Help me, my dracaena is dying

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by HottieHSN, Jun 22, 2005.

  1. HottieHSN

    HottieHSN Member

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    Help, I have a dracaena marginata I bought a couple months ago. All of a sudden the leaves are turning yellow and droopy and falling off. I don't think I am watering it too much. I usually wait till the top of soil is dry before I water it. I have it by a window but has no direct sunlight. I read that fluoride in the water can do this. How do I check/ fix the ph? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanx!
     
  2. Marn

    Marn Active Member 10 Years

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    leave the water out for about 24 hrs b 4 u water it .. with it sittin like that it usuallu gets rid ofanything in the water.. that should help it ..

    Marn
     
  3. lilypad

    lilypad Member

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    You are probably watering it too much still. Dracaenas are quite hardy plants and will take a lot of mistreating but not over watering. In winter I usually water mine once a month if then. In summer I water once every two weeks or so. It may be too late to help your plant as the roots might have started rotting. If this is the case the stem will soon turn soft and then you can tell it has died. If you get a new specimen, water it really well each time you do but leave long gaps in between.

    Marn's tip on water is good. You can also boil water and leave it to cool before using it on plants. Letting water stand will let some harmful chemical evaporate but boiling gets rid of many other chemicals that simple standing won't touch. If you have clay pots and notice white mineral deposits on the rim and outside of the pot, your water is too harsh. Let stand as long as possible or boil the water, too.

    Lilypad.
     
  4. Tbot

    Tbot Member

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    hi- I read your post as just yesterday I was doing some internet research on dracaenas. Mine is dropping leaves as well. From what I've read, dracaenas will shed their bottom leaves as a part of natural growth to the top of the plant. I'm not entirely sure if this is the case for your plant (I'm not sure if it is the case with mine), but it might be something to consider. Easing up on watering is always a good idea, as something like 80% of all houseplants die due to overwatering. A good indicator if the plant is dry enough to water is to feel to the depth of your pinky finger for damp soil. If it is damp, then let it be! Hope this helps!

    edited to add:
    I just read on this site (posted by another user): http://www.bachmans.com/retail/tipsheets/indoor_plants/Dracaenas.cfm
    "What causes the plant to lose its lower leaves?
    If it isn't just the natural shedding of lower leaves as the plant matures, it may be due to the plant being kept too warm and dry."
     
  5. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    Sometimes the top of the soil can be dry while the bottom is still wet. And when you water, you're overwatering. You can also lift the plant and see how heavy it is. Wet soil is a lot heavier than dry soil, and this may help.

    Or stick a long wooden stick down the soil to the middle of the pot. See if the stick is wet or not.

    Good luck!
     
  6. Tamra

    Tamra Member

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    This is interesting. I have had a dracaena for a number of years, and I've been pleased to keep it alive as I'm not good with plants. It has three stems and while they have grown rather tall and a bit crooked, it has appeared to be in good shape.

    Last week I noticed that one of the stems had gone from almost vertical, to hanging over in a steep arc. The stem was soft and limp. I tied it up with a loose string and realized that I had forgotten to water it for a time. I hadn't noticed a problem because the leaves are nice and green and it's not dropping any. So I'm not have the same problem as the others.

    I thought that a little water would perk it up, so I gave it a good drink. It's only gotten worse, though, and now all three stems are quite soft and weak. The lower part of the stems seems a bit atrophied and hardened (a bit darker as well, but it's not pronounced). Is it possible that it got so dry that the stem dried out at the bottom and is going soft above that. If so, woudln't you expect the leaves to be effected?

    I'm puzzled.

    I'm pretty sure it's not overwatering as I live in a very dry climate and always let it dry out well before watering. In this case, it was very dry.
     

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