dracaena marginata help please!

10 years ago

Was given this plant 4 years ago by my sister as a house warming gift, i think it is called " Dracaena Marginata" and it has been healthy for about 3 years until last year the soil got infested with fruit flies so stuck it outside thinking the cold would kill off the flies which it did but also damaged the plant : (

Also found that i was over watering it as the soil started to smell really bad and all the leaves started dropping off.

I have tried to save it by re-potting it with fresh new soil, only watering when needed. This has seemed to have worked as starting to grow new leaves... which i was really happy about until just now as i went to close the curtains and managed to rip all the new leaves off one of the stems....(gutted) poor plant may be it would be kinder to let it die then live with me at this rate?

Can anyone advise what i should do to try and save this plant and try put it back to it former glory when it had 40 odd leaves and not just 4 now?

Was thinking about feeding it some miracle growth?
Cutting the stems down so the plant has more energy?

Top of the 2 stems have started going green and growing new leaves but the rest of it has gone all hard and wrinkly.

Any advise would be great, thanks for your time and help.

PS, the leaves that are coming out of the soil is not new growth but the 4 leaves i managed to rip off by accident!

This post was edited by mavmbuk on Thu, Jul 4, 13 at 18:59

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Comments (4)

fandog
10 years ago
Re-potting into a porous clay pot with well draining soil would help.
stewartsjon
10 years ago
My (unsentimental) opinion?

Kill it, get another.

If you must keep it, cut one of the stems back to a couple of inches above the junction and seer if it grows new shoots. If it does, repeat the process with the others, though I think the shortest stem has died completely. If it doesn't sprout, at least you tried!

Keep it in the sun, keep reasonably dry and don't let it get cold. Flies in the soil can be cured by keeping it dry, at least in part.
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Happy to compare anecdotes. Spider mites cause a pattern on leaves called stippling. Looking at the top 2 pics, I wondered if the leaves have that. Pics slightly unfocused and old eyes, it could just be residue from water spots, common to newly purchased plants. These links can help you decide if this critter is on your plant (and a search should turn up a lot more info & pics.): http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/insects/mites/spider-mites-indoors.aspx http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/spider-mite-control.htm
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Give it some time and hold off watering until the top of the pot is dry. If it's in shock there is nothing else you can do but wait. My experience comes from having many Dracaena over the years. Your plant may not look good for a while but I'll bet that it will perk up and keep on growing. These pants can take some cold but they do not do well in freezing temps. If individual leaves fall off that is fine, but if clumps get limp and soggy at the stem, that could be an indication of a total loss. However, even if every leaf drops off, give it more time. They have been known to regenerate when you think nothing is left. Do your best and love your plant. On the upside, IKEA is only a bus ride and a 20-minute walk away...but wait for a day that is at least 45*F. Good luck.
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Where are you located? That info is significant. I would agree about the likelihood of sunburn. If it had been grown in shade, then it needs to be hardened off to stronger sun gradually. (Think of what would happen to a caucasian person who, after being indoors all winter, was suddenly transported to the Arizona desert for an outdoor hike with no sunscreen.) Does that pot sit flush to the ground? If so, for better drainage (I know you said the white pot has drainage holes) it might help for the pot to be sitting on little "feet" so there is a tiny bit of clearance between the holes on the bottom and the ground. As far as the media goes .... what exactly did you use? Straight potting soil? MiracleGro mix?......
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Hey @Iqra Iqra, sorry to hear about your dracaena. You made the right move when repotting the plant. I assume that when you did so, you made sure to loosen the roots as much as possible right? If so, great. If not, you should get the plant out and try to loosen the roots. Another thing, what type of soil did you use and what kind of drainage is in its current pot?
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tropicbreezent
10 years ago
What did the roots look like when you were repotting it?
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
Hi & welcome to GardenWeb!

Does that pot have a drain hole? I'm a huge fan of repurposing whatever is suitable for a container, but it does need to have at least one hole in the bottom so excess water can escape.

Is that moss growing at the bottom, on the soil surface?

Also wanted to say it looks like being in too-little light for a long time may have contributed to its' decline in health, along with root/drainage issues. Tap water chemicals, especially if they can buildup in the soil, can make Dracaena unhealthy as well.

This post was edited by purpleinopp on Fri, Jul 5, 13 at 9:38

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dracaena marginata help please!

Comments (4)

fandog

stewartsjon

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tropicbreezent

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

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