaporate, creating the necessary level of moisture near the flower.

In general, it is advisable to spray the plant more often directly along the crown with lukewarm, settled water. This will prevent the tips of the leaves from drying out.

When and how much to water dracaena? Rarely in winter, more often in summer. It is difficult to draw up an exact schedule. It all depends on the conditions of maintenance and the size of the plant. It is usually customary to focus on the dryness of the earthen coma. As soon as the top 2-2.5 cm dries up, you need to water. It is strictly forbidden to overdry the soil. Dracaena can not stand this and die. It is better to water a little more and after 15 minutes drain the excess liquid from the pan than to underfill and ruin the flower.

Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. If it is poured from the tap, it is recommended to let it stand for at least 12 hours. Then boil and cool. Instead of boiling it, you can freeze the liquid in the freezer.

Only without fail, after each preparatory procedure, the water is drained from the sediment. If this is not done, then very soon a white bloom will appear on the surface of the soil in the pot. These are deposits of hard salts, which are not at all good for dracaena.

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Air temperature

Dracaena loves warmth, but does not tolerate heat at all. The most optimal keeping conditions fluctuate in the temperature range from +18 to + 26 ° С during the period of active growth. This is approximately from the second decade of March to the second decade of October.

During a pronounced dormant period, the plant requires different temperatures. It is from +14 to + 16 ° С. If you do not provide such conditions, then the unrespirated dracaena will not be able to fully grow and develop in the summer. She just won't have enough strength.

By the way, with a decrease in the temperature of the content below + 11 ° C in any period, there is a high probability of disease outbreaks. Even the appearance of rot and shedding of leaves is possible. This feature should be taken into account.

Lighting

A lot of light for dracaena is very good. But only absent-minded.Direct sunlight literally burns out spots on the leaves. And with a lack of lighting, the shoots grow stunted and thin, the leaves turn pale and hang with rags.

If the plant is on the windowsill, then shade it with light blinds, white paper, and a light curtain. If on a table or bedside table next to the window, then additional shading is not required. At the same time, good lighting should be available all year round. That is, during the winter holidays too.

With artificial supplementary lighting, the dracaena feels great. Only these should be special phytolamps for plants. They give the right amount of ultraviolet radiation without burning the crown with a high incandescence temperature.

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Formation

Dracaena is often grown in conservatories or offices. Because it grows up to 3.5 meters in height. But if you do not engage in plant formation, then the spectacle will bring few aesthetically pleasing moments. Long, bare trunk with a bunch of leaves at the crown.

A small trunk with several shoots looks much more beautiful. In this case, a very lush crown is obtained, which always looks great.

How to achieve this result if the dracaena stretches upward? By itself, it will not release side shoots. We'll have to sacrifice a fancy hat. For this you will need:

• sharp sterile knife
• garden var or crushed activated carbon tablet

The cut is made at a level of about 6-7 cm below the first sheet. That is, the top of the head with a short handle should remain in the hands. And in the pot there is one trunk without leaves. They do not regret it, it will be better this way. They only strictly watch that the cut is perfectly smooth. Even the tiniest makhrushki provoke rotting. The wound is sprinkled with coal or covered with pitch.

After some time, buds will swell on the trunk and young shoots will appear from them. By the way, the crown is not thrown away. You can try to root it under cover in the soil or even just in the water. Only the cut must be dipped in a root formation stimulator. This will make the process much faster.

The danger of formation is that only one new shoot can appear. Then the shaping procedure will have to be carried out again, after a while. By the way, if you cut off the tops of young shoots, then in the end you can get a beautiful tree with a lush crown. Only be sure to allow the plant to move away from the previous injury. For some time they even help: they pour it with a solution of any adaptogen. It can be epin, zircon and other biological agents.

Advice. The plant begins to form when the height of the main stem reaches at least 28 cm.

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Pests

In the Russian climate, there are no insects that love dracaena. But there are a couple of omnivorous pests that even cacti are able to take a liking to. This is a spider mite and a scale insect. They often settle on a plant if the microclimate around is dry and hot. At normal humidity, they do not appear. But, if such an attack overpowered the plant, then you will have to give it an alkaline or potassium shower.

To do this, the pot is tightly wrapped with polyethylene, cling film, foil. They put it in a basin or bath. Then the crown is generously washed with a solution of household or potassium soap. After 15 minutes, rinse with a warm, gentle stream of clean water.

If this procedure does not bring improvement, then you will have to use any systemic insecticide.

Diseases

In general, dracaena is not particularly susceptible to diseases. Often, they arise only when the provoking factors coincide. It can be:

• excessively high or low air temperature
• stagnant water in a sump or pot
• constant drafts
• low humidity of the microclimate near the pot

If these problems are eliminated, then diseases can be completely avoided. The first sign is most often the appearance of the leaves. The tips begin to dry out on them, yellow, brown spots appear, which then turn black.Massive leaf litter signals a strong defeat of the dracaena. An urgent need to identify the cause and save the plant.

At the same time, periodic yellowing of 2-3 lower leaves is a natural norm. The old ones die, the young ones grow, everything is as it was instituted by nature. In general, the average lifespan of a leaf in good conditions is about 2.5 years. If yellowness is sickening, then you can simply cut off the leaf to healthy tissue. All the same, it will gradually die out and fall off.

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Fertilizers

During the period of active growth, the flower must be regularly fed. It can be any mineral or organic fertilizer. Dracaena is omnivorous, and responds with gratitude to any treats.

It's important not to overdo it. Once every 3 weeks will be sufficient. And do not exceed the dosage indicated by the manufacturer. There will be no more benefit from this. But the burning of small feeding roots is easy.

Useful Tips

1. In the summer, you can take out the dracaena to breathe on the street or balcony. Only cover from strong winds and drafts. She feels great in the garden, under a little shade.
2. Over time, a lot of dust and dirt accumulates on the leaves. It is easy to wipe the young plant with a damp soft cloth. Well, an adult tree perfectly tolerates a regular warm shower. And you don't have to rub every leaf.
3. For greater beauty, it is customary to sprinkle the top layer of soil in a pot with small pebbles or gravel. We do not recommend doing this, because the root system must breathe freely. And the pebbles partially interfere with the evaporation of excess moisture.

How to care for dracaena at home? As you can see from the text, it is not difficult at all. Simple adherence to basic rules, a little competent care and more love. Dracaena will appreciate the efforts and will delight you with a beautiful exotic view.

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Video: caring for dracaena at home