How to grow dracaena at home dracaena problems?

Due to its beauty, dracaena has become a popular houseplant. Outwardly, it resembles a palm tree, therefore it is a decoration for offices and houses, as it looks spectacular and attractive. Large views are well suited for office spaces. Little dracaena are bought in small apartments. This plant looks great alone. Dracaena looks no less beautiful next to other indoor plants.

Types of dracaena with photos and names

There are several varieties of dracaena. There are shrubs, semi-shrubs. There are also tree-like forms of the plant. The most common types are:

Dracaena bordered

Dracaena is the most unpretentious. Its distinctive feature is a tree-like trunk and narrow green leaves with a red-violet border. Under natural conditions, its height reaches 3-5 meters.

Dracaena fragrant

The largest member of the species. This evergreen shrub can grow up to 6 meters. At home, it grows up to 1-2 meters. It has beautiful wide, wavy, bright green leaves. The plant has fragrant white flowers with the smell of cut grass.

Dracaena deremskaya

The tree-like form of the plant is native to the subtropics. Her leaves are dark green in color. Dust forms too quickly on them, which must be removed regularly.

Dracaena unbent

An evergreen tree with bright green leaves that hang down. Despite the fact that this is a false palm, outwardly it resembles a fluffy bush, as it begins to branch at the base. The apartment blooms very rarely.

Dracaena Godsef

Half-shrub, white crow among dracaena. It has oval dark green leaves with white-cream dots.

How to care for dracaena at home

Temperature regime

Dracaena prefers moderate air temperatures. The temperature should be maintained in the summer - 18-25 ° C... In winter, it should not fall below 15 ° C. In the warm season, the plant should be taken out into fresh air. However, it is necessary to ensure that it does not stand in a draft, therefore, it is not placed near open windows. In hot weather, dracaena is sprayed, provide additional watering.

Lighting

When choosing lighting for dracaena, its appearance is taken into account. Most of them prefer well-lit places. At the same time, direct sunlight should not fall on the plant. The ideal place for her would be western or oriental plants. Dracaena, which have dark leaves, do not require a lot of light. Variegated species with a lack of light will lose their color. Artificial lighting is also suitable for dracaens.

If it is necessary that the dracaena grows, it is placed where there is a lot of light. In partial shade, the plant develops more slowly.

Air humidity

Most species of dracaena do not tolerate dry air, so they need to be constantly sprayed, regardless of the season. Spraying is carried out twice a day. Otherwise, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. It is equally important to regularly wipe the dracaena leaves from dust with a damp cloth. In some cases, it may be helpful to shower the plant. This is especially true of dracaena deremskaya.

Dracaena Godsef and Dragon are the most unpretentious species. They do not need special conditions of detention. They also feel comfortable in dry air.

How to water a plant

Dracaena is classified as a moisture-loving plant. She needs abundant watering. Do not allow overdrying of the top layer of the earth. When it has dried by 2-3 cm, dracaena is watered. In order for it to develop well, the soil in the pot must remain moist. Over-watering can kill the plant. Due to stagnant water, the roots will rot. In summer, dracaena is watered every day. In winter, watering should be reduced. For better development, the plants loosen the soil every month.

Water for irrigation should be soft. Rain or settled water will do. If you water it with tap water, white spots will appear on the plant.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are applied during the period of intensive growth of dracaena. It falls in March-August. The plant is fed twice a month. In the rest of the months, it is enough to fertilize the dracaena once a month. Complex fertilizers are used as top dressing. Variegated forms require specialized fertilizers.

Diseases and pests

The main enemies of the dracaena are thrips and scale insects. If the plant is infested with a spider mite, it will shed its leaves.

Very often brown spots appear on the leaves of dracaena, they dry out. If this happens, then the plant feels uncomfortable. The main reasons for this problem are dry indoor air, insufficient watering.

Due to the bright sun, burns in the form of dark spots may appear on dracaena leaves. To prevent this from happening, the plant should be shaded in sunny weather.

If the tips turn yellow, it is worth spraying the plant more often. Falling of the lower leaves is a normal phenomenon for dracaena, a natural process.

