Question
Hello, I have a 3 ft. high dragon tree consisting of three stalks of different heights in a 10 inch pot. I've owned this plant for almost 4 years. It's been quite happy in a corner of my living room, and recently I noticed that one of the stalks had branched off into some new small branches. I decided to give it a larger pot to encourage some height, but after reading through some previous answers it sounds like this plant enjoys being root-bound so that the roots can dry out. Should I go ahead and repot with extra perlite for drainage? What about all the wound up roots around the main root ball-they look pretty healthy-should they be trimmed off? (OK, I'll admit it-I waited until I was halfway through repotting to look up HOW to repot a Dracaena!)Thanks for your answer.

Cheers,
Kris

Answer
Kris,

It would be much better to do this between April 15th and July 1st. However since you have started it you should not be putting it into a pot with a diameter more than 3 inches larger than the diameter of the pot you are taking it out of.  If you put it in too large a pot you will overwater it.

The roots that are circling the pot should be cut vertically with a sharp knife or razor blade. Then yes, repot with extra perlite for drainage, 1 part perlite to 2 parts potting soil. Then keep the plant in a location bright enough that your hand will make a good shadow. That will be enough light to encourage growth. A dose of Miracle Grow once a month will help also. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene