Other possible problems
Other prerequisites for drying the leaves include:
- Insufficient pot volume - active growth of the root system and an increase in plant size requires timely transplantation. The procedure is carried out with the utmost care, trying to avoid damage to the roots. Sometimes the process can cause a palm tree to spontaneously shed foliage due to stress.
- Direct sun exposure - from the sun's rays, the foliage begins to dry out and change the usual shade to a yellowish color. In some cases, the dried stem folds in half, it can dry out and die.
- Draft - a window sill is not suitable for a plant due to possible drafts, temperature changes under the influence of central heating. When ventilated, the culture will quickly begin to hurt.
- Top dressing - insufficient or excessive fertilization leads to yellowness and leaf fall.
Leaf burns
It is pointless to treat the affected leaves - experienced florists advise cutting them off in order to avoid general infection of the green part. If you ignore the recommendations and prolonged inactivity, it is impossible to save a sick palm tree.
Dracaena is a beautiful culture that enriches the home with oxygen and decorates the room. Compliance with the rules of maintenance will help to avoid many problems, including the development of diseases and attacks of insect pests.
Control methods
To save the plant from death, both specialized means and compositions prepared at home allow. For each type of disease, different methods of struggle are used. There are some ailments that, unfortunately, cannot be treated, but the development process can be stopped, which will allow the tree to revive.
So, for diseases such as alternaria and heterosporiasis, it is allowed to use the same control methods. Leaves and stems are treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur or wood ash, mixtures of Kuprozan, Oksikhom, Topaz are added to the soil; it is recommended to apply the same agents to the plant itself. Manipulations are carried out three times every 10 days for a month. It is advisable to moisten the soil during this period not with plain water, but with a solution of potassium permanganate.
To restore a culture affected by gray rot, the means "Kuprozan" and "Topaz" will allow. Before that, all diseased leaves are eliminated and destroyed, the cut sites are processed, healthy parts of the plant are sprayed with the above means.
The following procedures will help to revive a flower that has become a victim of powdery mildew:
- white bloom is removed with a napkin dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate;
- colloidal sulfur or crushed activated carbon is poured into the plant;
- the flower is treated with a fungicide twice every 14 days.
Fusarium can be overcome by washing the plant with water. Then all the affected leaves are removed, the sections are processed, a solution of Fundazol, Vectra or Benomil is added to the soil. Manipulations are performed 3 times within three weeks, every 7 days. If these methods have not been able to defeat the disease, then you should go to radical methods and apply strong drugs "Kwardis", "Bravo", "Raek". When the disease has been overcome, it is recommended to add Fitosporin-M to the watering can for prophylaxis during watering, and Trichophyte or Gumistar during transplantation.
Bacteriosis and spotted wilting have no cure, but they can be avoided by proper growing conditions. For example, in order to protect a plant from bacteriosis, it is required to avoid too high a temperature in the house and waterlogged soil.Alkalis in the soil can also provoke this disease. Spotted wilting more often affects palms that are deprived of fertilizing in the form of potassium and phosphorus.
To combat insects, both special insecticides and mixtures prepared according to folk recipes can also be used. To rid the plant of the scale insect, it is required to treat the individuals with machine oil, vinegar or alcohol. After a few hours, the pests can be removed. Next, it is necessary to apply soapy foam to the leaves and rinse it thoroughly. The next stage is the processing of the flower with "Aktara", "Permethrin" or "Fufanon". After a week, you can repeat the procedure again for reliability.
To restore a plant affected by a spider mite, treat the leaves with alcohol or vodka, and then wipe them with a damp sponge, sprinkle the flower thoroughly with water, water it and place it in an airtight bag for a couple of days. For a more successful result, put chopped onions and garlic or turpentine in the same film. If the method does not work, then you can eliminate the parasites with acaricides "Neoron", "Agravertin", "Sunmight". They are used up to four times weekly.
The following methods of struggle will allow you to cope with thrips:
- wipe the leaves with soapy foam or flea shampoo and leave in this form under a film for three days;
- mix 35-40 ml of any vegetable oil with a liter of water and spray the plant with this composition, perform the procedure three times within three weeks;
- treat the palm tree with Fitoverm, Spintor, Actellik every week for 21 days.