Dracaena breeding methods

Having reached a great height, the dracaena loses its beauty. To make the plant look amazing, it should be rejuvenated by rooting the top. Of all the species of dracaena, dracaena deremskaya, bordered and sandera reproduce best of all. The plant is propagated during the period of active growth - in March, April. There are several ways to propagate a plant.

The first breeding method is by cutting the top

When propagating with an apical cutting, it is very important to properly prepare the cutting. To do this, you need to carefully cut off the top of the plant. The most suitable size is 10-15 cm. The cut should be even or obliquely. It is important that it is smooth. If the stalk is damaged, the plant will rot. After cutting, the stalk is dried up. But you can immediately root the plant.

The cutting is rooted in water and various substrates. The composition of the substrate may include sand, perlite, hydrogel, earth for palms and cacti. When rooting the cuttings in water, monitor the temperature of the liquid. It should be at room temperature. Cloudy water should be replaced immediately. The procedure is repeated about twice a week. The activated charcoal tablet will help the water stay fresher for longer. Zircon has a beneficial effect on rooting processes.

When rooting the top in the substrate, the cutting is moistened with water and sprinkled with a special powder. After that, Ecoel, Zircon or Epin are added to the substrate and the cutting is placed.

If you do not take care of the handle, it will die. In most cases, with improper care, it rots. This is due to the fact that there are microorganisms in the substrate that destroy the tissues of the cutting. To avoid this, waterlogging of the soil, leading to rotting, should be avoided.When the soil cover dries up, the tissues of the cutting will dry out and the roots will die.

The ideal temperature for root rooting is 20-22 ° C. It is also necessary to create greenhouse conditions by covering the stalk with plastic, glass or a transparent bag. Do not forget to spray the leaves of the cuttings three times a day. Once a week, they are sprayed with a solution of palm fertilizer. This is important because without roots, the plant feeds on the leaves.

The second method of reproduction is by stem cuttings

This method of reproduction is used when the top of the plant wilted. For this type of reproduction, a healthy stem is selected. It should be elastic to the touch with a diameter of at least 2 cm. It is divided into several pieces of 5-20 cm in size. The slices are made with a sharp instrument along the sheet scars. The substrate for rooting in this case is the same as when grafting the top.

There are two types of propagation by stem cuttings:

• Vertical. In this case, the lower part of the plant cutting is placed in the substrate to a depth of 2-3 cm. It is very important to sprinkle it with a 5-6 cm layer of sand. This is done so as not to transplant the cutting immediately. The roots will first be in the sand, and then sink into the ground.
• Horizontal. With this method, the cuttings are placed in a moist substrate and pressed a little into it. The temperature of the soil, as well as the air in the room, should be between 20-24 ° C. The plant is rooted in a greenhouse.

There is a big difference between apical and stem cuttings. In the first method, roots are formed only at the apex. In the second case, not only roots germinate, but also shoots. With horizontal rooting, the stem is destroyed, as shoots are formed that absorb all the nutrients. When the shoots feed on their own from their own roots, the cuttings are planted in pots.

Additional recommendations

1.Do not dig out the substrate to check for root formation.

2. On average, rooting of cuttings takes 1-1.5 months. It will take two months for shoots to appear. If during this time the roots did not appear, the dracaena was rooted incorrectly. The procedure should be repeated.

This beauty has long become one of the most popular indoor plants. It can be found almost everywhere. Outwardly, it is similar to a palm tree, but the trunk is thinner, and the leaves are directed upward. It owes its name to the colorful colors of some species. Translated, this means "female dragon". It reaches a height of up to 300 cm. Over time, dying leaves leave characteristic marks on the trunk.

Content:

• Growing and care
  • Location, lighting and temperature
  • Humidity and watering
  • Soil and fertilizers
  • Choosing the right pot
  • Plant pruning
• Dracaena transplant
• Pests and diseases
  • Change in appearance
  • Bacterial rot
  • Fusarium
  • Spider mites and mealy worms
• Flower propagation
  • Cuttings from the stem
• How to choose a healthy plant in the store
• Types and varieties

Dracaena needs good lighting. The plant loves quite frequent spraying, as well as moderate watering.

