Why are there sticky drops on dracaena. How to save dracaena from a mealybug
This is a mealybug. A rare infection. There are drugs for him, but they did not help me. I also tried to process it with household soap, after a while it appeared again. I had to cut off the branches and leave the stumps, then he started up new branches without the mealybug.
Thank you. and that "Aktelik" will not help to remove this worm? If it doesn't help, then cut off all the greens from two trunks to hemp? and how long will it grow back?
I have not tried Aktelik, maybe it will help. If you suddenly cut off, then cut off the branches, you can put them in the water, they will give roots, but if they are infected, then it is better to throw them out of course. But it is better to cut off so that there would be one trunk without branches. It will start twigs in a month. Treat the hemp like a full-fledged plant.
Tatyana, this is not exactly a mealybug, but its close relative, just as harmful. Take a cotton swab, moisten it in an emulsion (a few drops of dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a glass of water, stir vigorously and try to remove everyone you can. 4 treatments, details here
Houseplant pests and control measures
And keep shooting manually. Pruning may not help; the pest may remain on the plant. Do not use Aktellik at home, it is very harmful to you, does not help well against such pests, is poorly tolerated by plants. If there is no actara, then you can Apaches, Mospilan, etc. SYSTEM and water-dispersible drugs (they are in granules that are diluted in water).
Pruning helped, my dracaena released two branches after pruning and has been growing without a worm for a year now. And before that, all the treatments forced him to hide in the axils of the leaves. After a while, he again affected the whole plant.
Hello, dracaena leaves in some places become translucent, after a while the leaf turns yellow, dries and falls off.
day 2-3 sometimes 3-4 leaves immediately fly around ...
On the underside of the leaf, close to the trunk, rather large transparent drops of some viscous and sticky liquid appear. I looked for pests, like no (maybe I looked in the wrong place?), There is definitely no scabbard (somehow there was already a problem).
On another dracaena (fragrant), there are the same drops, and on orchids. But dracaena are far from orchids ...
I don’t know what to do, soon the dracaena will remain completely naked ... help please ... I sprayed it with an insecticide, the only one in the city (some Polish one), washed each leaf with warm water, made a bath (in a bag for 2 days). Nothing helped…
Olya, these are not pests. Sometimes honeydew is released on plants, usually after sudden changes in temperature, sudden changes in conditions. Perhaps you water the dracaena often. Reduce watering, only after almost all the soil clod has dried. Do not water at night when the ambient temperature drops. Now the day has become shorter, cooler. this requires a corresponding reduction in watering. On orchids, honeydew can also be released, but it can also be nectar.
www.greeninfo.ru
Dracaena problems
The main problems with dracaena, like most cultures whose homeland is the tropics, are associated with acclimatization. In an ordinary city apartment the plant often lacks warmth and moisture... And then, and another dracaena must be given additionally, and to do it competently, without going to extremes.
If you find that the dracaena has a soft trunk and leaves are falling off, the bark has become wrinkled, then you have overdone it with watering.
If the leaves begin to curl or turn into a tube (this may mean that the plant has died) - therefore, you could not provide the green pet with a comfortable temperature, did not save it from abrupt transitions from one microclimate to another.
Problems for the flower are also created by diseases and pests, which must be learned to recognize in a timely manner.
Leaves fall
Of all the varieties, the threat of "baldness" most often arises in Marginata, in other varieties this problem is less pronounced. The main reasons why dracaena leaves fall off may be as follows:
- natural aging (the leaves of this culture live from 2 to 3 years);
- water scarcity;
- cold air, drafts.
To help the plant, it is important to figure out which of the reasons is ruining your flower.
If it is aging, then this is an objective and unregulated process. Fortunately, nature has provided that at the same time all the leaves of the dracaena will not leave - those of them whose time has come will begin to turn yellow, then curl, turn black and fall off. After some time, new, healthy leaves will appear in the vacated places.
In case of water shortage, massive leaf fall does not occur either.
The difference is that the aged leaves dry out completely, and the fallen leaves due to the scarcity of watering still partially retain their vitality.
If the grower overdid it with watering, the plant begins lose green leaves- this is due to the fact that the roots have rotted in the waterlogged soil and the plant dies.
Temperature discomfort (especially cold, draft) is expressed in the loss of green foliage by the plant.
Leaves turn yellow
If yellowness on the leaves appears, like gray hair in humans, for natural reasons, it can capture not the whole leaf, but its tips. In this case, specialists recommend pruning, removing only the yellowed part and leaving healthy... This will preserve the decorativeness of the culture.
Often the problem arises due to the fact that the plant does not have enough sun. Most varieties have enough soft, diffused light, and even a short winter day does not affect them negative impact... However, in some cases, the dracaena cannot do without backlighting and informs the owner of this with the yellowness of its leaves.
A similar reaction occurs due to excess watering... And if the leaves of the dracaena dropped and turned yellow, this may be caused by a lack of nutrients in the soil. It is especially dangerous to keep a flower on a starvation diet during its active growth - from April to the end of August.
Dry tips
This trouble can happen even with young foliage, if the flower grows in the same pot, without replacing the soil, for 3-4 years.
Salts accumulate in it, due to which the plant is not able to fully absorb nutrients, even if the owner regularly feeds his pet.
Salinity kills the suction roots - the main conductor of nutrients into the flower's body.
Due to inadequate nutrition, the tips of old leaves also dry out. In addition, the problem may lie in the structure of the soil - if it is clayey, heavy, poorly water-permeable.
Yellow, brown, black spots on dracaena
Never comfort yourself with the phrase that "there are spots in the sun too": spots on dracaena leaves pose a threat to flower health and most often appear due to insufficient care of the plant, and their color helps to determine the essence of the problem. Here's what they are talking about:
Correction of mistakes in care
If the trunk of the dracaena wrinkled, the leaves began to fall off, there is a high probability of mistakes that the owner made, most likely due to inexperience. The main thing is to have time to fix them in time.
Among the most common mistakes:
- improper, too generous watering (in fact, the soil in the pot should dry out between waterings, control its condition by sticking a thin wooden stick into the ground);
- high dryness of the air (remove the flower away from heating devices);
- insufficient illumination (the plant must be provided with additional highlighting);
- exposure to cold air ("washing" with warm water will help frozen leaves);
- lack of nutrients (buy fertilizer in the form of a stick at a flower shop and stick it in the soil - your pet will regularly receive feeding in the amount necessary for it).
Dracaena diseases, symptoms, treatment
Experts (in order to prevent various diseases) recommend add potassium and phosphorus to fertilizers... Unfortunately, this is not enough to avoid disease completely.
Pests that infect dracaena can be in the soil or get on it from neighboring, already infected, plants. Signs of ill health are cobwebs, specks, sticky coating... Among pests:
This video tells about another pest of dracaena and how to deal with it:
How to reanimate a dracaena if the trunk is fragile, the bark wrinkles, and the leaves begin to rot? Would need "Surgical intervention" in the form of grafting: cut off the top of the dracaena and either immediately root it in the ground, or put it in a container of water so that the roots appear. This usually takes 2 months.
If the poor condition of the dracaena is associated with dry air, bring the pet back to life a warm shower will help... To prevent water from flooding the roots, put the pot in a plastic bag and pull its edges around the trunk.
If the stalk (and later - a full-fledged plant) stands in water for too long, its trunk may turn yellow. This is because the aquatic environment promotes the activation of bacteria, and the changed color of the trunk is evidence that the plant may die. You can avoid such a development of events by urgently transplanting the dracaena into a pot of earth.
A plant affected by cold air will be saved by a few sprays of warm water. and placing the pot in a draft-free place. In cases where the temperature dropped below 15 degrees Celsius, there is a great danger that the roots have suffered. If a check shows that this is how it turned out and the roots began to rot, they are removed and the dracaena is transplanted into a new pot. In cases where there are practically no healthy roots left, the top of the flower is cut and rooted.
What to do with a broken dragon tree
The broken woody part of the stem is fairly easy to root. To do this, the place of scrapping must be cut with a sharp knife (the cut must be horizontal), hold in the air for a while so that it dries up, and lowered into a container with water, where a tablet of activated carbon is added (it will save the future plant from decay).
