Proper care of dragon season at home

Succulent shrubs of the Dracena family have been cultivated for dozens or even hundreds of years at home, in greenhouses. Growing dracaena, care at home is not difficult, because the plant is very unpretentious. With proper cultivation, the dracaena not only looks decorative, reaching solid size, but also blooms.

About plant

In the natural environment "dragon tree" grows in the subtropics, the tropics in Africa, Asia and Europe. One of the species growing on the island of Socotra has an interesting property: if its bark is damaged, a reddish juice with healing properties begins to ooze from the trunk. The local population once used it as an antiseptic, immunostimulant. Now these trees are very few.

At home, in offices, the plant blooms extremely rarely, and in greenhouses, where conditions are created that are as close to natural as possible, a little more often. It does not apply to palm trees, although it is very similar to it by the presence of a bare woody trunk with a lush mist of leaves at the very top. It grows slowly, but is able to gradually reach a great height. Among dragon flowers there are dwarfs and giants, squat and slim, with lush green and silver leaves.

At home, the dragon flower is recommended to be placed in the bedroom, the room of a sick person. It cleans the air around itself from harmful chemicals (including those emitted by new furniture), helps to quickly recover from skin diseases, bone injuries, problems with teeth, improves the state of depression. The benefits of the “false palm” are undoubted, but the harm is also present: when eating the leaves of a flower, which is sometimes done by children and pets, the plant leads to an upset stomach, headache. Therefore, the majority of copies should be placed in such a way that the above-described subjects could not reach it. People who are prone to skin allergies can react to hairs that form on the stem, as well as dust that can accumulate on the palm.

Types of dracaena

In nature, there are more than 140 species. Among them are purely green and striped forms, bush and tree, with wide and narrow leaves. Houses are bred only a few.

The most popular are:

  • dracaena bordered (marginata) - unpretentious, decorative, grows more than three meters high, has a stiff trunk. The leaves are narrow, one or two cm wide, 45-60 cm long, green, less often with red-purple stripes. The species is highly resistant to drying;
  • fragrant or ordinary dracaena - smells good during flowering. It has an erect trunk growing more than two meters high, on it are slightly hanging leaves, in the middle of which is a silver or yellow stripe. Blossoms very fragrant white flowers. Easily tolerates insufficient watering, poor lighting, and temperatures of 10–12 degrees in the winter;
  • Deretska Dracaena - has dark green leaves, with a pair of white stripes running along. Leaves slightly curved at the tips. The flower is suitable for growing at home, in the summer at the cottage, in the office space;
  • Draderna Sander - very elegant, with a thin stem, up to 90-110 cm. The leaves are usually grayish-green, with two strips of yellow color, twist around the edges a little, the plant likes warm, moist conditions. Spiral twisted shoots sold in stores called “bamboo of happiness” or “bamboo that brings good luck” - this is exactly Dracaena Sander, who by artificial means (growing in a narrow tube) gave this shape;
  • Dracaena Reflex (bent) - the upper part of the plant is decorated in a lush crown of bright leaves sticking out in different directions with a golden edge, elongated shape, bright green colors;
  • Godsef's dracaena (Surculosis) is a seed-forming flower, very different from the others. In shape, it resembles a bush with oval-pointed leaves. The leaves themselves are dark green, with creamy white or golden spots. If there are several such specimens in the room, then a sunny, elegant look is provided for it.

Rules, home care tips

Caring for dracaena is quite simple - to create favorable conditions for her quite easily. Acceptable humidity, temperature, light are suitable for her usual, indoor, frequent watering and fertilizing most species are not required. Land suitable peaty or sod-leaf, the drainage is needed large, since most of the roots are located close to the surface.

Temperature

The best temperature for the inhabitants of subtropical latitudes draceni - moderate. In winter, a suitable temperature of 14-16 degrees, in the summer - 22-24 degrees. In summer, the flower can be put on the balcony, open veranda, but the plant is very afraid of drafts, cold air from open windows in winter.