Such a pet is suitable even for novice flower growers. Caring for him is simple, does not require special attention. If all the required conditions are met, then it will delight the owner for up to 15 years.

Growing and care

Location, lighting and temperature

When choosing a space, it is important to consider the need for good lighting, without direct sunlight and drafts. It is preferable to put the container on the east or west window. There will be insufficient ultraviolet radiation on the windowsill of the northern side, the southern direction threatens with sunburn. Species with green leaves tolerate partial shade well and can be placed on a stand in the center of the room.

If the color is multi-colored, then a lot of light is needed. Otherwise, it will lose its decorative effect, slow down its growth.

This is a warm-loving native of hot countries.It can easily withstand 25 to 32 degrees (with sufficient humidity). But readings below +12 can kill the plant. Optimal requirements: from March to September 20-26, from autumn to spring 14-18 degrees. Certain species tolerate coolness better than heating devices. If they begin to lose the lower leaves, then the growers move them closer to the closed window.

Humidity and watering

Exot does not like dry air... In the warm season, frequent spraying is recommended, provided that the dust on the leaves is systematically removed. Drops, mixing with it, can lead to decay. Consequences - the occurrence of fungal diseases. It is permissible to humidify the air near the "female dragon" using a tray with water. It is installed in the immediate vicinity or the vessel itself is placed on it. It is important to avoid direct contact of the root system with the liquid. In the summer, they arrange a shower for a representative of the flora. Having previously covered the pot with foil, the leaves are poured with warm water. Its remains are gently shaken off the stems.

Competent "drinking" is determined by the following criteria: water quality, technique and frequency of irrigation, requirements for it at different times of the year. In a hot period, it is necessary to water the dracaena every 3-4 days. With the onset of cold weather, the frequency decreases: every 10-12 days. A good clue would be the state of an earthen coma. If it is dry, then you should not wait for a certain date. Perhaps the humidity in the room is insufficient and the schedule will have to be shifted. The wet top layer of the earth indicates the uselessness of the next "drink".

The amount of moisture is determined as follows: it must completely saturate the clod of earth, but there must be no excess in the pallet. An excess of fluid leads to root rot.

Soil and fertilizers

Nutritious and light types of soil, with a weak or neutral reaction, are ideal. It is enough to purchase ready-made soil for palm trees or deciduous pets, it is better to choose a high quality mixture. If store products do not inspire confidence, they prepare them with their own hands. This requires the following components: humus, deciduous and sod soil, peat, coarse sand. All ingredients are taken in equal parts and mixed thoroughly. But, if you do not have a complete list at hand, do not be discouraged.

The substrate can be replaced with such a mixture.:

• humus;
• sand and turf soil, in the same amount.

All self-prepared soils are heat treated. This will help protect the beauty from possible bacteria, fungi and various pests. For ease, add natural disintegrants - charcoal or fine brick chips, in the amount of 0.25 parts.

Fertilizers. It is recommended to make ready-made special complexes, which are sold in specialized stores. They are intended for indoor plants. An overabundance has a detrimental effect on development. The manufacturer's instructions must be strictly followed. In this case, it is better to add less rather than more. The period of active growth requires additional nutrition every week. With the onset of winter and the transition to a dormant state, feeding occurs once a month.

Choosing the right pot

A deep but not very wide pot is best.

An adult specimen has an impressive root system. Therefore, the most comfortable conditions will be created by high and not very wide capacity... Large dimensions of the vessel cause stagnation of moisture and oxygen deficiency. A small flowerpot leads to twisting of the roots and the inability to absorb nutrients, slowing growth, yellowing of the foliage.

Plant pruning

When buying a pet from the market, pruning is almost never required. The crown has already been formed in greenhouse conditions. But, if you breed dracaena yourself, then you need to know certain molding rules.There are also unforeseen, urgent requirements for pruning (accidentally broken off the stem).

An exceptionally healthy specimen is permissible, at least 30 cm in height. The procedure is carried out during the period of active growth and sap flow. When shortening the central stem, do not forget about the need to calculate the height of the future trunk. All manipulations are performed only when disinfected with sharp garden tools.

