On 8/10/2007 7:02 PM, JayDee wrote:
Since my indoor dracaena recently took a turn for the worst, I thought
I'd ask some basic questions before I replace it. It was healthy for
two years, except for brown at the edge of the leaves so I guess my
first question is, is that normal for a dracaena? It didn't seem to
hurt anything. I never trimmed the small bits of brown off the leaves
since virtually all of them had it (only the tips were brown, not the
sides or heart of the leaves)

Second, in order to not overwater, I would water it once every week to
week and a half. I would pretty much fill it up with water, then let
it almost dry out before watering again (this was suggested by a local
nursery)

Finally, when I watered it I'd use tap water (LA tapwater - yipes!)
Should I be doing this or using the filter on my sink?

Finally, feeding. I can't recall the brand, but it's the little
pellets. I was spreading the food out over the top and then I worked
it into the soil, probably an inch down. I followed that up with a
good watering.

Any advice on what I might change going forward to improve my care
would be appreciated.

-jd


Dracaena will rot if the soil remains wet. You need a potting mix that
drains well and stays moist without being wet. See my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_potting_mix.html for a
do-it-yourself recipe. Then water only when the soil surface is dry to
the touch. Also, be sure the pot has a drain hole and is not sitting in
a container that holds water.

Brown leaf tips can indicate salts in the water. If you are in the San
Fernando Valley, you are getting Owens Valley water, which is low in
salts. If you are downtown, you might be getting water from the aquifer
under the Los Angeles River, which would be high in salts. Also, water
from the Colorado River is somewhat salty; but water from the California
Aquiduct is low in salts. In Los Angeles, there are also areas that
receive a blend of waters from multiple sources. Check with the LADWP
to find out what is the source of water for your particular neighborhood.

Brown leaf tips can also result from too much fertilizer. In the end,
over-feeding will tend to cause a build-up of salts. Thus, it might not
be the water.

An almost dead dracaena can be revived. See my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/indoors.html, and scroll down to "Living
Room". My son thought the plant was truly dead, but (about a year
later) it's doing quite well.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/