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#1
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
I have a dracaena marginata. Normally, it had long slender green leaves
with maroon edges. I had it in a low-light living room and it didn't seem to be doing to well to me. It's leaves were drooping and there were quite a few red, dying leaves. Also, it had fewer leaves than healthier ones I've seen. I moved it to another room that gets a good amount of indirect light from the southwest. In the past few days, it's been about 20 degrees hotter than usual and brighter than usual. Now the draecana is doing worse. It has even fewer leaves and a lot are getting yellow, than brown-red and dying. The new leaves that sprout out of the top are dying right away. I water this plant whenever the top inch of soil is dry. What can I do to improve the health of this plant? Is it having a hard time adapting to more light? Is it having a hard time dealing with the changing temperature (90 rather than 70)? Too much water? Too little water? Also, when does a dracaena marginata get to the point where it no longer can be salvaged? How many leaves does it need to stay alive? Can it come back? Thanks |
#2
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
Need more info. How long have you had the plant?
Have you checked for spider mites? This will cause new leaves to die immediately. Difficult to control in dracaena as they lay eggs in the apical buds - which is what it sounds like if your new leaves are dying. If you do have spider mites (or any other pest) a dilute mixture of rubbing alcohol, garlic and dishsoap sprayed on the entire plant will control this. After spraying with this solution, wipe each leaf and then follow with a spray of water. If you have alcohol in the mixture, do not leave it on the leaves as it will prevent the stomata from properly functioning. Also a 20 change in temperature coupled with change in light will affect any houseplant negatively. These moves should be done slowly to avoid shock. Draceanas can be propagated by air layering to generate several new plants - dependant on how tall the stalk is. Alternately (and perhaps drasticly you can cut the entire top off the plant - ensuring that there is at least one growth bud left on the stem. For all of the above there are many sites that will provide background info and suggestions. "Coryadaurus Rex" wrote in message . 4.21... I have a dracaena marginata. Normally, it had long slender green leaves with maroon edges. I had it in a low-light living room and it didn't seem to be doing to well to me. It's leaves were drooping and there were quite a few red, dying leaves. Also, it had fewer leaves than healthier ones I've seen. I moved it to another room that gets a good amount of indirect light from the southwest. In the past few days, it's been about 20 degrees hotter than usual and brighter than usual. Now the draecana is doing worse. It has even fewer leaves and a lot are getting yellow, than brown-red and dying. The new leaves that sprout out of the top are dying right away. I water this plant whenever the top inch of soil is dry. What can I do to improve the health of this plant? Is it having a hard time adapting to more light? Is it having a hard time dealing with the changing temperature (90 rather than 70)? Too much water? Too little water? Also, when does a dracaena marginata get to the point where it no longer can be salvaged? How many leaves does it need to stay alive? Can it come back? Thanks |
#3
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
Coryadaurus Rex wrote in message .4.21...
I have a dracaena marginata. Normally, it had long slender green leaves with maroon edges. I had it in a low-light living room and it didn't seem to be doing to well to me. It's leaves were drooping and there were quite a few red, dying leaves. Also, it had fewer leaves than healthier ones I've seen. I moved it to another room that gets a good amount of indirect light from the southwest. In the past few days, it's been about 20 degrees hotter than usual and brighter than usual. Now the draecana is doing worse. It has even fewer leaves and a lot are getting yellow, than brown-red and dying. The new leaves that sprout out of the top are dying right away. You may just have starved it by keeping it too long in a low light environment. 20 days is nothing, it would have keeled over regardless. It is part of having houseplants - you will kill a few trying to determine how low a light they tolerate. I killed one corn plant that way - also a dracaena. Now I make sure they get good energy reserves by leaving them outside for the summer, with some morning sun. |
#4
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
Thanks for your response. It is helpful. I've had this plant for three or four months. Are spider mites visible to the human eye? At what point do you think I should cut top of the plant off? Right now there are some decent leaves (more than I would want to count). Would it be safe to wait until there were enough leaves to count on a hand and then go drastic? |
#5
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
Coryadaurus Rex wrote: I have a dracaena marginata. Normally, it had long slender green leaves with maroon edges. I had it in a low-light living room and it didn't seem to be doing to well to me. It's leaves were drooping and there were quite a few red, dying leaves. Also, it had fewer leaves than healthier ones I've seen. I moved it to another room that gets a good amount of indirect light from the southwest. In the past few days, it's been about 20 degrees hotter than usual and brighter than usual. Now the draecana is doing worse. It has even fewer leaves and a lot are getting yellow, than brown-red and dying. The new leaves that sprout out of the top are dying right away. I water this plant whenever the top inch of soil is dry. What can I do to improve the health of this plant? Is it having a hard time adapting to more light? Is it having a hard time dealing with the changing temperature (90 rather than 70)? Too much water? Too little water? Also, when does a dracaena marginata get to the point where it no longer can be salvaged? How many leaves does it need to stay alive? Can it come back? Thanks Whoa, 90 degrees is WAY too hot! Your DM wants that cool room back! The watering you're doing should be fine; make sure the pot drains well. Your plant should be able to recover if you stop cooking it. Chris Owens -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
#6
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
i had one i brought home and it was dieing rapidly. I read online
about the care of them and it was suggested i use distilled water. I scraped the outside of the canes to find where the green met the brown and cut the canes accordingly. I now have 3 new shoots. |
#7
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
"Coryadaurus Rex" wrote in message . 4.21... Thanks for your response. It is helpful. I've had this plant for three or four months. That isn't very long - plants do not like to be moved, but sometimes the effects of moving, transportation through changing climates, mishandling during transport, being in a crowded plant shelf in a store (like a Walmart, etc), pest infestation.do not show for a few months. Are spider mites visible to the human eye? Depends, they are very tiny but if you know what you are looking for you can see them. Look on the undersides of the leaves for small dark moving spots - if you take a magnifiying glass you may be able to see them. The surest sign is very small webs formed between the base of the leaves. If your new shoots are coming in brown and dying I would treat the plant as if it is infected. Cut off all dying leaves, scrape the top of the soil and discard - making sure there is not leaf litter left behind. Spray as I mentioned before and keep it away from any other plant because they travel. At what point do you think I should cut top of the plant off? Right now there are some decent leaves (more than I would want to count). Would it be safe to wait until there were enough leaves to count on a hand and then go drastic? The longer you wait, regardless of what is affecting your plant - the more stress you are putting on it. But it is up to you. To be a houseplant owner means sometimes having to take drastic risks and hoping for the best. You can try what jammer suggested - look for wher the brown meets the green on the stem and cut the plant right in half there.. If you want you can take sections and dip each one in rooting hormone and plant in a new pot - see how many plants you can get. Or.. you can try air layering. I can explain this but it is easy to google air layering and there are sites with step by step instructions. Good luck! |
#8
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Sickly Dracaena marginata (indoors)
I have a Dracaena Marginata. It was a very small plant 5 years ago.
It is now 3 feet tall and has never had direct sun, but indirect bright light. During that time it has been transplanted three times. I water it twice a month--keep it mostly on the dry side. They do not like cold. Check for insect damage and inspect the root system--if these are okay, give it a shower to clean the leaves. |
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