By Cep666
Quebec, Canada
Hi,
I've got a quick question about my dracaena marginata .. I've had it for the last few months, and every time it needed water, I could see the leaves going a little bit down, then back up a day after giving water. Lately, the leaves are even worse even though I feed it the same amount of water / frequency as before. Any suggestions ? Thanks
On plant
Dracaena marginata
- 25 Aug, 2010
Answers
ok thanks !
anything I can do to help now ?
I also find it is getting a little bit tall, what are my options ?
26 Aug, 2010
You can cut it down to a more suitable size at an appropriate point and it should then form at least two new branches, sometimes 3, from where you cut it off. You can also root the piece you cut off by sticking it in a bottle of water and waiting for roots to form, though I've found this is more successful in Spring, they seem to be much keener to produce roots then.
26 Aug, 2010
I think I misunderstood, Cep. So it's not coming out of the droop when you water it now?
26 Aug, 2010
yea exactly .. it still stays with the leaves down like on the picture .. and its really been worse for the last week or so.
Thanks to both you you ..
26 Aug, 2010
The roots may be rotting! Check the base of the plant, and see if it is still firm, or if it is getting soft and punky. If soft, you may have to unpot it and do surgery, dust it liberally with cinnamon to disinfect, and replant in a fast-draining mix. Another, more benign, possibility is that the soil has shrunk, and the water is running around the rootball, instead of into it. If that is what is happening, the surface of the soil will be dry before you water, but the water will run through the pot instantly into the saucer, instead of taking several minutes. If that happens, plunk the pot into a large bucket or basin, and let it soak for at least 15 minutes, or until the bubbles stop. In extreme cases, a channel will have worn in the rootball, and it will need to be repotted. Hope this helps more!
26 Aug, 2010
yea totally ! The soil seems to be dry after an inch from the top .. Putting more water in the tray helped a bit but I think I definitely have to repot as soon as possible... should I wait for next spring or I can do this now ?
I doesnt seem to be rotting for now ...
thanks !
31 Aug, 2010
I would wait until spring, because the roots will grow faster with longer days. In the meantime, water sslloowwllyy when you water! : )
31 Aug, 2010
Welcome, Cep!
Better to water it the day before the leaves go down. Every time it wilts, it gets a little root damage, and that can eventually lead to root rot and other problems.
25 Aug, 2010