The remaining part of the stem in the pot can also be saved. The fracture site is carefully trimmed and filled with wax. After a short time, shoots will appear on the sides of the trunk.
If it is not a lignified but a green shoot that is broken, it is recommended to root it in moss or sand. In order for the roots to form faster, the tip of the shoot is treated in the "Kornevin" preparation, and then artificial heating is organized (the best temperature is 25 degrees).
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Growing problems
Mistakes in growing dracaena cause certain troubles, which are manifested by plant ailments:
- Leaves turn yellow.
The reasons why the ends of the leaves begin to dry: natural wilting or improper watering.
Natural wilting is a natural process caused by plant growth. Each leaf of dracaena lives for about two years and one day the time comes for it to die off. Therefore, the lower leaves of the plant may turn yellow.
First, the top turns yellow, and then the entire leaf dries out. This wilting occurs slowly, so the dried part can be removed gradually, thus preserving decorative view plants.
Yellowing of young leaves occurs when watering is disturbed. For dracaena, both dry soil and too wet soil are harmful. Moderate humidity with dry top layer Is the ideal watering option.
- The leaves have faded and sank.
Cause: hypothermia.
Dracaena does not tolerate temperatures below 14 degrees Celsius, as well as drafts and cold air currents. If you put the plant in a warm place and spray it with warm water, then perhaps it will come to life.
Hypothermia is fraught with decay of the roots. In this case, the plant must be transplanted by removing the decayed roots.
- The tips of the leaves dry.
Causes dry leaves: dry air, lack or excess of feeding.
If dry tips appear on the plant or spots along the edge of the leaf, you need to take care of creating more comfortable conditions. To preserve the decorative appearance, the dried ends are cut off.
- Leaves fall and young shoots of dracaena dry up.
Causes the fact that the plant sheds leaves: hypothermia of the earth, excess moisture in the soil.
If leaves fall in a large number, then the plant is recommended to be cut.
- Brown spots on the leaves.
Cause: Burns caused by direct sunlight.
With a burn, wet spots appear first, which then dry out.
To avoid this, the dracaena must receive gentle sunlight.
- Leaves rot.
Causes: waterlogging, lack of light and heat, or an infectious disease.
If a yellow border forms around the spot, then this is bacteriosis.
If there is no border, then the reason lies in insufficient care.
To avoid decay, you need to revise the conditions for keeping the plant.
- Blackening of young leaves.
Causes: no transplant for a long period or oversaturation with fertilizers.
Dracaena needs a transplant every 2-3 years. If the dracaena is not transplanted on time, then salts accumulate in the soil, which leads to spoilage of young leaves.
And here is a video about why dracaena leaves dry.
Diseases
Like all plants, dracaena is susceptible to certain diseases.
This ailment manifests itself in different parts of the plant. rounded brown and black spots... In these spots, rings of dark and light color... With the further development of the disease, the leaves turn black and are affected by the spores of the fungus.
Heterosporosis
The disease is characterized by yellow spotting that soon become light - Brown with a dark line around.
Over time, the spots increase and appear on them dark bloom with fungal spores. If the plant is left untreated, the leaves will dry out.
With this disease, dracaena appears large yellow-brown spots with a greenish border... The spots can be round or indefinite in shape, later covered with spores of the fungus.
Phylostictosis affects adults and old dracaena when the soil and air moisture regime is disturbed.
This disease causes softening the tips of the leaves, which further leads to their decay.
Another manifestation of bacteriosis is dark, decaying areas on the leaf, surrounded by yellow oily stripes. It is also possible for small, round ulcers to form on the stem.
Bacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by a number of reasons: high humidity of air and soil, lack of fertilizers, high temperature of the surrounding atmosphere.
Spotted wilting
This viral disease is rare. On the leaves appear brown spots and longitudinal lines... Juveniles develop slowly and become deformed.
Treatment of diseases
Treatment of diseases such as alternaria, heterosporosis, phyllostictosis is carried out using fungicidal preparations... You can use oxyhom, topaz and other medicines containing copper.
With bacteriosis saving dracaena is not possible, since this insidious disease develops rapidly and instantly leads to death. The plant is destroyed.
Pests and ways to deal with them
Dracaena is sometimes affected by pests. These include scale insects, thrips, mealbugs and spider mites. It is useful for the gardener to know the signs of defeat by these dangerous guests and how to fight.
Shield
A scutellum is an insect 2-5 millimeters in size, covered with a yellowish shield. Suck the juice from the plant. The leaves turn pale and fall off.
The shield is insidious in that its difficult to detect due to mobility... Therefore, the plant must be inspected regularly.
The affected dracaena is treated with soapy water using a soft sponge, and then insecticidal preparations are applied (intra-vir, decis, fitoverm).
Scabbard on dracaena: photos of pests.
Spider mite
Spider mite- small insects of milk, green or orange up to 1 mm in size. He settles on the back of the sheet and covers it with white specks... On the affected parts, you can see a small cobweb.
The plant slows down growth and becomes an easy target for various ailments. Spider mites carry some diseases.
For treatment, dracaena is washed with soapy water. high temperature(47-50 degrees Celsius) and sprayed with acaricide.
Thrips
Thrips are insects up to 1-2 mm in size. They settle in colonies on the lower part of the leaf plate. Top sheet dots and brown.
Thrips appear in dry air and elevated indoor temperatures.
For treatment, insecticides are used.
Mealybug is an insect covered with a mealy white bloom. It sucks juice from dracaena, causing inhibition of its development.
With a mealybug lesion spots, dots and white bloom appear on the leaves, and in the outlets wax discharge accumulates, outwardly resembling cotton wool. The insect lays larvae on the trunk and leaf plates.
White bloom (sticks) on dracaena - how to get rid of dots, spots on the leaves and on the trunk? Treatment begins by removing the larvae with soapy water or a cotton pad dipped in alcohol, and continues by treating the plant with insecticides. After the first treatment, the second is carried out with a break of one week.
If you follow the important rules for the care of the dracaena, it remains healthy. Defeat by diseases and pests is possible only when creating unfavorable circumstances for the plant.
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How to cure dracaena from Alternaria
– This is a disease caused by fungi belonging to the genus Alternaria.
The disease is easy to recognize, as pale brown spots appear on the leaves of dracaena, which resemble an ellipse in shape and turn black over time. After some time, part of the leaves dies off within the spots, their surface is covered with an olive-colored bloom, which contains spores of the fungus-causative agent of Alternaria.
Mushrooms appear in the spring, after which they develop inside the stems throughout the summer.
The plant can be cured using chemical or folk methods.
If the first spots appear on your plant, you need to transfer it to a separate free window sill. If this is not available, we advise you to separate the dracaena pot from other plants.
Treatment of heterosporiasis
When choosing a place for a dracaena, you need to consider everything - from the place for the pot to the humidity of the air.
But if you notice that light brown spots of an elongated shape have begun to appear on the leaves of the plant, be aware that dracaena grows in a dry room and needs more watering. It also means that the plant has appeared heterosporiasis.
The disease manifests itself as quickly as Alternaria. A disease such as heterosporiasis can be cured by spraying dracaena with fungicides which contain copper or zinc.
Is it possible to cure bacteriosis
If the tips of the leaves began to rot on the dracaena then your home plant got sick bacteriosis.
This disease leads to:
- High air humidity.
- Excessive watering
- Lack of nutrients.
Never spray the affected plant. Many novice florists ask questions on the forums about how the plant can be cured, but, unfortunately, it is impossible to reanimate the dracaena with fungicides at home.
How to cure dracaena from phyllostictosis
Phylostictosis strikes beautiful and useful plants... About 3 thousand species, varieties, subspecies and forms of fungi that cause this disease have already been enrolled in the genus Phillostict.
In our case, dracaena is affected by a fungus called Phyllosticta dracaenae.
If dracaena has brown spots on the leaves- that's for sure phyllostictosis.Sometimes they may have green borders.