Dracaena transplant

The roots do not tolerate tightness and a change of "place of residence" is required every spring for young specimens and every 2 years for adult pets. When there is no need for a new pot, it is enough to change the topsoil once a year. If an emergency has arisen and the dracaena is sick, then experienced flower growers advise not to be afraid and transfer the flower to another container, even in autumn. This also applies to new acquisitions.

After the store, the dracaena must be transplanted. The pot must be doused with boiling water before use. The first layer is drainage. Suitable height from 5 to 10 cm, depending on the size of the container and the age of the "female dragon". They are removed from the old container very carefully, slowly getting rid of the old earthen coma under a stream of warm water.

Pests and diseases

The plant boasts resistance to a wide variety of ailments and insects. But, in case of violation of the conditions of detention and a decrease in the level of health, various troubles can attack him.

Change in appearance

Dracaena sunburn

The color of the stems turns pale, white spots appear on them - these are symptoms of sunburn. It is difficult to avoid it if you spray your pet at the peak of the Star's activity. In this case, the drops play the role of lenses. Too slow growth or its complete cessation is a signal to the need to change the soil, due to the reason for its incorrect selection.

Bacterial rot

Bacterial rot

Signs: the appearance of dark spots on the leaves, softening of the plate. A special chemical agent - an insecticide - will help to correct the situation. Sprayed 2-3 times, it all depends on the success of the fight against the disease.

Fusarium

Fusarium

Do you have red spots that gradually change color to brownish brown? Time to sound the alarm. The best remedies to restore your pet's health are actellic.

Spider mite and mealy worm

Spider mite

Intruders and their waste products appear as white bloom, cobwebs and yellow streaks. If they are in small quantities, then they get rid of them mechanically - they are removed with a napkin dipped in soapy water.

Flower propagation

Cuttings from the top. The tops with leaves are cut off and all leaves are removed. It is best if the place of the cut is perpendicular to the trunk and is located after the lower foliage at a distance of 10-15 cm. Before planting, the cut is dried for about 2 hours on a sheet of paper. For rooting, use one of 4 possible options:

• water, with the addition of a phytostimulant and crushed charcoal;
• steamed soil for decorative palm;
• in equal proportions peat, sand and crushed coal;
• perlite, can be replaced with vermiculite.

For the successful growth of the root system, greenhouse conditions are created.

Cuttings from the stem

After pruning, the green mass is not thrown away, but used to breed a flower pet. This method is suitable for a sickly plant with a healthy root system. A suitable fragment is cut into pieces of 9-10 cm. The cut goes strictly along the place where the leaf was previously attached. For rooting, the same substrate is suitable as for the previous method. But you can arrange the divisions not only directly, but also horizontally.

After 6 weeks, cuttings appear, and sprouts can be observed after 2-3 weeks.

How to choose a healthy plant in the store

The main selection criterion is the state of the foliage. If they are rich in color, dense, without dry and yellowed tips, then the dracaena is healthy.It is important to decide on the type before buying. More unpretentious varieties with wide leaves. After transportation, a change is required.

Types and varieties

The most decorative and demanded representatives:

• marginate;
• fragrant;
• Sander;
• deremskaya;
• bent.

Dracaena is considered a plant of the humid tropics. Called a shrub, it can grow in one thick trunk up to 20 meters high. Among the many species in cultural breeding in unusual conditions, how much is used. As you can see in the photo, the dracaena will thank the hostess with a lush crown for caring care at home.

Dracaena flower, how to care at home

In home breeding, several types of the most unpretentious tropical plants are often used, from which about 40 varieties have been obtained:

1. Dracaena is fragrant, the plant blooms in favorable conditions even in the room.
2. Dracaena Gosdef has oval variegated leaves.
3. Marginata dracaena, which has leaves with a reddish border and a long bare stem.

Plants resembling palm trees are grown in spacious rooms with high ceilings. Dracaena Marginata is most suitable for these purposes, which can reach a height of three meters in a closed room.

Dracaena Sander is very decorative. It can be planted in one container for several copies and create artistic weaves from the trunks.

