Dracaena is an unpretentious indoor plant, which even a novice grower can take care of. An important point is a flower transplant. The normal growth and he althy appearance of the plant depends entirely on what soil will be chosen. Dracaena requires a special nutritional formula.
Description of the plant
One of the most popular houseplants can safely be called dracaena. In appearance, the flower is very similar to a palm tree. However, they are not related. Dracaena belongs to the genus Needle and is represented by a huge number of varieties that differ from each other in the shape and color of the leaves, the height of the trunk. A flower from hot African lands.
Evergreen usually has a smooth and straight trunk, long and pointed leaves at the ends. The huge demand for dracaena is due not only to its peculiar appearance, but also to its unpretentiousness in care. Therefore, they are used in the design of apartments, cabinets and offices.
The optimum air temperature for the comfortable existence of a flower is 15-20 ° C. Ideally, itmust not be exposed to direct sunlight. Some varieties do not tolerate drafts. Particular attention should be paid to planned transplants. Experts recommend using special soil for dracaena for this purpose. Which one will be better? The plant "loves" the soil, the composition of which is enriched with substances useful to it.
Choose land for dracaena
The substrate for transplanting a false palm must have a slightly acidic reaction and a set of certain useful components. Therefore, most flower growers prefer to buy ready-made land suitable for palm trees. Without much effort, you can try to make a suitable soil for dracaena on your own.
Shop soil mixes contain the following substances:
- vermiculite;
- medium peat;
- sand;
- biohumus;
- compost.
Enriched soil allows the plant to receive the necessary substances for growth and attractive appearance.
What kind of soil does dracaena "love"?
Soil for transplanting false palm trees experienced flower growers can do on their own. Most often, a mixture of turf and leafy soil, sand and humus (in a ratio of 1: 1) is used for this. Experts also warn that it is extremely undesirable to use clay for growing "false palm trees".
There are also disagreements about peat. Some gardeners claim that this component absorbs moisture very quickly and practically does not give it back. Dracaena "love" wet ground. Soif peat is present in the soil mixture, the plant will have to be watered somewhat more often.
Dracaena soil (the composition of the finished mixture varies depending on the manufacturer) must necessarily have a coarse fibrous structure in order to ensure timely development and normal growth of the plant.
You can find leafy soil for planting a houseplant in parks and squares. It is best to collect it under maple and birch trees. For dracaena, it is necessary to take only the top layer of soil with fallen leaves. The soil is piled up and impregnated with nitrogen fertilizers. After 1-2 years, the soil for dracaena will be ready for use.
Soddy land can be found in meadows where cereals and clover sprout. Small plates of soil should be laid on top of each other and watered with slurry and water. After 2 years, the turf land will be ready for planting dracaena and other indoor flowers.
Features of transplanting dracaena
Usually, it is recommended to replant a flower from the genus Needleflower no more than once a year. If the plant was just bought, it must be transplanted from a fragile plastic pot.
What kind of soil is needed for dracaena at the first transplant? In this case, preference should be given to a purchased substrate, which has a slightly acidic reaction. Adjusting this indicator when using a soil mixture prepared by yourself is almost impossible.
Moving the plant to the "new home" is best done in early spring. During this period, dracaenawake up from hibernation and begin to grow actively. The pot should be a few centimeters larger in diameter than the previous one. If the pot is too large, the water will linger in it, which will lead to the death of the flower.
Be sure to make drainage from small pebbles, small pebbles, crushed expanded clay or shards. This will prevent the accumulation of water in the lower part of the pot and protect the roots of the plant from the development of putrefactive processes.
What to do with the old earth?
When removing the dracaena from the pot, it is not necessary to shake off the old substrate. The flower, together with an earthen clod, is transplanted into a new soil.
For dracaena, it is better to choose stable clay or ceramic pots. It is obligatory to have perforated holes at the bottom of the container.
When transplanting dracaena into a pot, less than half of the earth is poured, then the trunk itself is placed in the center and covered with the remaining soil mixture on the sides. If the plant has damaged roots, they should be carefully trimmed. After transplanting, the flower must be watered using a small amount of fertilizer. This will help the plant adapt faster.
Care instructions
Many flower growers advise replanting dracaena every 2-3 years. During this time, the flower takes all the nutrients from the soil. It is easy to determine the need to change the place of life of a plant by its condition. When the flower stops getting enough minerals, the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry, and new ones grow very slowly.
Choosing soil for dracaena,you should definitely pay attention to its composition. Mandatory components are substances such as biohumus, sapropel and middle peat. The first component is the waste product of earthworms. Eliminates pathogens in the ground.
Sapropel is an organic sediment formed at the bottom of water bodies as a result of the decomposition of microorganisms of plant and animal origin. The structure of the middle peat allows you to retain moisture and prevent the root system from drying out.
Watering the dracaena after transplanting into a new soil is necessary 2-3 times a week. The leaves must be sprayed with a sprayer. For a speedy recovery, it is recommended to fertilize the flower with preparations such as Zircon and Epin.
