General information
Dracaena is an attractive plant that is easy to grow at home. So that she does not die, you should find out in advance about the conditions under which the dracaena grows. How to care for this plant after purchase? For this, the basic rules are taken into account:
dracaena is a thermophilic plant, therefore it is important to install it only in a heated room; it is represented by a small tree with a tree trunk; the leaves are oblong and linear, and are also equipped with a pointed tip; the leaves have streaks parallel to the leaf plate; a feature of this plant is an attractive and lush green cap formed from the leaves; below the leaves, as the dracaena develops, turn yellow and quickly crumble; the plant has a smooth and even root system of a red color; due to its unusual appearance, dracaena is often called a false palm; if you grow a plant at home, it is almost impossible to achieve flowering; if the dracaena begins to bloom, then it has small and light inflorescences; flowers have an unpleasant odor and are collected in panicles; as soon as flowering ends, a seed appears, called a drupe after ripening. In fact, caring for this plant is considered a simple process.
But if it is purchased by a beginner, then you should get information in advance on how to care for dracaena at home in order to ensure the correct and optimal conditions for growing
In fact, caring for this plant is considered a simple process. But if it is purchased by a beginner, then you should get information in advance on how to care for dracaena at home in order to ensure the correct and optimal growing conditions.
How to water plants indoors?
Reference. Dracaena are excellent air purifiers in the home. They saturate it with oxygen, give residents positive emotions, and relieve stress.
But in order for this plant to please you with its bright green foliage, you need to carefully observe the watering regime at home. Any changes in soil or air humidity can lead to disease or death of the plant.
How often should you do this?
Too frequent watering can lead to waterlogging of the soil and rotting of the root system of the plant. The average interval between liquid applications is 4-8 days.
The watering regime in winter and summer will be different. So, in winter, the frequency of soil moistening is reduced, but in summer (especially during drought and heat), on the contrary, they can increase.
The watering interval may vary depending on the subspecies of the plant. For example, species with wide leaf blades require more frequent water applications. Narrow-leaved varieties like a small amount of liquid, often applied to the soil.
How many times a week?
Usually, dracaena is watered 1-2 times a week, depending on the season, the indoor climate and the moisture content of the substrate. As soon as the soil in the pot begins to dry out at a depth of 4-5 cm, it means that it is time to add a portion of the water.
You can also focus on the condition of the sheet plates. If the plant needs moisture, the tips of the leaves begin to dry out.
Important! With an excess of water, the leaves will become lethargic, soft, and lose the brightness of color.
What is the best water to use?
Water for dracaena must be defended for at least 48 hours. At the same time, its temperature should not be lower than room temperature (ideally, it should be 21 degrees). If you water the plant with cold water, the soil will be supercooled and the roots will rot.
Choose water with a minimum amount of foreign impurities. The alkaline balance should be neutral. Suitable for irrigation and rain, and melt water. You can slightly acidify it, if necessary, with vinegar or peat tablets. Hard water can be softened with oxalic acid
You can spray the plant only with warm water and in no case chlorinated. Better to pre-filter it to avoid trouble.
Process technology
Watering dracaena can be done in three ways:
- through the top;
- into the pallet;
- in the shower.
Through the top
In order for watering with this method to be effective, and the liquid has saturated all the soil in the container, you need to pour in the water slowly, leaning the spout of the watering can against the edge of the pot. In order not to wash out useful elements from the substrate, you need to choose a watering can with a narrow spout and, accordingly, a narrow irrigation stream.
Attention! You can understand that the soil has been saturated by whether the water is flowing into the sump or not yet. After the water begins to flow down, stop watering and leave the plant for 30 minutes.
Then drain off excess water.
Into the pallet
If the substrate in the container is too dry and begins to peel off from its walls, then you need to use the method of watering into the pan:
- Pour water into the pan under the container. Through it, the roots of the plant will take in the required amount of liquid.
- Leave the water in such a container for a while, until the earthen lump with a flower is completely saturated with moisture.
This method cannot be used too often, since frequent use can lead to the accumulation of harmful salts in the soil.
In the shower
This irrigation method is usually used during the summer. In this case, the air temperature in the room should be at least 25 degrees:
- Place the container with the plant in a tub filled with water. In this case, the liquid should remain at the level of the pot, but go above its edges.
- Leave the dracaena in this position until it is completely saturated with moisture (for 30-40 minutes).
- Pour warm water on the plant from above from the shower so that dust and dirt are washed off the leaf plates.
- Allow excess water to drain and make sure that no liquid lingers in the leaf sinuses.
- Return the flower to its original place.
- The frequency of watering is usually reduced after the last top dressing before the fall. At this time, the interval between water application should be at least 8-10 days.