The main enemy - the mealybug - is also afraid of alcohol. It is recommended to sprinkle the tree with a soap-alcohol solution, and after a couple of hours rinse the leaves with clean water. All visually distinguishable "lumps" must be removed, the plant and the soil must be treated with an infusion of tobacco crumbs, dry mustard, and red pepper. If these mixtures were not found, you can spot the sheets with any means with wood oil. If folk methods did not help, use the drugs "Calypso", "Mospilan" (three times a month).
To rid the flower of aphids, the leaves are wiped with soapy foam, the affected areas are cut off, 3-4 times a day, the plant is sprayed with infusions of orange peels, onion peels, needles, any harsh-smelling herbs. From professional formulations it is recommended to use Biotlin, Admiral, Confidor-Maxi once a week.
Dracaena diseases and their treatment
Most often, the plant is sick from poor care, and therefore dracaena lovers are often worried about the question of why dracaena leaves drop. Growing up, all dracaena lower their lower leaves. You don't have to worry if only the lower leaves of the plant are going down. If other leaves have also drooped, then this indicates an incorrect watering regime, a deficiency of minerals in the soil, or a gross violation of the temperature regime in the room.
At home, the flower loves to be sprayed. The main thing is that the ground is constantly wet (but not wet), the pot should be exactly half the bush itself. The tree feels comfortable at temperatures from 18 to 26 degrees. If the ambient temperature drops below 15 degrees, this situation can be critical for the plant. First aid is a warm shower.
Leaves turn yellow
Often, dracaena leaves turn yellow for natural reasons. The life span of an individual leaf, depending on the care and conditions of detention, is about 2 years, after which it can gradually die off.
Dracaena leaves turn yellow with excess moisture
If young leaves turn yellow and dry, then this is a signal of frequent watering or lack of light. You can get rid of such a disease by rearranging the flower on a lighted windowsill, or by providing drainage of the plant at the bottom of the pot.
Dry leaf tips
When dracaena leaves dry or lose their color, this may be the result of dry soil or dryness in the room.When the soil dries out by 2-3 cm, the flower needs to be watered. If the watering regime is normal, the tree should be transplanted into another container with new soil.
In the spring, the plant should be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, and in the autumn period, the dracaena needs to be fed with potassium and phosphorus.
Also, drying out of the tips of the leaves may indicate insufficient nutrition or an excess of vitamins in the soil. In this case, you need to add new soil or organic fertilizers in the form of humus or peat.
Falling leaves
Why does dracaena have a soft trunk and leaves fall? Excess moisture in the pot is thought to be the typical cause of this condition. Dracaena in its wild form grows in rather arid regions and frequent abundant watering can harm the house plant. You should try to water the plant only after the soil is completely dry.
Dracaena leaves fall off from root rot
Another reason that dracaena leaves fall off is the wrong shape or size of the container. In small pots, the root system is in a crowded state, although in nature it likes quite abundant growth and development. For this reason, the roots of the tree fill the entire container and begin to experience a deficiency of nutrients, which can lead to softening of the trunk, leaf fall and the subsequent death of the entire plant. Often, dracaena leaves fall if it becomes infected with a tick.
A soft trunk on infection is optional, but may indicate progress of infection.
The plant does not grow
The plant most often stops growing due to improper transplantation or dead roots due to decay. In particular, if the new container is much larger than the previous one, then the plant will freeze in ground growth until its roots grow inside the container.
Dry tips of dracaena leaves
The reason for the slowdown in growth may be a lack of nutrition.
Black leaves
Why do dracaena leaves turn black? This sad sign often indicates that the plant is slowly dying. The tree dies for the following reasons:
- The roots of the flower deteriorate and rot. If the plant is overly flooded with water, it accumulates in the container and does not allow enough oxygen to pass to the roots. In addition, the root system does not receive the necessary nutrients, which leads to the fact that the leaves of the dracaena turn black and the trunk softens;
- Constant drafts and temperatures below 15 degrees lead to the fact that the leaves of the plant fade, then begin to blacken and fall off. Mild hypothermia is also dangerous for the flower, but resuscitation measures in the form of transferring it to a warm room and a warm shower can save it. Prolonged exposure to cold is guaranteed to be fatal.