Air humidity

Dracaena perfectly transports the dried-up air of office premises, as well as the heating season, even when placed near radiators. But so that the "palm tree" had a beautiful appearance all year round, its leaves during the heating season are sprayed with strong heat. Periodically it is necessary to wash away the dust accumulating on the foliage, the trunk - to arrange a kind of shower, but not too cold.

When spraying, it is important that water droplets do not accumulate in the leaf axils - this often leads to decay.

Lighting

In winter it is recommended to keep dracaena on the south, southeast window, in summer - in the south room, but one and a half to two meters from the windows. The plant loves penumbra, diffused light, but direct sunlight can cause burns in it. Species with variegated leaves require more light than completely green.

If the illumination is insufficient, variegated species gradually lose their decorative coloring.

Watering

The flower is not picky in terms of watering - in the summer it can be watered every three to four days, in the winter - once a week. It is undesirable for the earth com to dry out. About once a month, the plant is watered very liberally, or it is immersed for a couple of minutes in water at room temperature completely, along with the pot. Some species require more frequent, almost daily watering.

Fertilizer, dressing

You need to feed about once every 15-20 days with any complex fertilizer for indoor plants. This feeding is required "palm" in the period from mid-March to early September - during the period of most active growth. Species with variegated leaves require specialized fertilizers, marked "for variegated plants."

Breeding methods

The question of how to propagate dracaena, sooner or later arises for everyone who decided to grow it at home. It is permissible to engage in reproduction at any time of the year, but it is better to choose spring and summer time. In winter, it is necessary to raise the temperature slightly in advance, to provide additional lighting and watering.

Reproduction is made:

  • cutting off the top, followed by rooting;
  • air layouts;
  • stem cuttings;
  • seeds.

The fastest, most popular, successful way of reproduction is rooting of the apical part in the earth of a suitable composition.

Seeds

On sale is easy to find the seeds of many species of dracaena. In nature, it blooms at the age of 10-25 years, at home - extremely rare. Under the conditions of the greenhouse, dracenza blooms are fragrant, bent, draco, and the deremskaya bloom exudes an unpleasant odor during flowering. To get the seeds, pollination produced with a soft brush. After receiving the fruits (fruits are not always formed), they are cleaned of pulp, sown in a wet soil mixture - it is recommended to buy a special soil.

Landing is performed to a depth of one cm., Drainage is required. It is better to sow in March-April, the container is covered with film, glass, put in the warmest place - 27-29 degrees, it is desirable that there is a heated bottom. Germination takes place within 40-170 days, all this time the ground should be wet. When the seedlings grow four to six centimeters high, they are transplanted into separate small pots. Now the plants are allowed to be placed in cooler conditions - 22-24 degrees.

To get sprouts faster, they are germinated, wrapped in a wet cloth, which is placed in a bowl, put on the battery, occasionally wetting.

Stalk cuttings, cuttings tops

How is breeding pretsenovyh cuttings:

  • you need a very sharp knife, which you need to pre-process with alcohol;
  • then the plant is cut in five to seven cm from the beginning of the trunk;
  • cut off the top put in a glass of water, changing it twice a week - you need to wait until the roots appear, then transplant in a pot with soil mixture or plant in the ground immediately after pruning;
  • in the latter case, the length of the cutting is done at least five cm., you can even remove several lower leaflets;
  • the root of the stem is sprinkled with the root powder, the pot will suit for the first time quite small - with a diameter of no more than 10 cm in depth;
  • the cutting is inserted into the dug hole, lightly pressed, you can put the plant under a transparent plastic or glass cap;
  • the first two or three weeks it is necessary to provide a temperature of about 26 degrees, frequent watering, spraying, if the air in the room is dry;
  • spraying and watering produce only at room temperature.

Stump, left after trimming, you need to lubricate the garden pitch or sprinkle with coal - even suitable pharmacy, activated. From above it is also covered with a glass bell, waiting for the appearance of new shoots.