- In winter, the dracaena is in hibernation at all, so a minimum of water must be applied. But watch the condition of the soil. Water the plant only as needed.
- It is necessary to limit or completely exclude watering at the first signs of overflow (the leaves have become soft, spots have appeared on them, a putrid damp smell comes from the pot).
Selection of an automatic watering system for dracaena
With the onset of the holiday season, many flower growers have a headache: who should they leave the plants to? Dracaena in this regard is quite problem-free. If the pot is mulched, and the house has a humidifier, this plant will survive without loss of watering for a month, even in summer. It will only be necessary to reduce its illumination and remove it away from the sun.
If this is not possible, you will have to think about an automatic irrigation system. Stores offer a wide range of solutions: from “smart pots” to complex micro-droplet systems that can provide moisture to an entire collection of plants. Buying such expensive devices is not always advisable. The moderate requirements of dracaena to soil moisture may well satisfy inexpensive colored enema flasks.
They are easy to use. It is enough to fill the dispenser ball with water and stick it into the soil of the flower pot with its nose. As the soil dries out and the pressure decreases, water is dosed out from the spout into the ground.
Several watering balls in one pot will provide the plant with moisture for several weeks.
Description of fragrant dracaena
From the wild nature of hot African countries, such as Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Nigeria, an elegant plant of the Asparagus family, the fragrant dracaena, has spread to homes around the world. The Latin name for this perennial evergreen shrub is Dracaena fragrans, therefore another popular name for the flower is fragrans. The description of the appearance of this indoor flower leaves few people indifferent:
- In the wild, it can grow up to 6 m in height, while indoor specimens reach no more than 2 m in height.
- A special decoration of the plant is its long leaves. They can grow up to 1 m long and about 10 cm wide. The main color of the plate is saturated green with a glossy surface. Each leaf is bordered by a wide stripe from pale green to bright yellow. The edges of the sheet plates can be either simple or wavy.
- Some novice growers consider dracaena a palm tree. The confusion occurs because in young plants the leaves completely cover the stem, and as they grow, the lower ones fall off, exposing it. Visually, the flower becomes similar to a palm tree, although these are completely different species.
- At home, flowering is rarely possible, but when it occurs, the room is filled with a pleasant aroma.
Fragrant dracaena - flowering
Due to the rare appearance of flowers, which depends on many factors, many novice growers do not know how often fragrant dracaena blooms. At home, such a phenomenon can be found on a plant that has reached the age of two, subject to good care. In addition, it is popularly believed that this flower, also called the tree of happiness, is sensitive to the atmosphere in the house. In a calm and fertile climate, it blooms, and in quarrels and scandals, it dies.
The flowering of this plant is hard to miss:
- From one of the leaf axils, the plant throws out a long flower arrow of about 1 m.
- On the peduncle there is a large number of small rounded fluffy flowers, collected in inflorescences. The shade of the petals can be from pale green to deep white.
- Florists note the pleasant aroma exuded by the plant. To many, it resembles the smell of freshly cut hay and honey at the same time.
Fragrant dracaena - poisonous or not?
The abundance of inflorescences and the aroma that the fragrant dracaena flowers exude, in some cause concerns about the safety of such a plant for keeping in the house. The flower does not bear any danger in the absence of allergies to it, and even has a positive effect:
- Cleans the air from harmful chemicals.
- Contributes to the normalization of the psycho-emotional state.
- Relieves painful sensations in muscles and joints.
- It has a beneficial effect on cleansing the body of toxins and toxins and maintaining the health of tooth enamel.
However, the leaves of the dracaena palm tree contain low-toxic juice, so it is better to keep it out of the reach of children and pets. If the juice gets on the mucous membranes, you may experience:
- disorder of the digestive tract;
- tremors and weakness in the muscles.
Dracaena is not a palm tree
Probably one of the reasons for the popularity of Dracena was her unusual appearance. In the late 90s and early 2000s, there was a great demand for exotic, and Dracena was bought to grow at home. Moreover, the greatest demand was for very large specimens, which were used to decorate the interior.
In common parlance, this plant is called the Dragon tree or indoor indoor palm. But in fact, this plant has nothing to do with palms, but comes from the Agavaceae family. Most often, Dracaena Draco, Dracaena marginata, Dracaena fragrans and some other species of this plant are grown at home. They all differ in the shape and color of the leaves.
Dracaena with pointed, long, narrow leaves, which are connected in a slightly disheveled bunch, look especially impressive. These plants have a beautiful tree-like trunk. Sometimes Dracena is shaped like a bonsai.
The homeland of Dracen is the tropical rainforests of South America and Africa. These plants thrive in warm regions of Australia, New Zealand, India and Spain. And when you are going to grow Dracena, try first of all to create familiar conditions for her.