Black leaves mean the death of the plant
In order for the tree to grow and delight its owner, simple and accessible recommendations for caring for it should be followed:
- moderate and not frequent watering;
- obligatory drainage, ensuring disposal of stagnant water;
- adequate lighting. With a lack of color, the tree does not grow, and direct sunlight will lead to leaf burns. The most optimal will be a comfortable partial shade;
- comfortable humidity and temperature, no drafts.
Diseases and pests typical for dracaena and their prevention
Dracaena, which is properly cared for, is quite resistant to damage by various pathogenic fungi, viruses and bacteria. Most often, these kinds of plant problems are the result of unintentional mistakes by the owner. An invasion of pests, even a massive one, is also unlikely to lead to her death, but it will give a florist a lot of trouble.
The most dangerous for her are all kinds of rot, as well as bacterial and viral diseases, which cannot be cured with modern means. In this case, the plant must be destroyed as quickly as possible, no matter how sorry it may be. Otherwise, you can lose the entire collection.
Most often, in order to avoid problems with dracaena, competent prevention is enough:
- quarantine for newly acquired plants for 25-30 days;
- regular inspections of the entire collection (ideally through a magnifying glass) and immediate isolation of suspect specimens;
- free, without crowding, placement of pots;
- frequent ventilation of the room and maintaining high humidity;
- placing indoor and cut flowers as far apart as possible, especially if they are roses or chrysanthemums;
- mandatory sterilization before using pots, substrate, any tools;
- treatment of all "wounds" inflicted on the dragonfly during the pruning process;
- implementation of recommendations for plant care, especially those related to watering and fertilization;
- maintaining cleanliness - regular wiping of dust from leaves and carrying out other permitted water procedures.
Diseases
Improper care or transplantation can lead to the appearance of various diseases in a plant. A flower with reduced immunity is susceptible to fungal, viral or bacterial diseases.
Alternaria
The causative agents of this disease are fungi, attributed to the genus Alternaria. An infected flower will initially show round, pale brown patches on its leaves. After some time, they will turn black. Eventually, some of the leaves covered with these spots will begin to die off. On the outside, the leaves will be covered with an olive bloom containing spores of the pathogenic fungus.
Fundazole drug against Alternaria
At the first signs of the disease, the flower is transferred to a free windowsill away from other plants and the foliage is wiped with an infusion of wood ash. Dracaena can be cured with the help of Fundazol, Topaz or Oxyhom. The dosage is 10 g per 0.5 l of water.
Attention! The flower must be sprayed 3 times at intervals of 10 days.
Phylostictosis
It is a fungal disease that most commonly affects adults and older flowers. It appears on the leaves of the plant in the form of vague beige-brown spots with a lemon-green border. Over time, they will turn into small black grains.
To cure the bush, you need:
- Remove infected areas. Badly damaged leaves should be completely cut off.
- Sprinkle the places of the cuts with the powder of activated carbon, chalk. For processing, you can also use iodine or brilliant green.
- Spray the plant with Topaz or Skor solution. Spraying is carried out 3 times at weekly intervals.
Important! During treatment, any biostimulant is added to the water for irrigation. The most popular are Zircon and Epin
Bacteriosis
It is an infectious disease that affects different parts of the plant. The tips of withering leaves acquire a dark brown color, small ulcers appear on the trunk and petioles, and the crown turns yellow.
A yellowish oily streak will separate infected tissue from healthy tissue. The root system also suffers from the disease if it is hot in the room and the soil is waterlogged.
A plant infected with bacteriosis cannot be healed. You can cut a healthy shoot without the characteristic signs of the disease and try to root it.
Fusarium
Infection with this fungal disease is indicated by yellow spots on withering leaves. The plant will begin to gradually change its color to brown.