However, only healthy plants delight with their beauty. If drying or deformation of the leaves begins, the plant is colonized by insects or it does not receive sufficient care, it is unlikely that such a specimen will please the eye. Before purchasing a dracaena, you need to study the conditions of its maintenance. An unpretentious dracaena can be called relative to other tropical plants. She tolerates some of the inconveniences of the content, but there are factors that must be taken into account.

How to properly care for dracaena

The usual conditions for keeping any indoor flower include the requirements:

• temperature conditions;
• lighting;
• watering and feeding regime;
• drafts;
• especially in caring for dracaena.

It is easiest to create the right temperature conditions for the evergreen. Summer temperature 18-22 degrees in a closed room is created naturally. Many office buildings are air-conditioned; it is easy to create the right temperature in the summer. By the way, in the summer, the dracaena can be placed in the open contour of a loggia or balcony.

Winter temperature 15 C is most favorable for keeping. Dracaena's viability is in the temperature range of 5-27 degrees.

How to care for dracaena in a pot if it does not tolerate direct sunlight, but loves good lighting. The south window is a taboo for plant placement. A special stand at a distance of one and a half meters from the window on a hot afternoon will protect the leaves from burns. Burn marks are visible as dark dots on the surface of the leaves; they remain for the entire time the leaf is sitting on the trunk. You can help to get the desired luminous flux using artificial lighting. Dracaena with variegated foliage need more lighting.

The creation of a microclimate of the humid tropics around the flower will be the most important task of preserving decorativeness. Moisture charging methods:

• spraying dracaena leaves;
• placement of evaporators;
• watering.

The higher the room temperature, the more care the plant needs. You can increase the humidity in the room using various evaporators. It can be diapers on radiators, an aquarium located nearby, a tray with pebbles and sphagnum moss, when moisture gradually evaporates into the air.

However, regular spraying of the plant with soft, settled water is most effective. The plant must take a shower periodically.

As soon as the top layer of soil in the pot dries up in the warm season, it is necessary to water the plant abundantly.In winter, let the soil dry out for a week, since the winter period of maintenance is dangerous by rotting roots in cold, moist soil.

The golden rule for all houseplants - it is better to dry than to pour - is relevant for dracaena.

Irrigation water must be passed through a charcoal filter. As a last resort, charcoal can be thrown into the water during settling. Fertilizers for dracaena can be used universal, but the content of traces of fluoride is unacceptable. In summer, the plant is fed every week, in winter - once a month.

Drafts are harmful to the plant. Dracaena loves fresh air. Therefore, airing must be carried out regularly, without frills.

It happens, with insufficient lighting, the plant is stretched out unnecessarily. Perhaps the trunk is bare, in scars from previously fallen leaves. This happens because the change of leaves is natural for dracaena. To shorten the plant and force it to branch, you need to cut off the top with a stem 10-15 cm long. After that, put the plant in a dark place and do not water until new leaves appear on it. This will be a branching flower renewal.

The cut off part can be used to propagate dracaena. Open cuts are always sprinkled with crushed coal or treated with garden pitch.

Transplanting an adult plant in caring for dracaena at home is considered the main condition for proper maintenance. In this case, the condition for the selection of the correct capacity is met. For a plant of 40 cm, a pot is needed with a diameter of 15 cm.

Young plants are transplanted annually in the spring. The soil is purchased as for a palm tree. A drainage layer is required. Watering the plant after transplanting is necessary, you can use fertilizing stimulating the growth of roots.

Dracaena flowering conditions at home

Subject to all conditions of keeping the dracaena bloom. Fragrant dracaena is especially fragrant. Flowers develop for a long time, more than a year in the axils of the leaves, but then the brush fills the room with fragrance. Only 12 years later, a bordered dracaena can bestow yellow flowers, bringing a honey scent into the room.

Blooming at home is rare. More often you have to contemplate just beautiful healthy foliage.

Dracaena diseases and pests

How to care for dracaena at home if the tips of the leaves begin to dry out? This problem comes first. The leaves become unsightly, the decorativeness of the flower is violated:

1. Dry air most often causes the tips of the sheets to dry out.
2. Insufficient watering provokes drying of the leaf blades.
3. Draft and prolonged maintenance at an air temperature of less than 15 degrees will lead to the same effect.

