Question
Hi Will

Please can you give me some advice about keeping a Dracanea plant?

I bought the plant from a garden centre about a 9 months ago, but over the last couple of  months many of the leaves have turned brown and fallen off.  

The plant generally looks very unhappy as new leaves are not growing back to replace ones falling off, and the leaves which are there are now drooping towards the floor.

We keep the plant in a kitchen where there is not much natural light , but there is lots of artifical light.  How much water should we give the plant and how often?  (it is about 3 or 4 ft high).

Any advice would be really appreciated!

With thanks & best regards

Lucy Williams


Answer
Hi Lucy,

There are several different popular Dracaena species. From your brief description, I believe you have a Dracaena marginata. If I am wrong, please let me know.

Marginantas don't like to be repotted, especially into larger pots. If you have done that, then there is a good chance you will run into problems later on.

This plant does best in bright indirect light with a few hours of direct sun. It can get by on less, but the new leaves are smaller, thinner and droop more. In low light it will use less water.

If the artificial light in your kitchen is fluorescent, then that is a good substitute for natural light. If the light is incandescent, then that will not be adequate to keep your plant alive. You would have to move it close to a window.

If your plant is the right sized pot (you didn't move it into a larger pot), then you should wait until the top quarter of the soil feels dry to the touch, then slowly add enough water until a small amount runs through the bottom drainage holes. Do not water again until the top quarter of the rootball is dry. The interval between waterings can vary with the light inmtensity, the temperature, and the humidity.

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

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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

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