The damaged leaves are removed, and the sections are treated with activated carbon or cinnamon. The bush is sprayed with a solution of Fundazol, Benomil or Vectra.
The procedure is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 3-5 days. For preventive purposes, Fitosporin-M is added to the water for irrigation.
Attention! It is also useful to transplant the plant into a new soil treated with Gumistar solution.
Dracaena infected with fusarium
The soil
Periodically, the palm tree needs replanting. Only purchased plants are transplanted after a few weeks. This period is needed for the plant to adapt to new conditions.For young palms, the flowerpot and soil are changed annually, for adult plants much less often. If there is no way to change the pot, you can remove the top layer of soil. Instead, a nutrient substrate is added to the same level.
For her, a special soil is selected for dracaena. The pot is taken with holes in the bottom so that the liquid flows freely. Be sure to put a stand or saucer under it. If water accumulates in them, it must be drained periodically. This will help prevent root rot.
To transplant a flower, they prepare a flowerpot, drainage, sand, scissors. The temporary pot in which the plants are sold is squeezed in the hands. So the soil will move away from the walls and the flower is easy to remove. If the substrate is dense, you can cut the flowerpot with scissors. Expanded clay is spread on the bottom of the new pot, sprinkled with soil a little. A plant is placed in the center and carefully sprinkled around. Then the soil is tamped, sand is spread on top.
Dracaena diseases and their treatment
Most often, the plant is sick from poor care, and therefore dracaena lovers are often worried about the question of why dracaena leaves drop. Growing up, all dracaena lower their lower leaves. You don't have to worry if only the lower leaves of the plant are going down. If other leaves have also drooped, then this indicates an incorrect watering regime, a deficiency of minerals in the soil, or a gross violation of the temperature regime in the room.
At home, the flower loves to be sprayed. The main thing is that the ground is constantly wet (but not wet), the pot should be exactly half the bush itself. The tree feels comfortable at temperatures from 18 to 26 degrees. If the ambient temperature drops below 15 degrees, this situation can be critical for the plant. First aid is a warm shower.
Leaves turn yellow
Often, dracaena leaves turn yellow for natural reasons. The life span of an individual leaf, depending on the care and conditions of detention, is about 2 years, after which it can gradually die off.
Dracaena leaves turn yellow with excess moisture
If young leaves turn yellow and dry, then this is a signal of frequent watering or lack of light. You can get rid of such a disease by rearranging the flower on a lighted windowsill, or by providing drainage of the plant at the bottom of the pot.
Dry leaf tips
When dracaena leaves dry or lose their color, this may be the result of dry soil or dryness in the room. When the soil dries out by 2-3 cm, the flower needs to be watered. If the watering regime is normal, the tree should be transplanted into another container with new soil.
In the spring, the plant should be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, and in the autumn period, the dracaena needs to be fed with potassium and phosphorus.
Also, drying out of the tips of the leaves may indicate insufficient nutrition or an excess of vitamins in the soil. In this case, you need to add new soil or organic fertilizers in the form of humus or peat.
Falling leaves
Why does dracaena have a soft trunk and leaves fall? Excess moisture in the pot is thought to be the typical cause of this condition. Dracaena in its wild form grows in rather arid regions and frequent abundant watering can harm the house plant. You should try to water the plant only after the soil is completely dry.
Dracaena leaves fall off from root rot
Another reason that dracaena leaves fall off is the wrong shape or size of the container. In small pots, the root system is in a crowded state, although in nature it likes quite abundant growth and development. For this reason, the roots of the tree fill the entire container and begin to experience a deficiency of nutrients, which can lead to softening of the trunk, leaf fall and the subsequent death of the entire plant. Often, dracaena leaves fall if it becomes infected with a tick.
A soft trunk on infection is optional, but may indicate progress of infection.
The plant does not grow
The plant most often stops growing due to improper transplantation or dead roots due to decay. In particular, if the new container is much larger than the previous one, then the plant will freeze in ground growth until its roots grow inside the container.
Dry tips of dracaena leaves
The reason for the slowdown in growth may be a lack of nutrition.