If you notice precisely these symptoms of the disease, you should take the following measures to combat phyllostictosis, namely:
- Spray the plant with 1% Bordeaux liquid and repeat the procedure after 10 days.
- Use high-quality fungicides of foreign manufacturers, namely "Delan", "Strobi", "Tersel", "Horus", "Topsin-M".
- After the end of the growing season, dig up and disinfect the plant's near-stem circles so that the fungus does not stay there for the winter.
- Reduce the amount of water, or even better, spray water on the leaves.
- Remember to kill weeds, plant damage and plant debris.
Dracaena shield - what to do
The scale insects belong to the Homoptera family. They are easily recognizable by their rounded body, and in female scale insects, the back is covered with a wax shield.
The adult female covers the eggs while sitting on the plant, and the males "guard" the family. The scale larvae are mobile, but after they attach to the dracaena, they do not move at all and are covered with a wax shield.
Scabbards are dangerous in that adults and larvae suck the juice from the plant. Yellow or brown spots appear at the sites of damage. The leaves gradually turn yellow, and the stems do not develop correctly. Dracaena growth stops, the plant dries up and dies.
If scale insects appear on your dracaena and you notice it in time, then the plant can be saved.
You need to adhere to certain rules in the fight against scabbards:
- It is necessary to inspect the plant and scrape off as many pests as possible that have settled on the leaves of the dracaena with a brush. Before scraping, we advise you to treat the plant with kerosene or alcohol.
- The parts of the plant damaged by the scabbard should be destroyed, as they will not develop normally.
- It is best to test the reaction of the plant to the substance before using kerosene or alcohol. If it reacted normally, you can proceed with the procedure. This is best done in cloudy weather, as sunburns can appear on the leaves.
- If you didn't have any special means fight, then for preventive purposes, you can use a soap or tobacco solution.
First... Dracaena is treated with a sponge that is moistened with methyl alcohol. Then, using a toothbrush, it is necessary to remove the weakened pests. The brush must be moistened in a solution of "Aktara" or "Inta-Ts-M". The damaged parts of the dracaena are cut off. After and during processing, it is advisable to take the plant to Fresh air.
Second way... You can spray the dracaena with Fufanon solution and, placing the pot with the plant in a transparent bag, tie it up. Leave the flower in this position for several days so that the solution is absorbed. Dracaena needs such a one-time treatment.
Third... "Actellic" is considered to be of low toxicity for humans, but when used on flowers it shows the most effective result... To do this, mix 2 ml of the drug with 1 liter of water, then spray and water the soil of the plant.
Fourth... You can use garlic, onion, or pepper infusions. The pepper infusion has especially proven itself. For this, fresh hot pepper is used, which is boiled in an amount of 50 g in 500 ml of water. They use it on dracaena like this: take 5 g of pepper infusion per 1 liter of water. The solution can be stored in the refrigerator and used as needed.
How to remove white mealybug from a plant
Insects are covered with a powdery coating white and very mobile.
Finding out that your dracaena is affected by a mealybug is very simple. Insects leave a white, cottony, waxy coating on the shoots and leaves. This plaque can be confused with powdery mildew, but if you notice such a plaque on dracaena, the plant should be treated immediately.
With a strong defeat spray with drugs"Aktara", "Calypso", "Tanrek" or "Fitoverm" with an interval of 7-14 days.
For spraying to be effective, you can use several drugs at the same time.
Also, when fighting the mealybug on dracaena, alternative treatment can be used.
How to protect dracaena from thrips
Thrips appear for several reasons:
A sticky trap helps to reduce the number of thrips. They are attracted by pink color... With a strong defeat, you need use chemicals such as Fitoverm, Vertimek and Iskra.
You can also use folk remedies, but they need to be used with a slight defeat by thrips.
Well proven garlic.Can be chopped 85 g garlic, 50 ml vegetable oil, 10 ml of liquid soap and 950 ml of water. The mixture of oil and garlic should be infused for one day. Then water is mixed with soap and a mixture of garlic and oil is added. Before use, you need to dilute one part of the mixture with 19 parts of water.
Getting rid of aphids
Recognizing aphids is easy:
If aphids have settled on your dracaena, you need to know how to properly get rid of it.
Aphids can be removed by hand or washed off with a strong jet of water.
V folk remedies ah aphid control apply liquid soap and vegetable oil... Use two glasses of water for 2 tsp. liquid soap and 1 tbsp. vegetable oil. It is all diluted in a spray bottle and then the whole plant is sprayed
You can also take and garlic tincture... The garlic cloves are squeezed into half a liter of water. Then add 2 tsp. vegetable oil and one spoonful of liquid soap. The squeezed garlic is infused in water for a day, then soap and water are added. After that, you can use the drug by spraying.
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Optimal home conditions for growing dracaena
Dracaena is a beautiful tropical plant native to Africa, Asia and South America. Outwardly, the plant looks like a palm tree, but in fact it is not, but belongs to the asparagus family.
In nature, you can find multi-meter specimens with lignified trunks, long wide leaves Green colour or with stripes of different shades.
In total, there are about 150 plant species. The most popular are Dragon, Fragrant, Massangeana, Marginata (bordered), Deremskaya, Peeled back, Sandera (lucky bamboo), etc.
Dracaena varieties - photo gallery
Knowing the features of growing conditions, it is easy to avoid dracaena disease:
Dracaena diseases can be fungal, bacterial, or viral.
We diagnose infectious diseases - table
Most of all dracaena are susceptible to fungal diseases. The most common of these are Alternaria and Phyllostidosis. As a rule, the disease occurs with high air humidity and excess moisture in the soil. Also, the cause of the disease is the spores of fungi that could be in the soil or were brought in from the outside. For example, unsterilized garden tools that have previously come into contact with an infected plant can become a carrier of an infectious disease.
If the dracaena is transplanted into a heavy garden soil, it is often and abundantly watered with running, unsettled water, with a high degree of probability this will lead to a bacterial disease. Of all the species of dracaena, the most susceptible to bacteriosis is dracaena Deremskaya... This beauty is especially popular with amateur gardeners for its variegated leaves and the difference in their colors. However, these leaves are also often the target of bacteria and fungus.
Professional gardeners note that dracaena is quite resistant to viral diseases. But still, the flower rarely strikes a spotted wilting. This virus can infect a plant that is already immunocompromised. For example, immunity decreases if a flower suffers from improper care for a long time or is damaged by pests. With a viral infection, dracaena stops growing and begins to fade.
Dracaena diseases - photo gallery
Insects on dracaena - table
Houseplant pests - photo gallery
Other causes of plant problems - care errors
With improper care, the dracaena loses its decorative appearance: the plant grows poorly, sheds leaves, the trunk becomes thin and bare, and bends. Therefore, first of all, check if your dracaena is not sick, but simply unkempt.
The main problems in care and their consequences:
- Dry indoor air and dust can cause pests to attack the plant. Leaves dry, curl, become stained, darken.
- Excessive watering leads to fungal diseases. As a result, the roots begin to rot, the trunk becomes soft, and dark spots appear on the leaves. Also, worms, midges, or mold can appear in the soil.
- At low temperatures in the room, the leaf takes on a sluggish wrinkled appearance, the top freezes, the leaves may fall off.
- Due to a lack of moisture, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the top of the dracaena dries up.
In most cases, the flower is exposed to microbial infection or insect attack precisely with a weakened immune system, which occurs due to improper care.
The onset of plant disease can be seen from the state of the leaf. It should be borne in mind that the process of drying and dying off of the lower leaves in dracaena is a natural sign of growth. These leaves should be trimmed, and the trunk will become woody over time in that place.
In other cases, unhealthy foliage coloration signals maintenance problems.
We solve problems
Dracaena's health problems can be very different. Let's try to figure out what needs to be done in each specific case. Let's start with the leaves.
If dark spots appear on the leaves, the plant may be suffering from over-watering and stagnant water in the sump. You need to check the condition of the roots of the plant.
- Remove the plant from the pot, free it from the old soil and rinse with running water.
- Straighten the roots and cut off all rotten edges to healthy (dense) tissues.