Another method is stalk cutting, which is usually used only when the apical part has rotted or dried up. The live, not sluggish part of the trunk is cut with a sharp knife over leaf scars, into pieces 4-15 cm long. It is allowed to root in the sand, perlite, suitable soil mixtures, sphagnum moss, vermeculite. In the horizontal variant of rooting, the cuttings are laid on a moist soil, slightly pressing into it, while in the vertical - a layer of sand about 6 cm thick is poured over the ground, the cutting itself is inserted there to a depth of two to three cm.

The optimum temperature for rooting is 22-25 degrees, a viable cutting rooted in a month and a half, and it gives rise to shoots after two.

How to trim

It is believed that the house of dracaena lives about 15-20 years. At the same time the leaves grow only at the very top, and the trunk gradually becomes bare. The life of the leaves is about a year, after this period they dry, fall off, leaving scars on the trunk. If the plant is properly cut to get side shoots, it will become more "lush", due to the large number of foliage, partially covering the bare trunk.

“Sleeping” buds are scattered in the trunk of the “palm tree”, practically all over its surface, therefore, when pruning, new shoots are quickly formed anywhere. Pruning is recommended during active growth - in the spring and summer, but sometimes it has to be done for emergency reasons. If the stem is broken, it urgently needs to be cut below the kink.

When pruning consider the following:

  • the upper part, where the leaves are placed in the light - on this basis, plan the height of the crop;
  • so that new shoots grow from dormant buds, they are provided with the most favorable conditions - humidity, heat;
  • the tools that are used for pruning, sealing the slice, are pre-disinfected;
  • for successful pruning, take a plant at least 25-35 cm in height from ground level to the point of growth of the upper leaflets.

Pruning is done only when the dragon curtain is completely healthy, adult and not infected with pests.

How to transplant

At transplantation it is recommended to observe the maximum accuracy, it is necessary if:

  • the roots have grown so much that they are visible on the surface and the plant cannot eat normally;
  • soil mixture with the time "poorer" and is not able to meet the needs of a growing flower;
  • immediately after purchase - in the shops the plants are usually sold in pots of the smallest size, which is not suitable for permanent "living";
  • excessive water flooding with the risk of rotting, the inability to quickly remove excess moisture, which is fraught with the death of the plant;
  • the defeat of the "palm" pests;
  • planned, usually annual transplants.

Transplantation is recommended in the spring, before the beginning of the period of the strongest growth. The pot is chosen more than approximately 2-3.5 cm in diameter, it is equipped with several drainage holes so that excess moisture quickly leaves. The soil for an adult plant will suit sod-leaf with a compost-peat - the components are taken in a ratio of 2 to 1 to 1 to 0.5. As drainage, river sand, expanded clay balls, brick chips are acceptable.

Before transplanting the "false palm" do not water for 36-72 hours - it will be easier to remove it from the pot. The flower is held behind the stem, pulled out, lightly tapping the bottom of the pot, large specimens are transplanted together. Next, the root system is inspected - if there are damages, they are cut, dusted sections with coal. Earthen ball sprayed with water from the sprayer.

A drainage layer is placed in a container where the transplant is made, then a little earth is placed there, plants are placed there, they fill all the voids with soil, tamper it and water it. Do not overly deepen the flower - it will complicate the normal watering. The first two weeks need frequent watering, periodic feeding with stimulants for root growth.

Some types of dragon plants are transplanted into a common pot, receiving a kind of mix that has a high decorative effect.

Flowering conditions

Few who manage to observe the flowering of Dracenevs in the interior of their home, apartment, office. Practice shows that neither excessive feeding, nor the huge size of the pot can not help. The likelihood of the appearance of flowers in the "false palm" increases the presence of periods of winter dormancy, when watering and illumination are minimal, as well as strong differences between night and day temperatures. The latter option is easily achieved if the plant lives on a glassed-in balcony, loggia. In the summer, it is necessary to maintain high humidity, but not too much to flood the flower.