Black leaves
Why do dracaena leaves turn black? This sad sign often indicates that the plant is slowly dying. The tree dies for the following reasons:
- The roots of the flower deteriorate and rot. If the plant is overly flooded with water, it accumulates in the container and does not allow enough oxygen to pass to the roots. In addition, the root system does not receive the necessary nutrients, which leads to the fact that the leaves of the dracaena turn black and the trunk softens;
- Constant drafts and temperatures below 15 degrees lead to the fact that the leaves of the plant fade, then begin to blacken and fall off. Mild hypothermia is also dangerous for the flower, but resuscitation measures in the form of transferring it to a warm room and a warm shower can save it. Prolonged exposure to cold is guaranteed to be fatal.
Black leaves mean the death of the plant
In order for the tree to grow and delight its owner, simple and accessible recommendations for caring for it should be followed:
- moderate and not frequent watering;
- obligatory drainage, ensuring disposal of stagnant water;
- adequate lighting. With a lack of color, the tree does not grow, and direct sunlight will lead to leaf burns. The most optimal will be a comfortable partial shade;
- comfortable humidity and temperature, no drafts.
Causes of diseases
Most often, the diseases of this exotic tree and the attack of pests can provoke errors in the cultivation of the plant.
- Low humidity. The homeland of culture is the tropics, therefore, it is quite capricious in relation to the humidity of the external environment. Apartment maintenance is usually limited to a maximum of 50% humidity, so the flower needs regular spraying, frequent watering, in addition, you can use household humidifiers.
- Excessive lighting. Under the influence of direct ultraviolet rays, the formation of burns on the leaf plates is possible, the leaves gradually dry out. Most often variegated varieties are subject to this influence of the sun. To avoid such consequences, it is required to create a shade for the plant.
- Excessive feeding. Overfeeding can threaten to reduce immunity to most diseases.
- Freezing. Leaves can wilt even at temperatures below +14 degrees, since in its natural environment this culture develops at +25 degrees. A flower can freeze if it is placed on a windowsill, and windows are often opened in winter, a draft forms, and sharp temperature fluctuations occur. Under the influence of such a sudden change in the microclimate, the plant becomes not only vulnerable to many ailments and pests, but may even die. The bark shrivels, the trunk softens, the leaves fly around - all these are signs of freezing.
- Overflowing. Due to the high moisture content of the soil, the roots begin to rot, the trunk acquires a very soft structure, dark spots form on the leaves, worms, midges, and mold start up in the ground.
- Elevated temperature. Too much heat in the room becomes a favorable breeding ground for insect pests.
Dracaena leaves turn yellow, what should I do?
There are many reasons for the yellowing of young greenery. It is necessary to exclude the circumstances preceding the yellowing. It should be taken into account that the plant does not immediately react to the insult. At least two weeks pass between the wrong action and the reaction. Of course, this applies to chronic cases. If the plant is frozen or dried into stone, the reaction will follow quickly.
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If watered incorrectly, the roots can rot and not cope with the nutrition of the plant. If watering into cold soil during the dormant period is carried out without waiting for the clod of earth to dry out and abundantly, it is necessary to urgently inspect the root system, cut the damaged roots and transplant the plant. Overdrying the soil has a similar effect.
Excessive grooming can be one of the causes of yellowing. If dracaena is often bathed in the shower, then it is necessary to dry the leaf axils. Sometimes yellowing begins for this very reason.
Dracaena leaves turn yellow in case of colonization of pests - spider mites, scale insects, thrips. Pest control measures - first rinsing with soapy water and vodka. Later the application of insecticides.
What to do, if dracaena turns yellow leaves on top of your head? Remove the flower from the open window; it stands in a draft. If at the same time the remaining leaves grew dull, the direct rays of the hot sun fell on the crown of the head.
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The leaves begin to curl up into a tube - the plant is frozen, it can be saved by frequent spraying with warm water and transferred to a warm room.
If the yellowing of the leaves occurs in the mass, the color changes slightly, the green color turns pale, remember when you changed the soil, fed the plant. He may lack nitrogen nutrition. But when overfeeding with nitrogen, the plant loses its resistance to fungal diseases. We need a measure.