Question
Hi Will, I have had a 5 foot dracaena arborea for a little over two years.  I have it about 6ft away from a north facing window (no direct light but the room is very bright during the day) and I have never repotted it and its pot is 13 inches in diameter.  Starting about a year ago its growth slowed down a lot and it stopped dropping its bottom leaves.  Also the terminal leaves started to have dried out tips and now are becoming completely dried out.  The bottom leaves appear completely normal (except for the fact that they dont seem to drop like the used to).  Early on I thought I was watering too much so I forced myself to water once a month at the most but it doesn't seem to have made a difference (after doing it for a year).  It seems to take a really long time for the pot to dry out (i use a water meter).  Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong?  Appreciate the help (its been a frustrating year)!

Answer
Hi Mischa,

D. arboreas are quite particular about watering and your water meter is probably leading you astray. Those meters are notorious inaccurate and I do not recommend them.

The drying out of terminal leaves is not a good sign. It is an indication that the roots are in trouble. That could be from either under or over watering or from using water that is very hard or alkaline.

In general, it is best to water your arborea when the top third of the soil feels dry to the touch regardless of what the meter may be reading.

If your water is hard, use filtered or distilled instead.

More light would also benefit your plant. With a north window, your arborea really needs to be right in front of it and the window should be completely uncovered tthroughout the day.

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

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.