Dracaena, or dragon tree, refers to palm plants. The birthplace of the flower are the Canary Islands, tropical forests of Africa and Asia. Indoor varieties need conditions that are as close as possible to their usual habitat. The watering regime of dracaena depends not only on the plant variety, but also on external factors. The flower is very suffering from excess moisture, which stagnates in the pot.
How to water dracaena at home
For normal growth and development, the plant needs high humidity and an ambient temperature of at least +23 ° C. Excessive humidity and stagnation of water can cause significant harm to dracaena. She needs watering after drying the soil by 3-5 cm. To avoid problems, it is better to figure out first how to water the dracaena.
Indoor variety dracaena
A watering can to moisten the soil should be taken with a long nose. So the water flows under the root in a thin stream and gradually spreads throughout the pot. Watering can hold the nose as close to the soil surface as possible.
On a note! After the soil is completely saturated with water, its remains from the pan are poured out half an hour after watering.
Technique of watering dracaena
When growing a house, you can water a plant in 3 ways:
- Over the top. So that the soil in the pot is completely saturated with moisture, watering should be slow. The jet must be made thin. Otherwise, the substances necessary for the flower are washed out of the soil. Watering is stopped when water from the pot enters the pan. The plant is left for 30 minutes, then the remaining water is poured.
- Through the pallet. This method of irrigation is used if there has been excessive drying of the soil in the pot and its exfoliation from the walls. At the same time, water is poured directly into the pan, and the flower absorbs the required amount using its root system. The soil in the pot is moistened without accumulating excess moisture. It is impossible to water constantly in this way, since this accumulates salt in the soil, which can cause harm to dracaena.
- Bathing in the shower. This method is used in the summer. When using a shower, the air temperature must not fall below 25 ° C. Lowering the temperature can damage the flower.
So correctly pour dracaena over the top
Dracaena is bathed as follows:
- The pot is installed in a bathtub filled with water. Its level should not be higher than the upper edge of the container for the plant.
- Within 30-40 minutes, moisture is absorbed by the soil.
- Warm water from the shower, when falling from above, washes dust off the leaves and refreshes their surface, improving the plant's oxygen supply.
- After swimming, wait until excess water drains. If fluid remains in the axils of the leaves, they may begin to rot and fall. This must be closely monitored.
- The pot with dracaena is set in its usual place.
If the flower has wide leaves, this is the best irrigation method to choose. In such plants, moisture is consumed most quickly.
Important! In winter, plants are watered as usual, and the surface of the leaves is wiped with a damp cloth.
Dracaena: watering in cold and warm season
In the fall, the number and frequency of watering is reduced. The time intervals between them can be extended up to 8-10 days. This usually occurs after complementary feeding.
In winter, the plant goes into a dormant stage. During this period, he does not need a lot of water. With good heating in the room, dracaena should be watered, focusing on the condition of the soil and the speed of its drying. If the room is hot, you need to spray the leaves and dust off them.
Additional Information. The flower does not need frequent watering in winter. Once a week will be enough. If necessary, you can moisten the soil every three days, without forgetting about spraying.
In spring and summer, dracaena begins a phase of active growth and development. Watering will have to be carried out more often - once every 2-3 days. This can be done simultaneously with swimming.
Water quality
Watering is necessary with water that has settled for at least 48 hours. It must be heated to a temperature of 21 ° C. If you use cold water, hypothermia will begin. This will cause decay of the root system and leaf fall.
The content of impurities in the water should be minimal, the acidity level should be close to neutral. Melt or rain water is best. If you can’t get such water, you can do it with boiled water. Table vinegar or special peat tablets are added to it.
Important! If the water is very hard, oxalic acid will come to the rescue.
Signs of improper watering
If there is not enough water, the leaves curl, and their tips become yellowish and dry. With excess moisture, the trunk becomes soft, dark spots appear on it. Leaves lose color and begin to rot.
What is fraught with improper watering
Excessive moisture in the pot can become a source of root rot. Before irrigation, the soil is checked for drying depth and loosened to provide free access of oxygen to it.
With a lack of moisture, the leaves turn black, wither and fall off. The lack of moisture prevents the dracaena from developing, and causes the appearance of various diseases.
This is how plants look with proper care
Growing a healthy and beautiful dracaena will help proper care of her. Plants need top dressing and good air permeability. A dragon tree needs air with high humidity, so spraying the leaves should be done as often as possible.