Pests, diseases, how to deal with them

Like all other plants, dracaena can be damaged by pests - shield, aphids, mealybugs, thrips, spider mites. They should be removed mechanically, after which insecticides should be applied. The attack of dangerous parasites occurs in the immediate vicinity of already infected flowers, because in the case of buying a new instance, it is kept for some time (up to three to four weeks) separate from the rest.

Sometimes "palm" affect various diseases:

  • powdery mildew (characterized by the appearance of plaque, similar to flour);
  • spotted wilt (the appearance of bronze-brown spots, stripes);
  • root rot (trunk turns brown, becomes soft);
  • gray rot (gray fleck spots);
  • bacterial rot (tissues soften, watery specks everywhere);
  • fusarium (yellow-red-brown spots on the leaves);
  • Alternaria (specks of beige color with a white dot in the middle);
  • bacteriosis (ulcers around the trunk, watery ends of the leaves), etc.

This usually occurs with weakened specimens that are not properly maintained. It is also important from time to time to wipe the leaves of each plant in the collection with a damp cloth or arrange a warm shower. But washing and spraying is required not in sunny weather - droplets of water on the leaves under the influence of the sun lead to burns.

What to do if dracaena leaves turn yellow

To stop the yellowing of foliage, it is required to reveal why this happened. Often, this happens for those who like to care for the flower excessively - the constant stagnation of moisture in the leaf axils after a shower may well lead to yellowing. Overdrying or rotting of the roots leads to the same effect. Yellowing leaves, gradually becoming dark spots - a sign of brown rot.

When attacking pretsenovyh such pests as thrips, scutes, spider mites, leaves also turn yellow. The countermeasures are the simplest: wash the palm tree thoroughly with warm soapy water and a small amount of alcohol, if this does not help, use insecticides. When the top has started to turn yellow, the flower needs to be removed from the draft if the rest of the foliage has become dull - the top has been exposed to direct sunlight. Sometimes yellowing is a consequence of a lack of nitrogen fertilizers, excessive irrigation.

Why the tips of leaves dry

When the "false palm" suddenly began to dry the ends of the leaves, then most often it is a sign that the air in the room is excessively dry - requires constant moistening. The output will be frequent spraying, placement in the immediate vicinity of containers with water (for example, an aquarium). It is forbidden to put dracaena of any kind near the battery. Dried parts are cut off - they can no longer be saved. If the leaves dry and curl - this is a sign of insufficient watering.

Causes of decay dracaena

The fact that the "tree of happiness" began to rot, is immediately evident from its leaves - dry areas along the edge appear on them. With fungal diseases, the same thing happens. Корневая система - "сердце" любого растения, погибнут корни - погибнет и цветок. Гниение ствола происходит обычно при чрезмерном заглублении корневой шейки, отсутствии качественного дренажа, в сочетании с чрезмерным поливом. Если гниение только началось, цветок вынимают из горшка вместе с корнями, просушивают земляной ком.When the process has gone too far, but the tip has not yet been damaged, it is cut, rooted.

Causes of leaf fall

When the leaves suddenly began to fall off, the cause of this phenomenon needs to be clarified as soon as possible - then the chances of saving the specimen are great. If the foliage is quickly and almost completely opal all, and the plant itself has become sluggish, it means that the root system has died due to some long-term illness that was not noticed in time. To prevent this, at the first signs of loss of foliage it is recommended to apply potassium phosphate fertilizers.
Advice: it is important to know that the periodic falling off of one lower leaflet is a natural process that does not affect the general condition of the flower.

Conclusion

"False palm" or "tree of happiness" - one of the most popular indoor plants. Under natural conditions, this tree is becoming increasingly rare, it is carefully guarded. Dozens of perennial species are very different from each other, but they all grow beautifully in apartments, offices, greenhouses, as well as in the summer outdoors. It is easy to grow Dracene's - they require very little attention to themselves.

Watch the video: How to Grow Dragon Fruit Part 1. Soil, Sun, Water, Containers, and Fertilizing (March 2024).

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