Question

Stem is browning  
Brown tips of leaves   QUESTION: Hello,
Hopefully you can help me, because my poor plant is not doing well. My dracaena has been healthy until last month when one of the stems slowly started to turn brown until that section of the plant had died and I had to remove it. It was the shortest of all the stalks, but now the new shortest stalk ate has also started to discolor and the tips of the leaves on that stalk are also turning brown and slightly drooping. I have had the plant nearly a year and never had a problem until recently...
I water it a little less than once a week, water never pools at the bottom, and I have a small cork plate beneath the first pot to absorb any drips. Should I have repotted it, does it need to be fertilized??  I really  don't want to lose my plant, as it was a gift and I enjoy it so much in my home.
Thank you for your help.

ANSWER: Hi Brianne,

The symptoms in the photos of your Dracaena 'Lisa' are a pretty clear indication of serious root damage, most likely due to over watering, but possibly under watering. When roots are damaged by improper watering, they die back unnoticed and can no longer absorb water properly from the potting mix. You didn't include a photo that shows the entire plant, so it is hard for me to say just how far the root problem has progressed.

Let's start with light. Your Lisa does not want direct sunlight falling on its leaves, but it does need to be within 6 feet of a sunny, uncovered window or just off to the side of a window. If it is more than 6 feet away or the window is partially covered, it may bot be getting enough light and then it would be very easy to inadvertently over water it.

Assuming it is getting proper light, let's discuss proper watering. It is good that you have kept it in its original nursery pot with its original potting mix. Are you absolutely sure that no water is collecting in the space between the two pots at the bottom. That is something that needs to be checked after each watering. If the inner pot is allowed to sit in water for more than a few days, even just once, root rot may set in.

In proper light, Lisa's should be watered about once per week, adding just enough all around until a bit runs through the drain holes. If you go much longer than a week, even just occasionally, then some of the roots will dry out and die.

Fertilizer will not help and should actually be avoided. Likewise, repotting will actually do more harm than good. Make sure the light is appropriate and pay close attention to the watering. Also, make sure to avoid any temps below 60 and above 80 degrees F.

Finally, any stems that have bent over at the top will not recover, so you may as well cut them back and hope that no others follow suit. If any of the four canes have no healthy leaves remaining, then they can be cut off entirely as they will not recover.

I have written detailed articles on light, watering and on Dracaena 'Lisa' care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected]. I have also written an indoor plant care book in a PDF format that I can sell you if you contact me at my email address.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and NOMINATION for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

Need more information? Visit my website at:
A link to HorticulturalHelp.com

or email me at [email protected] or call me at 917-887-8601 (EST)

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Whole Plant Day  

Whole Plant Night   QUESTION: Thank you so much for your speedy response, and I will definitely be rating highly as well as nominating you (and probably emailing to learn more from your articles).
So, from your response, I am concerned that it may be root rot, and that possibly I have under watered, especially since I am in Arizona and it tends to be quite dry here. Is there a way for me to check the roots to see if it is indeed root rot?  Also, would it be better for me to begin to water every four days or so, or just water more at one watering but still keep it to once a week? If I do see water that pools in the bottom of the pot, what do I do? Simply remove the smaller pot and let the soil dry out?
I have also included pictures of the entire plant, so hopefully that gives more info for you.
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Brianne,

Thank you for the additional photos and your consideration.

Overall, your Lisa looks quite healthy, so perhaps it is just that one cane that is dying back. Cut off the flopped over stem(s) as they will not recover.

Root inspection is very risky and difficult. You would have to have an experienced eye to be able to analyze the condition of the roots. The risk is that in unpotting the plant, much of the loose soil and the very delicate roothairs will fall away and cause further damage. I would not risk it and I don't recommend that you do.

Root rot is not a disease that can be cured with medicine or by replacing the soil. The only solution is proper watering, which is what you need to be doing regardless of the condition of the roots.

There should be just a bare amount of dampness to the top half inch of potting mix before you water. Apply either just enough water so that a small amount trickles through the drain holes or add just enough so that it reaches that level of dryness again in about a week.

If you water slowly and carefully, only a little water will trickle through and it will not be necessary for you to remove it. Only if so much runs through that is doesn't evaporate in 24 hours would you have to remove that water.

I cannot tell from the photo, so be sure your Lisa is no more than 6 feet from the nearest uncovered window. If it does not receive adequate light, nothing else you do will matter.

~Will Creed