Dry air in summer in hot weather will provoke the appearance of a spider mite. Yellow puncture marks appear on the leaves, later they merge into yellowness. A cobweb appears on the back of the plant, in which microscopic insects swarm. You can save the flower first by washing it under the shower, later by treating it with Fitoverm twice after half a month.

Dracaena is loved by the scale insect, which quickly spreads along the stem and leaves, bringing the plant to death. If the pests are single, they can be removed by washing, adding vodka to the soapy solution. If the infection is strong, you should use Aktellik.

The mealybug is removed by washing the plant with soapy water. But it must be remembered that pests attack a weakened plant. Therefore, it is not enough to remove insects, you need to find a reason why they are wound up. Having destroyed the pests on the plant, it is necessary to process the windowsill and the area adjacent to the flower. You can find out the rules for caring for dracaena at home from the video.

Dracaena care at home in video

I never understood ornamental plants. I'm a girl, give me flowers, but brighter and more luxurious. But when the child was born, she temporarily moved to her mother.And her entire loggia is filled with dracaena.

At first I did not even notice these worthy plants, but when my mother asked for help with pruning, I became interested. And when I returned home, I asked for a couple of pots to decorate the interior. Now I can't even imagine my apartment without these striped handsome men!

Where did she come from?

These trees or shrubs are related to the garden asparagus.

They grow "free" in Africa, less often in the tropics of Central America and South Asia.

The name translates as "dragon", that is, "female dragon". Although in everyday life dracaena is called more simply: "false palm".

What is the peculiarity of this species

Young bushes resemble hedgehogs, studded with sharp leaves. When the dracaena grows up, the bush moves up and becomes a crown, and the stem of the plant is bare and begins to resemble a pillar. Although there are species, the leaves of which continue to grow along the stem in a spiral.

Dracaena are perennials. They grow slowly but surely. And if you buy a small flowerpot, over the years it will outgrow first the cat, then the children, and then yourself.

In an apartment, they rarely bloom. The flowers are small but very fragrant. They look something like this:

Dracaena can be grown to decorate a small apartment and a large house. It will also be appropriate in the lobby of a large office and even a hotel.

A quick overview of the most popular types of dracaena

Biologists say that there are several hundred species of this plant. But of course, most of them "frolic in the wild."

• Godsef. A beautiful, low bush that does not at all look like a dracaena. Rounded, wide leaves are decorated with white spots. The species is considered the most picky.

• Sandera (bamboo of happiness). The most popular species is the dwarf shrub. Cuttings root easily in a glass of water. Leaves are striped, light green-gray. The bushes are relatively low (up to 80 cm), do not require special care. The trunk of Sander's dracaena really resembles bamboo, therefore it is often used in various floriculture experiments with the shape and direction of this stem (pictured).

• Fragrant. The striped leaves are yellow-green in color and thin white stripes. They grow up to 1 meter. The plant blooms in small fluffy balls (though only outdoors or in greenhouses - not in the apartment). It smells strongly during flowering (reminiscent of the scent of a lily).

• Compact. A variation of the previous species. The varnished leaves are relatively short, gathered in bunches, completely green. Such dracaena grow quite high.

• Reflex (bent). Its leaves really curl down a little. Each has noticeable light stripes running along the entire length of the leaf.

• Deremskaya. And these leaves are "painted" with white, green, and a little light green stripes. Very smart look!

• Dragon (Draco). A greenhouse-sized tree decorated with bunches of sharp leaves. The sap of the plant is transparent, but over time it turns red and thickens (some peoples call it "dragon blood").

• Bordered (marginata). Another inhabitant of greenhouses, growing up to 3 meters. Although in the apartment this plant also feels good.

What care does dracaena require?

• Light. In winter, the plant just needs it, and in summer our sun is too much for dracaena. Therefore, hide the pot in partial shade, keeping it not even on the windowsill, but next to it. Choose the west or south wall. Better yet, put the pot in the shade of the veranda, the dragon likes a lot of clean air.

An important point: the brighter, more colorful the dracaena leaves, the more light it needs. The same applies to the room temperature: plain leaves are good at 16-17 degrees, and for colored leaves, 19 and above.

