Dracaena - one of the most common indoor and office plants, migrated to us from the tropical regions of South America, East and Central Africa, India and the Canary Islands.
In order for a flower to please the eye with its exquisite appearance, it is necessary to provide it with proper care, and first of all take care of the soil. How to choose and cultivate the soil for dracaena room, read on.
Features care for dragon stage
Dracaena managed to establish herself as an unpretentious culture. Flower care will not require a lot of work and will not bring trouble.
Did you know? The name of this flower genus is borrowed from the Greek word "drakainia", which translates as "female dragon". This name is due to the fact that on the stems of some varieties of culture, after cracks and injuries, red juice (gum) is emitted, which the indigenous people associated with the blood of the dragon.
It consists in the following:
- Providing the plant with proper lighting. Among the main features of dracaena is light-loving, so the best place for it will be the northern or eastern sides of the house near the windows. Despite this, the flower does not welcome direct sunlight, it is best to provide him diffused light.
- Organization of proper watering. Culture is different moisture-loving. Factors such as the location of the flower, the size of the container for it, the characteristics of the soil mixture, and the season can influence the frequency of irrigation. So, it is recommended to water the dracaena only when the upper earthen layer dries out by 2-3 cm. In the summer, such drying takes place in 2 days, so the culture is watered every 2 days, in winter the irrigation is reduced to 1 time in 3 days.
- Ensuring the flower an acceptable temperature - + 20 ... + 25 º C in the summer and no less than + 15 º C in the winter. In summer, it is advisable to move the pot to fresh air.
- Fertilizer. It is recommended to feed dracaena only when it is actively growing - from March to September. Frequency - 1 time in 14 days. For specialized fertilizers should contact the flower shop. Experienced flower growers are advised to take "Dratsena", "New Ideal", "Rainbow", "Ideal", strictly observing the dosages specified in the instructions.
- Providing the necessary humidity. Due to its tropical origin, the culture is exposed to high humidity, so it is worth protecting its foliage from drying out and regularly spray it. The flowerpot especially needs spraying in hot summer weather or in the winter if it is close to heating devices, which, by the way, is not welcome.
- Carrying out a transplant. The plant needs this procedure once every 2-3 years. It should be carried out in March or April. If the flower is not 5 years old, then it should be replanted every year.
Important! "Female dragon" should be protected from drafts. You also need to ensure that it is not over-wetted, because the stagnation of moisture will also adversely affect the flower, like excessive dryness.
Suitable composition and requirements for mixtures
For proper life, proper growth and development dragon-seed should be planted in the right mixture. It depends on the quality of the soil how healthy the culture will be and the freshness of its leaves. The flower does not differ in demanding to the ground, but it is still better to choose or prepare for it a well-drained substrate with a peat admixture. The ideal indicator of acidity is pH 6-6.5.
Among the characteristics of the soil should be looseness, lightness, air and water permeability. It is easier and easier to purchase the necessary soil mixture in a specialized store. But with the right ingredients, it will be easy to prepare it yourself. So, for planting and transplanting it is best to use any earthen mixture, but preference should be given easy.
Earth mixture
An ideal substrate for dracaena will be an earthen mixture prepared from turf land, hardwood soil, coarse sand, peat and humus in equal parts.
Important! Without good drainage, even in the best-quality primer, the flower may not feel comfortable, which will affect its appearance, so a drainage layer of expanded clay or broken bricks must necessarily go in the pot. The height of the drainage layer should be 0.1 of the height of the pot.
Light mixture
There are several options for preparing light soil mixtures for dracaena.
The structure of the most popular includes the following components:
- leaf earth (3 parts);
- sod land (part 1);
- sand (1 part).
Gardeners are also advised to prepare a mixture for culture, using peat, coconut fiber, sand and expanded clay in ratios of 1: 1: 1: 1. A good option for a light mixture for dracaeni can be a soil prepared from 2 parts of leafy ground, 6 parts of sod land, 2 parts of sand, 1/10 part of coal. Coal is used as a baking powder, crushed brick also performs similar functions. Prepared substrate must be disinfected by irrigation with manganese solution or roasting in the oven (even in a microwave).
How to choose a ready-made primer
For the dracaena, both a universal substrate sold in flower shops and soil mixtures for palms and large plants are suitable. When choosing a purchase of land for dracaena, you should carefully study the reviews about it on the Internet, as well as get the necessary information from your florist friends.
Important! Despite the assurances of the manufacturer, the purchased soil should also be decontaminated.
Preference should be given to large producers who produce a wide range of products for flower growers and gardeners. Also, when buying a substrate, pay attention to the humidity of the soil offered to you (it should be moderate) and its quality: if a stale smell emanates from the soil or insects are found on it, then you should not buy it.
Among the advantages of the purchase of soil can be noted:
- the presence of the necessary components in the right proportions;
- good nutritional value, which manufacturers increase by applying biohumus and complex mineral fertilizers;
- content of structuring elements (river sand, agroperlite);
- good indicators of water and air permeability, loosening, nutritional value.
Among the drawbacks of the purchased substrate, it is worth noting the possible discrepancy to the specified composition (in the case of an unfair replicator). From the acquisition of low-quality substrate with low nutritional performance no one is insured. Experienced flower growers are advised to purchase soil mixtures from Ecoflora, Garden of Miracles, Vermion, and Terra Vita companies.
What additives are necessary for a plant?
To improve the nutritional quality of the land, it is advisable to add to its composition dolomite flour, phosphorus, potash and nitrogen components, which contribute to the rapid rooting of dracaena, favorably affect its development and growth. For loosening coal is responsible for wood.
Did you know? According to folk beliefs, dracaena radiates an atmosphere of harmony, goodwill, responsibility, therefore its presence is welcomed both in residential buildings and in office and public buildings.
Gardeners tips
Experienced growers reveal some secrets of successful and effective cultivation of healthy dragon trees:
- When transplanting it is necessary to ensure that the roots of the flower are not in contact with the drainage layer.
- It is best to transplant the culture by way of transshipment, that is, without destroying the soil coma.
- Do not plant dragon fruit in the clay substrate.
- After acquiring a flower, it is best to transplant it immediately, picking up the right capacity and a healthy primer.
- The root system of culture increases every year by 1-2 cm, so the capacity for transplanting should be 2-3 cm larger in diameter from the previous one.
- You can check the need for transplanting dracaenas by comparing the growth of the plant and the diameter of the tank: if the flower has reached a height of 40 cm, the diameter of the pot should be at least 15 cm.
- After the end of the process, it is necessary to moisten the soil, preferably with the addition of "Zircon" (growth stimulator).
