Hi, I'm new to gardening, I planted my first container pot last spring and it turned out very beautiful. Now it is time to clean up the pots etc., I was wondering if I could bring the Dracaena in the house for the winter, it is still really nice looking. If I can, is there any special treatment needed?
draceana will do fine as a houseplant and then you can put it outside again next summer. try to duplicate the same lighting situation - that is, it should get light from the same direction as it did when outside and the amount of light it gest should be about the same. watering needs will likely be less than during the hotter summer months - unless you keep the house very warm, that is.
Plant used in this situation liable to be Cordyline australis (Dracaena 'Spikes' of commerce) which I do not think will do well under ordinary indoor conditions. Unless you are in a too cold inland area should instead by tried planted in the ground, outdoors, where if you are on the coast the top will be likely to grow for years before freezing back. Mine, north of Seattle grew well above my head before freezing off this past winter. Replacement tops were late to appear but some new blades finally did become noticeable this fall.
bandb, could you post a pic of your plant?? then we'd know, for sure, what it is - and would be able to assist you properly with your question :)
I've been growing a dracaena (they're commonly known as "dragon trees" here) indoors for eight years now with no problems. It's still very healthy, and very beautiful. Just one issue: make sure you turn the pot frequently; prefereably, every day. Dracaenas are strongly attracted to the light. If you don't give all sides of the plant equal exposure by turning the pot frequently by a quarter-circle, you'll probably find that, by spring, its stems have grown diagonally toward whatever natural-light source might exist in the room.