• Watering. Dig up the soil: if it is 2 cm dry, take a watering can immediately. You need to water the dracaena often and in large quantities (in summer - about every two days, and in winter too, if the pot is not far from the radiator).But it is important to remember: although the plant came from the humid tropics, it is better to forget to water it once than to mistakenly water it twice.

Always defend water for your green pet, and if possible, filter it.

• Water procedures. The plant doesn't like our radiators. Therefore, in winter, when the batteries dry the air, spray the bush twice a day. The water should be at room temperature. By the way, dracaena will not be offended if you spray it in the summer too. You can also wear it in the bathtub and place it under a warm shower.
• Top dressing. Fertilizers for palms and other green (ornamental) plants are suitable for you. They can be entered every 2 weeks, from April to September inclusive. Then the plant goes into hibernation.
• Room temperature. In summer, dracaena should be kept at 18-20 degrees, in winter - at 12-18.

Pruning: what is it for, how to do it

Sometimes the plant stretches up a few meters, and you get a brown stick sticking out of the pot, on top of which there are some leaves growing. Ugly!

Trim the shoots from above (they can be rooted), and also shorten the trunk of the dracaena to a reasonable size. Fresh leaves will soon grow from the trunk. This will give you two beautiful dracaena.

But if this is your first time cropping, you are probably worried - how not to have enough? The correct "technology" will be shown in this video:

Reproduction of this flowerpot

So, you have in your hands the cutting obtained after cutting. It is correct to make it of a decent size - from 10 to 15 cm. By the way, it can be not only apical. The cut stem can also be "crumbled" into cuttings and rooted, like this:

1. Treat a fresh cut of the cutting with a tablet of activated carbon (crushed), and then with the preparation "Zircon". Remove excess (lower) leaves. You can also thin out the crown of the cutting by removing either a few, or even a third of the leaves.
2. Pour the drainage into a small pot. Then place the "adult" soil (it is sold in stores, and it is called - "For dracaena", soil "For palms" is also suitable). Water well.
3. Plant the cutting in a pot, add more soil if necessary.
4. Water, and it will give roots, becoming a young bush.

As for the trimmed "old man", pour paraffin on the shortened stem - this will seal it from drying out and decay. Water the old plant too, and it will delight you with a new green shoot.

Transplant: what you need to know

• "Young growth" can be transplanted annually, more mature plants less often (once every 2-3 years).
• The best time for such a procedure is from March to April. Although there are no contraindications against summer, autumn or winter transplants either.
• It is better to use the transshipment method.
• The pot should be taken from clay. Before planting, it is poured over with boiling water, this will disinfect the vessel.
• To prevent the roots from festering, a large crock of clay can be placed on the bottom (under the drainage), preferably in the form of a saucer. Place it upside down, excess liquid will drain under it.
• After transplanting, the dracaena may get sick. Place it immediately in the shade, spray the leaves - it will be easier for it to acclimatize in the new "house".

What is the plant afraid of

• Insects. The pests that threaten dracaena are quite common: spider mites, thrips, aphids, scale insects, mealybugs. As soon as you see these intruders, wash the leaves with soap (the mites will go away only if the soapy solution is not colder than 50 degrees), and then treat with an insecticide bought in the store.
• Leaves are falling. If before this they turned pale and nodded, the dracaena froze over. Maybe the roots are rotting - then cut off the top and root again. The cause of rot: regular overflow or hypothermia of the soil in the pot.
• The plant rots. This is either an infection (they talk about weeping areas on the leaves or stem, and then things are bad - the dracaena may not survive), or poor soil (too heavy), or banal neglect (you overflow the plant, it is cold, it is too dark near the pot). Cut off rotting spots.Sprinkle these places with crushed coal, better take care of the flower - maybe it will go away.
• Dracaena dries up. The brown, dry "islets" scream: they don't spray us enough, and the air is too dry. Another reason: soil. It has either not changed for years and has become salted, or you have stuffed it too much with fertilizers.
• The leaves turn yellow. If only from below, it's not scary - the leaves have simply outlived theirs, and you just have to cut them off. If young leaves turn yellow, you either overflow, or (most likely) water your pet too rarely.

This video will tell you more about the diseases of this worthy home plant: