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Old 15-09-2003, 02:32 AM
Coryadaurus Rex
 
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Default 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
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Old 15-09-2003, 02:42 PM
Tina Gibson
 
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Default 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



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Old 16-09-2003, 12:02 AM
simy1
 
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Default 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.
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Old 16-09-2003, 03:12 AM
Coryadaurus Rex
 
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Default 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?



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Old 16-09-2003, 02:32 PM
Chris Owens
 
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Default 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




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Old 17-09-2003, 04:02 AM
jammer
 
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Default 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.
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Old 17-09-2003, 02:22 PM
Tina Gibson
 
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Default 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!





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Old 17-09-2003, 02:42 PM
Phisherman
 
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Default 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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