Dracena is rightfully considered one of the most popular indoor plants, which are often found not only in residential buildings, but also in office premises. This succulent shrub is quite unpretentious in care and perfectly adapts to almost any conditions, and all that is required from the flower grower is not to forget about watering and top dressing, as well as to transplant a grown plant in a timely manner. It is the subtleties of this process that will be discussed in the article.

When do i need to transplant dracaena?

In most cases, dracaena are transplanted either shortly after the purchase, or in a planned manner, as soon as the florist noticed that the plant is cramped in the same pot. As an exception, palm trees are transplanted (sometimes called dracaena), which have suffered from excessive watering and are already starting to rot, but such cases are not so common.

The best period for changing the place of residence of the plant can be considered the beginning of spring, although if necessary it is replanted at the end of summer and even in autumn (if pests are wound up in the soil or dracaena suffered from overflow). There is nothing wrong with the autumn procedure, just try to create the mildest conditions for dracaena for further life, and if necessary, spray it with warm water, with the addition of a growth stimulator (for example, "Zircon").

Young specimens (3-4 years of age) need to be replanted every 1-2 years, and adult shrubs - no more than 1 time in 5 years. As for the purchased options, after delivery home, they should be placed separately from the rest of the vegetation, for at least 2 weeks. This time will be enough to make sure that there are no problems: diseases and pests. If they really are not, then with a dracaena transplant you can wait until spring. In the future, you yourself will understand how often it is needed.

Did you know? A lot of legends and beliefs are associated with dracaena. Even the Aztecs considered it a tree of happiness and believed that a branch cut into the full moon brings happiness in love and family life.

Transplant Preparation

Preparations for dracaena transplantation include all the same steps as the similar process for transplanting other plants, so be prepared to purchase a suitable pot in advance, prepare a good substrate and disinfect it.

Pot selection

The new landing tank should be larger than the previous one only by 2-3 cm wide, which will avoid stagnation of moisture in an empty substrate. For plants with a height of 40 cm, you need a pot with a diameter of at least 15 cm, and it does not matter what material it will be made of. Ceramic and plastic products, with drainage holes at the bottom, are equally suitable for dracaena, and if you just need to replace the soil, you can leave the original pot, but be sure to disinfect it before re-placing dracaena.

Soil preparation

The old soil is not suitable for the further cultivation of grown palm trees, because over the previous few years of its growth, it has already managed to use up most of the nutrients. You can replace the substrate with a ready-made mixture for indoor palm trees, but it is much cheaper to prepare the soil yourself.

Learn how to properly plant and care for dracaena at home.

For this you will need:

• 3 parts of turf land;
• 1 part humus;
• 1 part of river sand;
• 1 part of sheet land.

At the time of plant movement, the new soil should be well moistened, but at the same time crumble under compression in a fist. After mixing all the components, for preventive purposes, it is useful to calcine the substrate in the oven or spill it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, thereby disinfecting it.

Dracaena Processing

Processing of the rhizome of dracaena is carried out at the time of its transplantation to a new growth site and provides for a thorough examination of all roots, removal of rotted or damaged parts, followed by processing of the slices with crushed charcoal. In the future, these actions will help prevent the development of infection, and therefore, to avoid rotting of the rhizome. A few minutes after treatment, the underground part of the dracaena is sprayed from the spray gun and planted in a new prepared substrate.

Important! For spraying the plant, the best solution is settled or rain water, always at room temperature or even slightly warmer +20 ... + 23 ° C.

How to transplant dracaena at home: step-by-step instructions

For the proper transplantation procedure, in addition to the pot and the new soil substrate, you will also need other materials and tools:

• drainage (expanded clay, pebbles or crushed brick);
• nebulizer with clean (preferably filtered water);
• scissors or pruners to remove rotten parts of the root system;
• growth stimulator (if necessary).

The dracaena transplantation process itself includes the following steps:

1. A day before the procedure, water the plant abundantly with water and allow it to completely absorb in the substrate.
2. On the day of planting, pour a 2-cm drainage layer at the bottom of the prepared landing tank, and on top another 1 cm of prepared soil.
3. Moisten the soil.
4. Gently remove the dracaena from the old pot by gently tapping it.
5. Clean the roots of the adhering soil and remove damaged parts with secateurs.
6. Sprinkle the places of the slices with powdered charcoal and spray the rhizome with spray water.
7. Place the transplanted plant in the center of the new pot and cover it with the remaining soil substrate, ramming it a little (there should be no air gaps between the soil and the rhizome).
8. Make sure that the root neck is at the level of the soil, and not lost in it.
9. Water the plant.

Video: dracaena transplant at home

When dracaena is propagated by cuttings, their rooting is performed according to a similar scenario, with the exception of the stage of washing the root system. In the future, the processes can be transplanted to a constant place of growth, keeping an earthen lump on them.

Further care

If dracaena transplantation was performed in spring or summer, then further care will be based on the same principles as before. The main thing is to protect the plant from direct sunlight, water 3-4 times a week and periodically spray leaves from the spray gun. In order for the bush to recover from stress faster, you can use the Zircon growth stimulator , mixing it with water and shedding the soil 1 time in 2 weeks for 1 month.

Did you know? Dracaena juice is used in the wine industry for tinting wine products, and large leaves are used in the manufacture of rope fibers.

Ready-made mineral complexes for palm trees are well suited as nutritional compounds for a transplanted plant: for example, Agrekol, Kompo, Valagro. During active growth, you can fertilize the plant every month, and with the advent of cold weather - not more than 1 time per season. The air temperature in a room with a transplanted plant should be kept within + 25 ° C, with humidity not lower than 65–75%.

Possible transplant errors

With proper preparation for the dracaena transplant process, no problems should arise. At the same time, plants are considered more vulnerable, which at the time of extraction from the pot were highly dehydrated or, conversely, excessively flooded with water that did not have time to soak into the soil. The next 2 weeks after transplanting, the palm will actively adapt to new conditions, which is often accompanied by loss of leaves. This is a completely normal process, but if the problem persists after 2-3 weeks, then you will have to analyze your actions again.

Typical errors of gardeners in this case include:

1. Improperly prepared substrate, with an excess of peat and other components that repel moisture. Only a transplant into a new, properly prepared soil will help to correct the situation.
2. The use of an excessively large pot, due to which moisture stagnation is often observed and, as a result, rotting of the root system of the plant. If you notice the problem in time, you can still save the dracaena by replanting it into a smaller container with a new substrate.
3. Excessive watering immediately after transplantation. This is a typical problem of beginning gardeners who try to water the plant abundantly, without waiting for the full absorption of the previous portion of moisture. The next watering should be carried out only after the soil has dried 1-2 cm deep. In solving this problem, the extraction of an earthen coma from the pot and its drying in a dry and warm room will help. In extreme cases, just stop watering the plant and after a few days you will be able to assess its condition.
4. Violation of conditions after transplantation. This problem is more typical for dracaenas transplanted in the autumn-winter period, when the ambient temperature is naturally low and the tropical palm tree just freezes. Move the pot closer to the heat source, and so that the leaves do not suffer from dry air they can be sprayed from the spray gun.

Important! The edge of the pot should be at least 3 cm above the soil line, otherwise when watering all the liquid will leak out of it. If the roots become bare over time, the missing soil layer can be covered with moss or drainage material.

Adhering to these simple requirements for the care of dracaena, you will contribute to its faster acclimatization after transplantation and prevent the occurrence of any problems, because despite its tropical origin, the described plant is not as capricious as most other house flowers.