Care Guide Dracaena Dragon Plants

HOW TO CARE FOR DRACAENA
Below see details on how to keep your new arrival happy, healthy, and beautiful. If you’re a fan of Dracaena plants, you’ve probably heard of the Dracaena Song of India, Song of Jamaica, Dracaena Mass Cane, Dracaena Corn plant, Dracaena Yucca Cane, Dracaena Janet Craig, Dracaena Janet Lind, Dracaena Rikki, Dracaena Dragon Plants. If you’re looking to expand your indoor plant collection consider the Dracaena plants family, anyone of this plants will add a touch of grace and elegance to your home.

WATER MANAGEMENT FOR DRACAENA
Water when the top inch of soil starts to dry out, water slowly to allow the soil to moist evenly. Dracaena are relatively drought tolerant. Do not overwater as this will cause the leaf tips to blacken. Plants intended for indoor use can be watered less frequent than outdoors, frequency of watering can depend on the size of the plant, humidity levels and rate of growth. One of the most common mistakes in the care of indoor plants is overwatering, indoor plants are far more tolerant to underwatering than overwatering, Improper watering can result in fungal issues and root rot. It is recommended to monitor your houseplants and water them when they need it, rather than on a schedule. When watering plants the objective is to maintain the soil moist, a moisture meter is a great tool to utilize to reduce the guesswork, We recommend to sample the top soil an inch deep every 3-4 days, if you notice is still moist hold off on watering until it dries further, since most plants water needs may be different this is a good way to determine each individual plant water requirements.

Water Recommendations base on pot size, we suggest to utilize a soil probe initially to determine humidity levels and when to water.
6 inch Pot plants, every 4-7 Days
10-12 inch Pot plants, every 7-12 days

LIGHT FOR DRACAENA
Dracaenas prefer moderate to bright indirect light, however avoid direct sunlight. Light available from a near by window or glass doors is the best option for these tropical plants, Indoor if is bright enough to read, is bright enough for plants, they can remain vibrant for may years to come. Dracaenas are also Ideal for Home or office interiors with fluorescent lighting. If kept in low light conditions reduce watering to prevent root rot. Dracaena plants can perform well outdoors under shade, direct sunlight can scorch the leaves. Complete darkness is not recommended, no light means the plant can not photosynthesize and it will affect the health of the plant. 

HUMIDITY FOR DRACAENA
Tropical Plants originate from the tropics, where humidity is very high, generally the air in our homes is dry, occasionally misting our houseplants is a very simple and effective way to boost humidity, an easy solution to reduce the risk of overwatering the soil of your plants. Tropical Plants in general enjoy higher humidity levels, Always pay attention to the color and texture of the leaves on your plant. Generally Plants with brown or dry leaf tips will benefit from regular misting to keep the plant happy and thriving, preferably in the mornings to allow the foliage to completely dry out during the day.

PLACEMENT AND TEMPERATURE
Selecting the right location for your plant indoors or outdoors is very important, micro climates can affect the health of the plant, make sure the plant does not receive air draft from near by AC/Heating vents, or warm air if close to a freezer, the foliage will dehydrate faster than it can hydrate from moisture in the air or in the soil, eventually turning brown and dropping, when plants are properly watered and care for and still display signs of wilting or seem sad it may help to relocate the plant to a different area for brighter indirect light. Please note most tropical plants are from the tropics, proper moisture is required for their health and survival, we highly recommend to bring your tropical plants indoors when temperatures are expected below 45s during winter months or above 90 during summer months, extreme weather can severely damage the plant.

REPOTTING
Dracaena Plants can grow exceptionally well in pots for long periods of time, frequent repotting isn’t as necessary compared to other plants. Generally you should repot your plant when it has become excessively rootbound that its roots are overgrown, you may not need to repot for 1-2 years, do maintain a feeding schedule, the longer is kept in its existing pot the more nutrients are needed to maintain the plant happy and healthy. When repotting is due planting between spring and fall is recommended, use a potting mix with good drainage, Cactus or Succulent potting soil or indoor potting soil is recommended as long as the mix can drain freely, the objective is to avoid water log, you may increase the soil’s drainage properties by simply adding sand or perlite into the soil mix, now is a good time to integrate a slow release fertilizer in the soil, apply it base on label instructions, Most general all purpose fertilizer can work well. Select a pot 2-3 inches wider than your current pot, it should have drain holes if all possible, Do not remove all the soil from the root ball, this procedure can severely stress or may damage the plant, you may remove about an inch of the outer layer of soil as this can simulate growth, avoid planting too deep in the new pot, the top of the root ball should be level to the top of the soil in the new pot. In the event the new pot does not have drain holes you must avoid water from accumulating in the bottom of the pot, this will severely damage the plant, one possible solution is to water a fix amount of water, depending on the size of the plant 1 cup of water per gallon of soil may be sufficient once every 4-7 days. Water slowly to allow the soil to absorb the water and moist evenly, the objective is to avoid excess water build up in the bottom section of the pot.

FERTILIZING
No need to fertilize right away, We fertilize our plants during the production phase with slow release fertilizer which can last an additional 2-3 months supplying residual nutrients to the plant. Once you do decide to fertilize You may use a fertilizer formulated for interior plants, preferably a slow release fertilizer 180 days duration, fertilize during spring or fall base on label instructions.

CLEANING, REGULAR MAINTENANCE
Dracaena Plant leaves are normally large in size and easy to clean, use caution when cleaning them to avoid damage. Simply add a few drops of dish soap to a cup of water, wet a soft cloth and manually wipe off dust off the leaves, is a simple solution that is inexpensive and works well without damaging the plant.

HOW TO PRUNE DRACAENA PLANTS
Pruning is not necessary, Dracaenas do require regular maintenance, pruning or pulling lower bottom leaves may be needed at some point to maintain the plant clean and healthy, Lower leaves will gradually yellow and decay, collapsing over time, this is a normal process as new shoots pop and form into new leaves.

INSECTS OR DESEASES
The good news is that healthy, well-cared-for plants are generally resistant to infestations. Dracaena Plants are not regularly affected by pests. in the event that scale, mealy bugs, or mites are found to affect the plant, they can be controlled by wiping the infested area with a soapy solution, add a few drops of dish soap in a cup of water and wipe off the affected areas with a soft cloth, It can take several intermittent cleanings to rid the plant of the pests.

Horticultural oils can be sprayed directly onto the insects, A second and third treatment, if using oils, will be necessary. Space out the sprays at 3 week intervals to break up the mealybug life cycle. Both of these treatments together will be very effective.