- For disinfection, hold the roots in a weak solution of manganese or Fitosporin for 1 hour (dilute according to the instructions)
- Plant the plant in sterile soil in a smaller pot (choose 3 cm smaller than the previous one).
If the roots of the plant are completely rotted, the trunk of the dracaena becomes soft. This phenomenon can occur as a result of frequent and abundant watering of the soil. The plant is unlikely to be cured. The recommended temperature for healthy plant growth is 16 to 25 ° C.
If the trunk is frozen and soft
Staying for a long time in drafts, on the street or in a room where the air temperature is below 18 degrees, the dracaena freezes.
In this case, the trunk of the plant can still remain alive (dense and hard to the touch), and the leaves have become limp and sank. They cannot be saved. If the top of the dracaena is drooping, you need to rejuvenate the trunk:
- Cut off the crown with a clean knife right down to the beginning of the living (dense) tissue. Throw out the top, and sprinkle the place of the cut on the trunk with crushed coal.
- Place the pot with the plant in a sunny place in a warm room (temperature 22-25 ° C). Eliminate the possibility of drafts.
- Water the flower with complex fertilizer, diluted half as much as indicated in the instructions.
- Spray the trunk and soil with a plant growth stimulator every week.
- Observe the correct watering regime and wait for the dracaena to recover and give lateral buds.
If the tip is broken
What to do if the top of the dracaena breaks down and a healthy long trunk remains:
- Root the upper part of the trunk with the crown. To do this, cut the stalk to the desired length.
- Sprinkle the cut with crushed coal and leave for two hours.
- Put the cutting in water with a pinch of Kornevin (the container should be transparent) in a sunny place.
- Change the water periodically, and when roots appear (from 5 cm), plant the plant in the ground.
- Check the trunk remaining in the pot for "strength", making sure that the root is firmly in the ground if the plant has fallen. Cut the upper part of the trunk at the desired height: lateral buds will go from the cut.
- Treat the cut with crushed coal and then spray it every day with a growth stimulant (for example, Epin).
- After 1–1.5 months, the lateral buds will awaken in the dracaena.
If the trunk becomes too long or crooked
There are times when the dracaena grows rapidly: the trunk grows in height quickly, but itself is thin and not strong enough. This can happen if the dracaena is completely satisfied with the conditions of her detention, but she stands in a poorly lit place. For example, the trunk quickly becomes thin and long in Dracaena Okaymlennaya and Deremskaya.
There is no need to rush to say goodbye to your favorite plant, because in such situations you can make several of one. Dracene can carry out anti-aging pruning and divide the trunk into several parts:
- Cut the cuttings 7-15 cm long with a sharp knife, dust with chopped charcoal and air dry for 2 hours.
- Place the cuttings horizontally in a moistened light substrate, deepen in the ground by 2 cm and press lightly.
- Put the pot on a well-lit windowsill, cover it with a plastic bag on top.
- Remove the bag for 2 hours every day to ventilate the soil, spray the substrate with a spray bottle and cover it again with polyethylene.
- After 1.5 months, the cuttings will begin to root in the soil, and soon the buds on the trunk will awaken and the first leaves will appear.
- This method of grafting is called horizontal and is suitable for dracaena with a thin trunk (dracaena Deremskaya, dracaena Okaymlennaya).
How to treat dracaena for lesions - details
To combat fungal diseases, the flower must be carefully treated with a fungicide. It is also advisable to transplant the plant and replace the contaminated soil with sterilized soil.
The use of fungicides for fungal diseases
For treatment, it is recommended to apply a Fundazole solution in proportions of 10 grams per 500 ml of water. Spray the infected tree every 2 weeks, repeat the procedure three times. An alternative to Fundazol can be the treatment of a sick plant with Topaz or another drug that contains copper. All procedures are carried out strictly according to the instructions and in a well-ventilated area.
For the prevention of fungal diseases of dracaena, it is necessary to avoid waterlogging of the soil, cool and dark rooms, contact with untreated garden tools.
Viral infections and bacterial diseases of dracaena are currently considered incurable. Unfortunately, the diseased plant must be destroyed so as not to infect other indoor flowers.
Transfer to sterile soil
With fungal diseases or with the development of root rot from waterlogging or freezing of an earthen coma, the roots of the plant begin to rot, and fungal spores multiply in the soil. To get rid of them, dracaena needs to be transplanted into sterile soil.
Procedure:
- Remove the flower from the pot, empty it completely root system from contaminated soil under running water.
- Cut off the rotten roots with a clean knife (they will be soft to the touch) to healthy parts and treat with Fitosporin solution (dilute the paste according to the instructions).
- Place the finished dracaena substrate in a heated oven for 10 minutes to sterilize temperature regime should be set to 200 degrees. Cool down.
- To restore and build up the root system, choose a smaller pot for a flower (3 cm in diameter and a height less than the previous one). Add a layer of expanded clay, sterilized soil and plant the dracaena in the usual way.
How to apply insecticides
Dracaena leaves are attacked by scale insects, spider mites and other pests, especially if the flower is in a cool room with dry air.
As a rule, treatment with folk remedies helps in the fight against spider mites, mealybugs and aphids, and the scale insect and thrips are destroyed after treatment with insecticides.
As a preventive measure, you should:
- regularly (once a week) inspect dracaena leaves and wipe dust from them;
- spray the plant with soapy water once a month (use laundry soap or purchase "green soap" from a flower shop, intended for the prevention and control of insect pests).
Reanimation of the dying dracaena
If the dracaena has been left unattended for a long time and already has a dying look, you should still try to save her.
If the lower part of the plant has rotted
With frequent and abundant watering, the roots of the dracaena rot, and later the trunk and top rot. This situation can be called hopeless, the plant can only be thrown away. In rare cases, the leaves and part of the trunk may not have time to suffer, then you need to try to save the crown and root it like an apical cutting:
- With a sterile sharp knife, cut off the apical shoot with a part of the trunk (healthy and strong). The top should have a healthy appearance: the leaves are dense and the trunk is hard. Make the cut perpendicular to the trunk, sprinkle the cut with crushed coal.
- Leave the resulting cutting in the air for two hours so that the cut site dries up a little.
- Place the cutting in a transparent glass with settled water at room temperature and add a root formation stimulator, for example, Kornevin. Dilute half as much as indicated in the instructions.
- Put a glass with a handle on a sunny windowsill.
- Change the water in the glass as needed (if it blooms), top up.
- When roots more than 5 cm appear, plant the dracaena in a small pot, deepening the cutting with roots by 2 cm into the sterilized soil.
If the crown is dry
If the dracaena has not been watered for a long time, for example, during a long vacation, the plant from a lack of moisture can shed all the leaves, and the growing point itself can dry out.
In this case, there is still a chance to save the plant. For this:
- First of all, dracaena needs to arrange "bath procedures". In order to wet the earthen lump well and evenly and revitalize the root system, the flower pot must be placed in a basin with settled warm water for half an hour (the water should be at room temperature).
- The dried apex should be cut off with a sharp knife and discarded, treated with crushed activated charcoal and the lateral (dormant) buds awake.
Think about how high to cut the trunk so that in the future the plant is aesthetically pleasing.
- Spray the flower once a week with a plant growth stimulant, for example, Epin.
- Watering should be done moderately once a week, while applying complex fertilizers for dracaena twice a month.
- Place the pot with the plant 2 meters from the sunny window so that the scattered rays of the sun fall on the plant.
- A month later, the dracaena should have new leaves from the side buds.
When caring for a plant and its rehabilitation, observe the following rules:
- It is not necessary to remove the entire drying sheet, but you can carefully cut off the dried part, leaving only a healthy base.
- Excess moisture in the soil must not be allowed.
- It is recommended to change the soil mixture every three years, then the dracaena will grow healthy and beautiful.
- Check if the location for the dracaena is correct. Perhaps a new place will help you recover faster. The optimal solution would be placement 1-2 meters from the window (exclude northern directions), the temperature in the room is 20-25 degrees.
- Nitrogen-containing fertilizers and complex fertilizers for palms will also help to recover faster. Fertilizers should be applied according to the instructions 2 times a month from April to August.
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Signs of a mealybug infection with dracaena
The appearance of a white bloom on the stem, dracaena leaves is a characteristic symptom of mealybug infection, which is clearly demonstrated by the photo.
Mealybug is localized on all parts of the plant
However, there are other signs that can help identify the culprit of the infection:
On a note! The pest is distinguished by good mobility, therefore, having found a mealybug on dracaena, you should inspect the nearby plants.
Brief description of the pest
Characteristic features of a mealybug
Adult sizes range from 3 to 7 mm. Occasionally, there are also larger specimens, reaching a length of 9-10 mm.
The appearance of the mealybug is very peculiar:
Interesting! The mealybug prefers to colonize the leaf sinuses, forms numerous colonies on young shoots of dracaena, and in the case of mass infection, the leaves of the plant. In addition to the leaf form of the pest, there is also a root one. Root bugs mainly spend their life on the roots of plants, but in case of a lack of nutrients, the aerial parts are not neglected either.
Insects prefer moist, warm, draft-free locations. By means of stylets, they stick to plants and feed on their juices. After mating, females, with the exception of viviparous species, lay eggs in a kind of cotton masses. The fecundity of the female reaches 600 eggs. The egg-laying period lasts 1-2 weeks, after which the females die off.
Ovipositions are often found in leaf axils, bark cracks, between shoots, along the veins, which greatly complicates their detection.
Mealybug visible to the naked eye
Eggs, well protected by a down shell, are not afraid of water and many chemicals, which in turn contributes to the preservation of the population. After 10-20 days, young larvae hatch from the eggs. Newborn individuals do not yet have any plaque and begin to actively disperse in search of a food source. Having chosen a suitable place, they immediately begin their meal. The intake of nutrients provokes the release of a sticky liquid and the larvae gradually become covered with a characteristic white bloom.
The reasons for the appearance of the pest
Optimal conditions for the development and reproduction of the insect: high humidity in the room and air temperature within 25 ° C. Spring and autumn are accompanied by the peak of mealybug activity; during these periods, their numbers are especially high.
Improper watering is one of the reasons for the appearance of pests
Transplanting into contaminated soil, taking the plant out into the street increases the chances of infection of the flower. But still, predominantly, the main factors affecting the development of the mealybug population on dracaena are care errors:
- excess or deficiency of moisture;
- wrong choice of plant location, inappropriate temperature conditions, high humidity in the room;
- lack of regular water procedures, inattentive examination of the flower for the detection of insects, untimely removal of dead fragments, diseased leaves;
- ignoring quarantine measures after acquiring a new plant.
On a note! Insufficient attention to soil disinfection is the reason for the appearance of many pests on indoor plants. Before transplanting dracaena into new soil, the soil is kept in a freezer or treated with boiling water, 1% manganese solution. When using the old flower pot, the container also needs to be disinfected.
Mealybug control methods
If single individuals are found, they are removed with tweezers, and the leaves and the windowsill on which the plants are located are treated with a soap and vodka solution. For its preparation, a teaspoon of crushed laundry or green soap is dissolved in hot water... Then it is brought to a volume of 1 liter and a tablespoon of medical alcohol is added. Having previously covered the substrate in a flowerpot, spray the dracaena with a spray bottle. During the month, they carry out a regular visual inspection to make sure there are no offspring.
You can remove a small population of mealybugs from dracaena with a piece of cotton wool dipped in soapy water
If the number of mealybugs exceeds 10, dracaena needs treatment. All visible individuals are removed with a toothpick, cotton swab, tweezers, and the plant itself is treated with a chemical. The following agents are used to process leaves and stems:
- "Actellik" - destroys pests in one procedure. The drug is toxic, so do not neglect personal protective equipment.
- "Aktara" - used for soil application and foliar spraying. To get rid of insects completely, 2 treatments are required.
- "Intavir" is a drug with an intestinal action.
Also used "Tsvetofos", "Fosbecis", "Decis", "Fitoverm", "Confidor". For tillage use "Talstar", "Bazudin", "Arrivo".
Important! Before using the drug, a plant susceptibility test should be performed. To do this, process one sheet and observe the reaction of dracaena for 1-2 days. Many insecticides are toxic to humans, so the treatment is carried out in a well-ventilated area, outside, wearing rubber gloves.
Treatment of dracaena from mealybug involves 2-3 treatments. The drugs do not have an ovicidal effect - they do not have a detrimental effect on the eggs of pests. Therefore, after 7-10 days, in order to destroy new offspring, the procedure is repeated.
Folk recipes
Most gardeners are skeptical about the use of folk remedies, considering them ineffective against the pest. However, in the early stages of infection, they can help in the fight against harmful insects.
Folk remedies can be effective only in the initial stages of infection.
How to get rid of mealybugs on dracaena:
Important! When treating dracaena from mealybugs, it is isolated in a separate place. All nearby plants are regularly examined with a magnifying glass and, if necessary, they are processed.
Mealybugs are hairy insects that look like small flea beetles. They suck the sap from the plant, so the flower grows slowly, gets sick and may die. At the first symptoms of a mealybug on dracaena, it is necessary to take measures to combat it. In the article, we will tell you how to get rid of the mealybug on dracaena, consider ways to combat and preventative measures.
What are the signs to understand that pests have started on dracaena
Insects can be detected with the naked eye. They look like little lumps of cotton wool or fluff. Symptoms of the habitat of scale insects on dracaena are:
- the leaves are sticky because insects leave behind sticky secretions;
- plant growth slows down, decorativeness decreases;
- the stem is bent, it deforms and dries up;
- leaves decrease in size, turn yellow, dry up and fall off;
- eaten areas may remain on the leaves, which turn brown over time;
- a white bloom, similar to cotton wool, appears on the surface of the soil or on the inner walls of the pot.
The most dangerous root mealybug that attacks the roots. It is determined by the white bloom on the roots of the dracaena. If a houseplant suddenly becomes sick and stops growing for no apparent reason, the root system should be examined for pests.
Description of mealybug on dracaena
This type of pest is most often found on indoor plants. Insects reach 12 mm in length, they are mobile, and males have wings. Due to such features, the fight against worms is difficult. Insects easily move from one plant to another. Description of mealybugs in the table.
| Characteristic | Description |
| Appearance | White shaggy bugs, the body of females is grayish, orange or pink |
| Length | 0.5mm to 12mm, average size is 3.5mm |
| Body shape | The body is soft, elongated, oval-round |
| The growing up period of the insect | The insect will grow from the larva in 1.5 months |
| The presence of wings | Females do not have wings, but males of some species have wings, but there is no oral apparatus |
| Reproduction | Females lay eggs, 2-4 generations are given per year, depending on the species |
The wax coating that covers the body of the worm protects it from chemicals and makes it immune to insecticides.
- Bristly. A large insect that hides from the bottom of the leaves.
- Seaside. This is the most common pest. Females grow up to 4 mm long and 2 mm wide. They are gray-pink in color. They lay eggs in the axils of the leaves, where it is impossible to get them.
- Root. He is the largest in size of all types. The female is pinkish up to 10 mm long. Inhabits roots and root collar.
Prevention of mealybug on dracaena
To prevent damage to dracaena, it is worth remembering that the pest starts when the soil is waterlogged, so you should not flood the flower. Drainage must be placed on the bottom of the pot so that water does not stagnate at the roots. Dracaena is regularly examined. The likelihood of infection increases if the flower was taken out into the fresh air in summer or transplanted into new soil.
The preventive measures are as follows:
- Keep the dracaena clean by washing the leaves regularly.
- Do not flood the flower or place the pot in a draft.
- Stick to the temperature regimes for keeping the flower.
- Remove dry and diseased leaves.
- When planting or transplanting, use only purchased soils; if you take garden soil, then it must be disinfected.
Tip # 1. Isolate the diseased plant from the rest, otherwise the worm will move to healthy indoor flowers.
How to remove mealybug from dracaena?
A population of more than two worms requires the use of chemicals. Insects are removed from the flower with a toothpick, and dracaena is sprayed with chemicals. The effective drugs are given in the table.
| Drug name | Action | How to apply? |
| "Actellik" | One of the most powerful pest control chemicals on indoor flowers, but very toxic. After one treatment, the pests die. | Dissolve 2 ml of the product in 2 liters of water. |
| "Aktara" | Systemic insecticide. Protects up to 28 days with foliar application and 40-60 days with soil application. | Treat twice with an interval of 10 days. For 10 liters of water, use 4 g of the product. If the drug did not help in this proportion, then the concentration is increased to 4 g per 5 liters. |
| "Karbofos" | Insectoaccaricide of a wide spectrum of action. It is valid for up to 20 days. Odorless. The disadvantages include the fact that it acts only on those parts where the solution got into. | 60 g for 8 liters of water. |
| "Intavir" | Insecticide of intestinal action against pests of indoor flowers. Valid up to 20 days. | 1 g per 1 liter of water (1 g is an eighth of the tablet of the product). |
It is advisable to spray the dracaena every 10-14 days. To combat mealybugs, an integrated approach is needed. In addition to drugs in the table are used "Tsvetofos", "Mospilan", "Intavir", "Fosbecis" and others. These funds are used not only for spraying, but also for shedding the soil. In the latter case, the effectiveness of the chemical increases, since it is absorbed by the roots of the flower and spreads to all tissues of the plant. The worms suck the juice from the dracaena and die.
Tip # 2. To combat the mealybug, use only strong, more gentle preparations, such as Fitoverm, Aktofit or Akarin, will not help. But they can be used for treatments in conjunction with systemic insecticides, they enhance the effect.
Broad-spectrum drugs for mealybug
Spraying a flower with chemicals alone cannot save a flower; it is imperative that the soil is additionally shed with drugs of a wide spectrum of action. Let's consider them in the table.
Among biological insecticides of a wide spectrum of action, "Haupin" is distinguished. It fights pests and protects dracaena from disease. The drug is not toxic to humans. For processing, 200 g of the product is diluted in 10 liters of water. The soil is poured with the solution and the flower is sprayed.
Control measures for root worms
If the worm is in the soil and damages the root system of the flower, you must act immediately. Plants in this case will not live long. Dracaena is removed from the pot and the pot is prepared with new disinfected soil.
It is advisable to take a new pot or disinfect the old one Traditional methods of dealing with mealybug
Folk remedies for insects on dracaena should be used only with mild damage. Once a week, the leaves are wiped with soapy water. Every week they are sprayed with infusion of garlic, onion, tobacco, tangerine or orange peel.
To wipe the leaves, use an alcohol tincture of calendula Let's find out in more detail about each tool:
- An infusion of citrus peel helps only with a mild form. Insist the peel for 2 days.
- An alcoholic soap solution helps to cope even with a large population of insects. For 1 liter of water, take 1 tbsp. l alcohol and 1 tsp. soap. Cover the ground before spraying. The next day, the leaves are wiped with plain water. Spraying is repeated every 4 days.
- Tincture of calendula is used for mild damage. The tool is used to treat the area where the pest lives.
- The leaves of the diseased flower are rubbed with a tincture of garlic. To prepare 4 cloves, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Insist 4 hours. The action of the infusion is similar to the action of the infusion of onion or horsetail.
There are positive reviews from the use of an alcohol-based skin care lotion. Dracaena leaves are rubbed with the product, as a result of which the worm dies. Most often, it is alcohol and soap that has a detrimental effect on insects.
Answers to common questions
Question number 1... Why do mealybugs start on dracaena?
Pests can come along with garden soil, with seedlings from greenhouses, bouquets of flowers or store-bought houseplants. Favorable conditions for worms - high air humidity and low temperature air, less than 21˚С.
Question number 2... Why are mealybugs dangerous for dracaena? Are insects dangerous to humans?
Worms pose a threat only to indoor and garden flowers, they are not dangerous to people. Insects suck out juices from dracaena, so the flower stops developing. Its immunity decreases, the plant is often exposed to fungal diseases, especially due to the fact that after themselves the worms leave sticky secretions to which the fungi adhere. Often a diseased plant rots and dies.
Question number 3... How to disinfect the soil for planting dracaena?
Question number 4... Is it possible to use "Fitoverm" from the worm on dracaena?
It is possible, but with a large population of insects, it will not be effective. Of course, this drug is not toxic to humans, but you need to spray the flower every week for a whole month.
Gardeners' mistakes when fighting against mealybugs on dracaena
Take protective measures when using chemicals The serious errors are as follows:
- Gardeners begin to fight the pest only after the appearance of adults, and this is not correct. Larvae become the same threat to dracaena as adult insects.
- Folk remedies do not give 100% results. If there are a lot of pests, then it is better to resort to chemicals. Worms adapt to any means, so it will not be effective to use the same methods of struggle.
- If there are a lot of insects on the dracaena, then collecting them is useless. Larvae will remain in the leaves, from which young individuals will soon appear.
- When using the drug "Actellik" for dracaena, the flower must be sprayed on the balcony or on the street. The fungicide has a strong, pungent odor, and if the precautions are not taken, you can get poisoned. When processing flowers in the room, "Actellik" remains on the surface of furniture and other items for up to 15 weeks.
The appearance of a white bloom on the stem, dracaena leaves is a characteristic symptom of mealybug infection.
On a note! The pest is distinguished by good mobility, therefore, having found a mealybug on dracaena, you should inspect the nearby plants.
Brief description of the pest
Characteristic features of a mealybug
Adult sizes range from 3 to 7 mm. Occasionally, there are also larger specimens, reaching a length of 9-10 mm.
Interesting! The mealybug prefers to colonize the leaf sinuses, forms numerous colonies on young shoots of dracaena, and in the case of mass infection, the leaves of the plant. In addition to the leaf form of the pest, there is also a root one. Root bugs mainly spend their life on the roots of plants, but in case of a lack of nutrients, the aerial parts are not neglected either.
Insects prefer moist, warm, draft-free locations. By means of stylets, they stick to plants and feed on their juices. After mating, females, with the exception of viviparous species, lay eggs in a kind of cotton masses. The fecundity of the female reaches 600 eggs. The egg-laying period lasts 1-2 weeks, after which the females die off.
Ovipositions are often found in leaf axils, bark cracks, between shoots, along the veins, which greatly complicates their detection.
Mealybug visible to the naked eye
Eggs reliably protected by a down shell are not afraid of water and many chemicals, which in turn contributes to the preservation of the population. After 10-20 days, young larvae hatch from the eggs. Newborn individuals do not yet have any plaque and begin to actively disperse in search of a food source. Having chosen a suitable place, they immediately begin their meal. The intake of nutrients provokes the release of a sticky liquid and the larvae gradually become covered with a characteristic white bloom.
The reasons for the appearance of the pest
Optimal conditions for the development and reproduction of the insect: high humidity in the room and air temperature within 25 ° C. Spring and autumn are accompanied by the peak of mealybug activity; during these periods, their numbers are especially high.
Transplanting into contaminated soil, taking the plant out into the street increases the chances of infection of the flower. But still, predominantly, the main factors affecting the development of the mealybug population on dracaena are care errors:
- excess or deficiency of moisture;
- wrong choice of plant location, inappropriate temperature conditions, high humidity in the room;
- lack of regular water procedures, inattentive examination of the flower for the detection of insects, untimely removal of dead fragments, diseased leaves;
- ignoring quarantine measures after acquiring a new plant.
On a note! Insufficient attention to soil disinfection is the reason for the appearance of many pests on indoor plants. Before transplanting dracaena into new soil, the soil is kept in a freezer or treated with boiling water, 1% manganese solution. When using an old flower pot, the container also needs to be disinfected.
Mealybug control methods
If single individuals are found, they are removed with tweezers, and the leaves and the windowsill on which the plants are located are treated with a soap and vodka solution. For its preparation, a teaspoon of crushed laundry or green soap is dissolved in hot water. Then it is brought to a volume of 1 liter and a tablespoon of medical alcohol is added. Having previously covered the substrate in a flowerpot, spray the dracaena with a spray bottle. During the month, regular visual inspection is carried out to make sure that there are no offspring.
If the number of mealybugs exceeds 10, dracaena needs treatment. All visible individuals are removed with a toothpick, cotton swab, tweezers, and the plant itself is treated with a chemical. The following agents are used to process leaves and stems:
- "Actellik" - destroys pests in one procedure. The drug is toxic, so do not neglect personal protective equipment.
- "Aktara" - used for soil application and foliar spraying. To get rid of insects completely, 2 treatments are required.
- "Intavir" is a drug with an intestinal action.
Also used "Tsvetofos", "Fosbecis", "Decis", "Fitoverm", "Confidor". For tillage use "Talstar", "Bazudin", "Arrivo".
Important! Before using the drug, a plant susceptibility test should be performed. To do this, process one sheet and observe the reaction of dracaena for 1-2 days. Many insecticides are toxic to humans, so the treatment is carried out in a well-ventilated area, outside, wearing rubber gloves.
Treatment of dracaena from mealybug involves 2-3 treatments. The drugs do not have an ovicidal effect - they do not have a detrimental effect on the eggs of pests. Therefore, after 7-10 days, in order to destroy new offspring, the procedure is repeated.
Folk recipes
Most gardeners are skeptical about the use of folk remedies, considering them ineffective against the pest. However, in the early stages of infection, they can help in the fight against harmful insects.
Important! When treating dracaena from mealybugs, it is isolated in a separate place. All nearby plants are regularly examined with a magnifying glass and, if necessary, they are processed.
Dracaena is a spectacular evergreen. It can be found both in apartments and in office premises. It is appreciated by amateur flower growers and designers for its attractiveness and unpretentiousness. However, despite being undemanding and not capricious, dracaena suffers from unintentional care errors, attacks of pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses and harmful insects. This negatively affects its presentability. Therefore, you need to know what symptoms are characteristic of a particular disease or pest, and how to deal with them.
How to create an optimal microclimate for dracaena
Dracaena is quite unpretentious, and there is nothing difficult in creating an optimal microclimate for her at home. But you should still listen to the requirements of the plant, trying to create an environment for her that is as close as possible to that to which she is accustomed in nature.
Dracaena is a popular (not least because of its unpretentiousness) indoor plant
Table: suitable conditions for growing dracaena
| Factor | Recommendations |
| Location | Not far (1–2 m) from a window facing east or west. Placement close to the southern window is not recommended in order to avoid sunburn. In the summer, if dimensions permit, you can take the container out to fresh air. Dracaena loves him, but does not tolerate cold drafts. |
| Lighting | Diffused light or slight partial shade. Species with variegated leaves are more demanding on lighting. All dracaena can survive under completely artificial light if the daylight hours lasts at least 12 hours. |
| Temperature | In spring and summer, it is moderately warm (20–25 ° C). Dracaena does not tolerate heat well. In winter, it is slightly lowered to 17–19 ° C. The lower limit is 15 ° C. Exceptions are fragrant dracaena, Hooker, Dragon (they endure a short-term decrease to 10 ° C). All species react negatively to sudden temperature changes. A difference of 10 ° C or more can lead to the death of the plant. |
| Air humidity | It normally exists at a standard air humidity of 40-50% (Dracaena Dragon and Godsphere are especially undemanding to it), but gratefully responds to any measures to increase it. The only thing that you should not do is pour water into the sump. In winter, operating radiators dry the air a lot, so it is recommended to spray the ambient air with warm water every 2–3 days. In the summer, in the heat, you can spray the plant itself, but so that drops do not fall into the sockets, or arrange a shower, covering the soil with polyethylene. Be sure to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or sponge at least once a week. |
Choose a place near the window for the dracaena, it is very difficult to put it on the windowsill due to its size
In addition to the optimal microclimate, a timely application of top dressing and the correct irrigation regime have a great influence on how the plant feels.
In summer, the soil in the pot should be allowed to dry out about 4–5 cm deep. This can be determined by sticking a wooden stick into the pot. One procedure in 2-3 days is enough. In winter, the intervals are increased to 5–7 days. Rot develops rapidly in wet soil when kept cool. Broadleaf dracaena need to be watered more often - they have a larger evaporation area. A clear signal is drooping leaves that have lost their tone. And do not forget to loosen the soil after each procedure.
The material on the conditions of detention of Dracaena Sander will also be useful:
As for dressing, there are special fertilizers for dracaena. The tree is watered with a nutrient solution every 20-30 days, moistening the soil well in about half an hour. If you are using a universal remedy for indoor plants, pay attention to the composition. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen can worsen appearance leaves. And dracaena categorically does not tolerate fluorine.
Video: keeping and caring for a flower at home
Diseases and pests typical for dracaena and their prevention
Dracaena, which is properly looked after, 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.
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 by Dracaena in;
- 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.
Diagnosing the problem
The plant gives the grower unambiguous signals. Deterioration in its appearance is a clear sign of health problems. It is important to correctly interpret these signs, and know what to do in each case.
Table: Symptoms and Possible Causes
| External manifestations | Possible reasons | ||
| Care errors | Disease | Pest | |
| Yellowing and wilting leaves. | Their lifespan is about two years. Otherwise, excessive watering | ||
| Pale, shrinking leaves, deforming, thinning trunks. | Lack of light. | ||
| Falling green leaves. | Unsuitable room temperature (both high and too low), constant cold drafts. | ||
| Dry, curling and falling leaves. | Too poor watering. | ||
| Dry brown leaf tips. | Low indoor humidity. | ||
| Dry tips and small patches of dead tissue on the leaves. | Excess fluoride in the soil - the use of inappropriate fertilizers or watering with hard, unsettled water. | ||
| Leaves losing color saturation and yellowish or almost discolored spots on them. | Burns from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. It is almost inevitable if the plant has been sprayed before. Water droplets focus rays as well as lenses. | ||
| Leaves with yellowish white spots, dry edges. | Low temperature in the room or its sudden changes. | ||
| Discolored "watery" border around the edge of the leaf. | Excess fertilizer in the soil (too frequent fertilizing). | ||
| Reddening leaves. | Unsuitable, too heavy soil with a predominance of peat. | ||
| Small white crystals on the inside of the sheet. | A natural phenomenon provoked by a single abundant watering in combination with high humidity. | ||
| Slow growth or no growth at all. | Unsuitable soil, lack of fertilization for a long time, or too tight a pot. | ||
| A coating similar to flour on the leaves. | |||
| The barrel is brown and soft to the touch. | |||
| Brownish spots gradually covering up with gray "nap". | |||
| Dark "watery" spots, softening tissues. | |||
| Yellowing leaves, covered with dark brown spots. | |||
| Reddish-yellow, gradually turning brown spots on the leaves. | |||
| The spots on the leaves are brown with a bright green border. | |||
| Small beige spots with a white dot in the center. | |||
| Elongated beige spots with a pale red border. | |||
| Vague brown spots with a yellow-green border. | |||
| Dark "watery" leaf tips, "ulcers" on the trunk. | |||
| Brownish spots and bronze sheen stripes. | |||
| Yellow spots on the leaves, petioles braided with cobwebs. | |||
| Silvery "scratches" and small black dots on the leaves. | |||
| Brown "plaques" on the leaves, reddish-yellow tissue around them. | |||
| Small lumps of whitish matter in the leaf axils and in the ground. | |||
| Many small yellow-green or black-brown insects on the inside of the leaves and sticky drops on them. | |||
What do mistakes in care lead to: examples in the photo
Dracaena, in which the tips of the leaves dry, suffers from too low air humidity or sunburn. Dracaena leaves can be shed for several reasons, including natural ones. This is how dracaena most often looks before dropping leaves. Dracaena can very easily get burned if sprayed leave the plant in direct sunlight Brownish drying dracaena leaves mean long-term neglect of the plant's need for moisture Yellowing of dracaena leaves reacts to overflow
Diseases and how to deal with them
Of the fungal diseases for dracaena, all types of rot are most dangerous, developing very quickly with improper watering. If, at the same time, the temperature in the room is still maintained below normal, this is almost inevitable.