Features of watering at different times of the year
Watering dracaena differs depending on the season.
So, in the summer, the dragon tree begins a period of active growth. At this time, the plant needs abundant and frequent watering, it draws water well and grows quickly.
Watering frequency depends on air temperature and humidity. The main thing is to focus on the condition of the soil. Sometimes watering may be needed every 2-3 days, if the topsoil has time to dry out during this period.
But in winter, watering is different. At this time of the year, dracaena is at rest, vegetation processes are suspended, growth slows down, it does not draw moisture too actively. In addition, the air temperature decreases in winter, which is why moisture stays in the pot for a longer time. That is why watering in winter is more rare - it can be once every one and a half to two weeks.
Important! In winter, use only warm water! Dracaena is watered and sprayed with such water. Otherwise, when using cool water, the plant may catch a cold.
However, it happens that in winter it is hot in the apartment when the heating devices are working. Batteries and radiators dry out the air too much. For these reasons, the moisture in the pot evaporates faster, and the dracaena begins to suffer from too dry air.
If this is the situation, then the plant should be watered more often - as needed, however, the amount of water should be less than in summer to avoid an excess of liquid and rotting of the roots.
In conditions of dry air in winter, the dragon tree really needs additional spraying.
Signs of improper watering
If there is not enough water, the leaves curl up and their tips turn yellowish and dry out. With an excess of moisture, the trunk becomes soft, dark spots appear on it. Leaves lose color and begin to rot.
What is the risk of improper watering
Excessive moisture in the pot can be a source of root rot. Before irrigation, the soil is checked for drying depth and loosened to provide free access to oxygen.
With a lack of moisture, the leaves turn black, wither and fall off. Lack of moisture does not allow dracaena to develop, and causes the appearance of various diseases.
This is what plants look like with proper care.
Proper care of it will help to grow a healthy and beautiful dracaena. Plants need feeding and soil that allows air to pass through well. The dragon tree needs air with high humidity, so you should spray the leaves as often as possible.
Fertilizers for dracaena
Most often, the plant is fed during watering with liquid mineral complex fertilizers. For dracaena, they work well, although for specimens with variegated leaves it is better to use fertilizer "for variegated plants".
Such a top dressing is simply added to the water for irrigation in the dosage indicated on the package and poured over the dragon tree with a watering can through the top.
For fertilization, it is best to choose the evening time, since it is unacceptable to use fertilizers during the day, because the sun's rays can burn the plant. On cloudy days, you can apply top dressing early in the morning.
Top dressing of dracaena, like fertilization of other indoor plants, is carried out exclusively during the growing season. The rest of the time, during the period of winter dormancy, the false palm does not need to be fed.
Feeding regimen during vegetative growth: the false palm is fed once every two weeks.
It is important! As a top dressing, you should choose specialized products that you can purchase at any specialized flower shop in your city. The most popular among others are "Ideal" or "New Ideal", as well as "Dracaena", "Rainbow" and others
Dracaena care at home
Lighting
Like any tropical plant, Dracaena not only loves light, but requires a lot of light. But direct sunlight is harmful to it, since in nature it grows not in the upper, but in the middle, semi-shaded tier of the tropical forest. The eastern window or a place in the room at some distance from the southern window is perfect for Dracene.
If you decide to start Dracena with variegated leaves, then keep in mind that she needs more diffused light than her relative with plain leaves. And in winter, all Draceni need additional lighting.
Temperature
Dracaena loves warmth, but not heat. In summer, she is comfortable at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, although for a short time she can tolerate higher temperatures. But in winter, the room should not be colder than 15 ° C.
In summer, it can be taken out on an open balcony or terrace, but so that Dracaena does not get sick, try to arrange it in a place protected from drafts.
Watering dracaena
But you need to water Dracena, not sparing water. This flower is very fond of moisture, but watering should still be reasonable: if you see that the soil in the pot is "blooming", and the water is clearly stagnant in the roots, then it is necessary to reduce the number of irrigations or the amount of water, otherwise the flower will disappear. In winter, you need to water Dracena with warm water and much less often than in summer.
Spraying dracaena
For all Dracen, not only moist soil in the pot is important, but also moist air. So spraying is Dracena's favorite procedure, and only the most undemanding Dracaena Dragon and Dracaena Godsef tolerate dry air well.
The moisture-loving species of Dracaena can from time to time arrange a warm shower or wash their leaves from dust with a soft flannel or sponge.
If the air in the room for Dracena is too dry, you will immediately understand this by the fact that the tips of its leaves began to dry out or turn yellow, and sometimes brown spots appear on the leaves from dryness, and this is a signal for you to spray more often.
