From the easygoing snake plant (D. trifasciata) to the towering dragon blood tree (D. cinnabari), there are a various number of species within the Dracaena genus that make fabulous houseplants and/or backyard specimens.
The favored houseplant decisions are usually low-maintenance, thriving in a variety of environmental circumstances with little assist from the gardener.
However for strong, wholesome progress, particularly when confined to a container, fertilization is a job so as to add to your to-do listing.
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In our information to rising dracaena, we cowl the way to domesticate in style species in your house. On this information, we’re going to debate how and when to fertilize your vegetation to offer the vitamins they should maintain them thriving.
Right here’s what we’re going to speak about:
The way to Fertilize Dracaena
When to Fertilize Dracaena
Dracaena species, at the very least these we develop indoors as houseplants, are likely to develop slowly and consequently they don’t want lots of meals to thrive.
If you happen to maintain yours on a porch or patio through the summer season, or if it’s in an east-, south-, or west-facing vivid window, it would want feeding a bit extra often than these stored completely indoors.
If you happen to develop your dracaena outdoors, that’s a distinct story. We’ll speak about outside vegetation and their particular wants in a bit.
For a houseplant located in typical oblique or low mild, you’ll have to fertilize within the spring and fall.
Within the case of a dracaena that’s in a sunny space or outdoors for a part of the 12 months, feed 4 occasions a 12 months: as soon as in early spring, late spring, summer season, and early fall.
The precise time of 12 months doesn’t matter as long as it’s through the rising season, not when the plant is dormant.
Don’t feed in any respect the primary 12 months after potting or altering the rising medium in case your potting soil features a slow-release fertilizer. The label ought to let you know if that’s the case.
If you happen to repot your dracaena and swap out the rising medium yearly, you possible received’t have to fertilize in any respect because the potting combine may have all of the vitamins it must thrive.
However for those who haven’t refreshed the rising medium shortly, or offered any fertilizer, the leaves have a tendency to show yellow, and progress stops.
In case your plant is sick or burdened, don’t feed it. I do know it’s tempting to fertilize with the hopes of boosting the plant sufficient that it may possibly battle off no matter is troubling it, but it surely does the alternative.
It encourages progress at a time when the plant needs to be specializing in conserving power because it heals.
Sort of Fertilizer to Use
Any generic balanced houseplant fertilizer will work simply wonderful, offered it’s delicate. What does that imply?
Whenever you have a look at the ratio of the three main macronutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (Ok), you need the ratio to be roughly even, and the share of every nutrient to be at or beneath 5, resembling 5-5-5.
Some gardeners consider that nitrogen is solely chargeable for foliage growth, that phosphorus alone handles fruits and flower progress, and potassium helps with root, flower, and fruit growth to a lesser diploma.
The reality is that each one three assist with the expansion of all elements of the plant and most vegetation want all three vitamins, typically in several ratios. Extra vitamins that the plant doesn’t use will likely be leached out of the soil.
If you wish to use a meals that has a better proportion of every nutrient, say 10-10-10, that’s wonderful, you’ll simply should dilute it. A ten-10-10 meals would must be diluted by half to succeed in 5-5-5, for instance.
You’ll be able to actually use a generic houseplant meals on your dracaena, which could have barely much less potassium or phosphorus, since non-flowering and non-fruiting vegetation have a tendency to make use of much less of those components.
I’m a fan of Dr. Earth’s Pump and Develop as a result of it’s balanced and delicate, with a NPK ratio of 1-1-1, and formulated from recycled waste meals scraps. Plus, the pump makes it straightforward to make use of.
Dr. Earth Pump and Develop
You could find Dr. Earth Pump and Develop obtainable at Arbico Organics in 16-ounce bottles.
Apply it to the soil and water nicely.
If you happen to select to make use of granular slow-release fertilizer, this may be utilized on the floor of the soil and watered in nicely.
Feeding Outside Vegetation
Outside vegetation have completely different necessities than these rising in containers indoors.
They’re extra uncovered to the weather in order that they use extra meals, and except you conduct a soil take a look at, you might not be conscious of the precise deficiencies in your backyard.
Outside dracaena needs to be fed each two months through the rising season, utilizing the identical delicate fertilizer as you’d use for indoor specimens.
In case your vegetation are very giant, examine the producer’s directions for the way a lot to use, as they may clearly want greater than a small indoor specimen.
Alternatively, you should use a slow-release fertilizer with an identical NPK ratio and solely feed as soon as in mid-spring.
Ecomax makes use of neem to slowly feed the soil and vegetation. It has a NPK ratio of 6-2-1 which makes this product best for foliage vegetation.
Ecomax Neem Kernel Fertilizer
It’s additionally obtainable at Arbico Organics, in 12.5- and 25-pound tubs.
Unleash the Dragon
All of us want meals. Dracaena are fairly straightforward to feed, although. In contrast to me, they don’t require three scrumptious meals and a few tasty snacks each single day. A number of days of feast every year, they usually’re good to go.
What sort of dracaena are you rising? Tell us what you’ve obtained and the way you’re rising it within the feedback part beneath.
And for extra details about rising dracaena, add these guides to your studying listing subsequent:
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