Table: diseases typical for dracaena
| Disease | Symptoms | Treatment and prevention |
| Small rounded pale brown spots on the trunk and leaves with a whitish dot in the middle that quickly changes color to black-gray. Gradually, the tissues in these places die off. |
For prophylaxis, once a month, treat the flower and soil with a 0.1% solution of Fundazol, Topsin-M. |
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| Elongated beige spots with a reddish border on the leaves. Gradually, they are tightened with a layer of greenish-gray bloom. | ||
| Phylostictosis (brown spot) | Blurry, irregular spots of beige-brown color with a lime border. Then small black "grains" are formed in the middle. At risk are adults and especially old dracaena. |
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| Dark brown "watery" leaf tips, brown spots on them, small round "ulcers" on the trunk and petioles. Healthy tissues are separated from infected by a wide yellow "oily" strip. | There are no effective treatments. The development of bacteriosis is provoked by constant dampness in the pot, heat in the room, alkaline soil unsuitable for dracaena. | |
| Spotted wilt (bronze) | The leaves are almost completely covered with stripes and irregular spots. At artificial lighting they are brownish, cast bronze in the sun. The growth of dracaena almost stops, new leaves are small and deformed. | It is impossible to get rid of the virus with the help of modern means. Plants that do not feed more often suffer from spotted wilting. Potassium and phosphorus deficiency is harmful for dracaena. |
| Yellowness spreading through the leaves from bottom to top. There is a "watery" border along the edge. The top of the trunk withers. He himself becomes thinner, changes color to brick. In especially severe cases, the dracaena becomes covered with "weeping" brown spots. |
For prevention, add Fitosporin-M to the water for irrigation. When replanting, add Gumistar, Trichovit to the soil. |
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| Root (black) rot | Brown roots and base of the trunk, mold on the soil and an unpleasant putrefactive smell coming from it. |
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| Bacterial (wet) rot | Dark "watery" spots on leaves and trunk. The tissues in these places soften to a semi-liquid state. | |
| Pale brown spots on the leaves, gradually covering with a layer of grayish "pile" with multiple small black blotches. |
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| Brown rot (rhizoctonia) | Dracaena stops growing. The leaves turn yellow, discolor, then become covered with black-brown spots. |
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| Small brownish spots with a bright green border on the leaves. |
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| Leaves, as if dusted with flour. Gradually, this plaque thickens and turns brown. |
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Photo gallery: what a plant looks like when it is infected with pathogenic fungi and bacteria
It seems that powdery mildew- this is a harmless plaque that is easy to erase, but this is by no means so Brown spot - a rather rare disease of Dracaena, affected by brown rot, practically stops growing Gray rot is easy to recognize, but not easy to cure Tissues affected by bacterial rot turn into a semi-liquid mass Root rot it is very difficult to recognize in time, and after all, the disease can be treated only in the early stages of development Plants in the garden often suffer from fusarium, but indoor plants are not protected from infection A plant affected by spotted wilting can only be thrown away. Greenish-gray plaque that appears as heterosporosis develops contains spores of the fungus Tissues affected by Alternaria gradually die off, holes remain on the leaves
Video: treatment of dracaena diseases
Pests attacking dracaena
Most pests, even when they multiply in large numbers, will not kill the dracaena. But this does not mean that there is no need to fight them. The plant did not "bring" any exotic insects from its historical homeland. You will have to deal with the most common insects and mites that feed on its juice.
Table: common pests
| Pest | Symptoms | Control and prevention measures |
| Rounded "plaques" of different shades of brown on the seamy side of the sheet. Gradually they "swell", the tissues around them acquire an unnatural yellow-red color. In especially severe cases, the soil turns black. |
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| Thin, almost transparent filaments, intertwining the petioles. On the seamy side of the sheet, there are brown dots and blurry pale or yellowish spots around them. |
For prevention, spray the plant with a decoction of cyclamen tubers weekly. Or irradiate the leaves with a quartz lamp for 2-3 minutes on both sides. |
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| Discolored leaves, small black dots and thin silvery-beige "scratches" are visible on the seamy side. |
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| Lumps of dirty cotton-like plaque in the axils of the leaves and at the base of the trunk. The leaves turn yellow and dry quickly. |
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| Large colonies of small insects clinging to the underside of leaves (especially young ones) and the top of the trunk. Then a sticky transparent coating appears. |
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Photo gallery: what pests infecting dracaena look like
Aphids are distinguished by a rare "omnivorous", dracaena is also included in the circle of her interests If you do not pay attention to the mealybug, very soon the plant will be covered with a continuous carpet of moving "fluff" Small black dots on the leaves are nothing but thrips themselves Spider mites are not an insect , therefore, to combat it, not general-purpose insecticides are used, but special preparations- Acaricides Durable Scale Shell - reliable protection from most folk remedies
Video: common pests of indoor plants and the fight against them
Plant resuscitation
Most often, the owner is to blame for the urgent resuscitation of the dracaena. Most painfully, she reacts to improper watering - "drought" or "swamp" in a pot.
In the first case, cut off all dry leaves to living tissues, without touching the growth point at the top of the dracaena. Spray every 2–3 days with a solution of any biostimulant. Rearrange as close to the window as southwest or southeast orientation. Water as directed. If the roots are not damaged, in 2-3 months the dracaena will give new leaves. When the growth point has dried up, you will have to cut it off, and hope that the lateral buds will "wake up". But the chances of this are not so many.
In a waterlogged substrate, the development of rot is almost inevitable. Dracaena needs to be transplanted as soon as possible, regardless of the season. But this procedure does not guarantee success, it will be effective only at an early stage of the development of the disease. In the process, be sure to cut off all roots affected by the fungus, do not forget to sterilize the new pot and soil. Be very careful with watering at first, but spray the dracaena daily. Select the capacity according to the size of the root system (plus a maximum of 2-3 cm).
What to do with a broken dracaena palm tree
Dracaena is a rather massive plant, so the aboveground part can simply outweigh the pot. Also, often the "fractures" she received are the result of the vigorous activity of children and pets. In this case, don't be upset. If done correctly, you will end up with two instead of one plant.
Broken dracaena is not a reason to arrange a tragedy
The easiest way is when the barrel breaks, but does not break at all. They put “splints” on it, as if on an arm or a leg, and fix the skin so that it would cover the “wound” if possible. The top can be wrapped with strips of sphagnum moss or coconut fiber.
Don't forget to "seal" the cut
Otherwise, the remaining part of the plant in the pot:
- Saw off the trunk exactly just below the point of damage. It is advisable to do this along the "scars" left over from fallen leaves.
- Disinfect the cut with a bright pink potassium permanganate solution or 1% Bordeaux liquid.
- Fill with liquid wax, paraffin, cover with garden varnish. If nothing is at hand, apply 2-3 coats of oil paint.
- Remove the plant in partial shade. Water in moderation. When the growth buds are formed, return to your normal care.
The material on the reproduction methods of dracaena will also be useful:
Lateral buds on dracaena "wake up" for a long time, be patient
Broken top:
- Cut at an angle of approximately 45º. Try to do this as smoothly as possible, without "fluff" and chipping. Let dry for 2-3 hours.
- Pull off the interfering leaves. Place in a container with a biostimulant prepared according to the instructions. You can use succinic acid and activated carbon (one tablet for every 200 ml). Alternative - rooting in wet perlite, vermiculite, sand. The cut will need to be sprinkled with any powdery rooting stimulant.
- Change the water every 3-4 days, moisturize the substrate regularly. Provide bottom heating, at least 12 hours of daylight, and a temperature of approximately 25 ° C.
- Be patient. The rooting process can take 3-4 months or even six months. When the first appears new leaf, transplant the plant into soil suitable for adult dracaena.
Most often, the broken top of the dracaena is rooted in water.
Video: rooting dracaena cutting
Dracaena, like any houseplant, is not immune to attacks from diseases and pests. However, it is quite resistant to them, and a tree that is properly looked after rarely suffers. Nevertheless, individual mistakes in care, pathogenic fungi and bacteria can provoke a deterioration in the appearance of dracaena. If nothing is done, the plant may even die. Therefore, it is important to be able to recognize what causes certain symptoms and know what to do to cope with the problem.