Dracaena soil
What Dracaena is indifferent to is the soil. It will grow in almost any soil mixture. But still, you should not experiment, and it is best to plant Dracena in soil of this composition: turf, leafy earth, peat and sand. The main requirement is that the land should be loose and permeable. And don't forget the thick drainage layer at the bottom of the pot.
Top dressing dracaena
It is recommended to feed Dracena once every 2 weeks, or even once a month. It is best to use complex mineral liquid fertilizers, which must be applied from April to August.
Reproduction and transplantation of dracaena
Reproduction of Dracaena is usually combined with the transplant procedure, and it is recommended to transplant it every three years. If Dracaena is adult - once every 4-5 years. Only young plants are transplanted once a year.
When transplanting, you will have unnecessary shoots, they can be germinated and rooted. The top of Dracaena takes root best. When the tree has grown so much that the lower leaves have completely fallen off, it can be rejuvenated. To do this, you need to cut and root the top.
Dracaena also propagates by cuttings and air layers. For rooting, the soil mixture must be softer than for an adult plant, and this softness is achieved by adding moss to the soil.
Dracaena disease
Dracaena do not get sick often, but precisely those diseases that dry air leads to. Because of this, a spider mite can start, as well as thrips or, even worse, a scale insect. So make sure that the air humidity is sufficient.
The mite can be dealt with by treating the plant with soapy water.But with the scale insect or thrips, you will have to fight with the help of insecticides, for example, Fitoverma, Decis or Inovira.
Here are all the secrets of growing Dracaena at home: the rules of care are simple and will not require much effort from you.
Dracaena at home
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Dracaena pests and diseases
Dracaena pests
Pests rarely hit dracaena, but sometimes problems still arise with them. For example, a plant may suffer from mealybugs, scale insects, thrips, aphids and spider mites. As a result of the vital activity of these pests, the dracaena loses its decorative effect, since the dracaena sheds damaged leaves.
All these pests can be fought with a soapy solution, which must be wiped off the dracaena leaves (in the case of spider mites, the solution should be hot - 50 ºC). After treatment with soap, the plant must be sprayed with an insecticide.
Why does dracaena turn yellow
If the dracaena turns yellow only in the lower part of the crown, then this is a normal process. The leaves have a lifespan of approximately two years. The natural dying off of leaves is slow, and if you are worried about the decorativeness of the tree, then carefully cut off the yellowed part of the leaves.
But if u dracaena young leaves turn yellow, this means that you are breaking the rules for watering dracaena: you need to water when the top layer dries out to a depth of 2-3 cm, no more, the earthen lump should never dry out.
Why dracaena dries
Brown tips and dry edges of the leaves indicate insufficiently humid air, so do not forget to spray the tree. If the dracaena was not transplanted for 3-4 years, then salts accumulate in the old soil, preventing the roots from receiving the necessary nutrients.
Sometimes the cause of blackening and drying of the tips of young leaves can be an overdose of fertilizers, making the soil unusable and killing the suction roots, therefore, if your dracaena dries up and watering is normal, you need to change the soil of the plant.
Why is dracaena rots
Usually dracaena rots from the top of the leaf, and the cause can be both an infectious disease, bacteriosis, and a lack of heat, light, constant waterlogging, as well as heavy or too dense structureless soil. Eliminate these problems, remove the rotten leaves and perhaps the dracaena will recover.
If the cause of decay is bacteriosis (wet, decaying spots on the leaves, between the healthy leaf tissue and the decaying one there is a yellow stripe), then most likely your plant cannot be saved. The cause of bacteriosis is high humidity, too alkaline soil, heat and a lack of potassium with phosphorus.
Why dracaena falls
Why dracaena turns yellow and falls off, we have already written. But there are times when the leaves of a plant become dull, limp and fall off. This happens if the plant is frozen. Try to keep it warm by spraying it with warm water and moving it to a warm place.
Check the roots: if some have rotted, they need to be carefully removed, it is advisable to transplant the plant or save it by rooting the top. Dracaena leaves fall off with regular waterlogging and hypothermia of an earthen coma, because the roots begin to rot, and then the rot goes to the stem, and in the end it only remains to put the plant on cuttings.
Sometimes dracaena suffers from infectious diseases - light brown spot, Alternaria or phyllosticosis. This happens mainly with old specimens with poor care. The method of combating infection is spraying the plant with fungicides, for example, 1 g of foundationol per 0.5 l of water. The frequency of processing is 3 times every 10 days.
In general, dracaena, with proper care and maintenance, does not cause trouble, so if any symptoms of your beauty's ill health occur, refer to the rules for caring for her and correct all mistakes.
