I am an apartment dweller and I have a Dracaena Marginata. It has three shoots that are all sturdy. When it was healthiest several months ago, the plant growth was about 10" high. It is in a 6" pot. My apartment is sunny. At one point, I saw some very small black bugs in the soil. I purchased a plant soap, sprayed periodically over a period of about a month, and the bugs disappeared. For a while, the plant has been getting brown spots on the leaves and the ends of the affected leaves get dry. The rest of the leaf turns yellow and dies. The plant used to have many leaves and the leaves were very strong. Now they are much weaker and tend to be much shorter. I am concerned that the plant seems to be dying, despite its strong, dry shoots. Leaves are coming in with a brown translucent appearance at the beginning of the leaf, inside the center of the shoot. There is also a dry white substance on some of the leaves. I wiped it off with some water. The leaves are not growing to a normal length and have very little, if any red on the edges. I sprayed the leaves and soil with a little plant soap even though I didn't' see bugs. I removed many discolored leaves and saw that the top of one of the shoots has a brown color around the stem. Can this plant be saved? It only has 12 leaves now. I would appreciate any advice that you can offer.
Please give us a photo, if you can. Several---even better! Sounds as if your plant might have mealy bugs (white substance) combined with moisture issues. What is the temperature/humidity level in your apartment? How often do you water, and how thoroughly? Is the water heavily chlorinated? Does the plant have good soil and drainage? I suspect that dryness in soil and air is leading to poor growth, and that mealy bugs are taking advantage of the situation, sapping the plant's strength even further. Welcome to the Forum!
Thank you so much! I'm sorry. I can't send photos because I haven't bought a digital camera yet. I will get one soon and send some! I moved one month ago (same neighborhood), and for about the first 3 1/2 weeks here, my Dracaena marginata was getting very little sun. A few days ago, I moved it to a table about one foot from the window. My plant is getting more sun now. The humidity/temperature right now is 34%/76 degrees F. Sometimes an air conditioner is on in the area. Regarding the soil, this plant was very healthy in its original tiny pot. The plant started to grow and the roots were coming out of the drain holes. I went to a good florist/plant shop in the Bronx and purchased an 8 lb. bag of new soil and a new pot, plastic with drain holes like the one it was in. The salesperson told me to double the size of its pot. Then I replanted it. I don't think I watered it before re-potting. I thought it best to keep it in its original soil and just surround it with the new soil. Everything seemed OK for a few months. Then, it started to look a little worse. At that point, my former gorgeous coleus nearby, also re-potted in this new soil, developed some bugs. I think they were tiny black crawling ones that I later saw in the Draceana. As soon as I saw them in the Draceana, I moved it away from the window area, and sprayed all of my plants with Safer Insect-killing plant soap. Meanwhile, the coleus gradually died. I became suspicious about the new soil and threw out all of the remaining soil when I moved. The white powdery substance doesn't move, so I didn't realize it could be mealy bugs. The soil tends to be dry as I am afraid to overwater the plant, so I only water it when it seems very dry. Lately, even though the soil is so dry, when I water the plant, the soil doesn't absorb the water right away. I have always given the plant a little extra water at the top of each of it shoots. I always take a flashlight over to the plant to make sure I don't see any bugs in the soil when I water it. A friend gave the plant to me, having bought it at IKEA. I really want to save it if I can. I will never purchase any plant or soil at that florist's shop again. Many months ago, I bought an African violet that was on display outside the store, and it developed flies and died! By the way, I think the water here in Riverdale (Bronx) is heavily chlorinated.
Thanks for the detailed information! Humidity is low. How direct is the sunlight? If it is unfiltered by curtain or blinds, the light might be pretty intense and/or hot. Also, it seems that there is quite a contrast between the light the plant was getting and the light it has now. 1. Increase humidity and moisture levels. 2. Be sure that bugs in soil/bugs on plant are eliminated. 3. Give the plant bright curtain-filtered sunlight. No broiling sunbeams or cold drafts. Here's what I would do: repot in a new pot and fresh soil. And water it! When you water, set your plant in the bathtub and give it a gentle tepid shower. Let the soil absorb the moisture. The plant will like the refreshing drink, and the enhanced humidity. The shower also will wash off dust and critters such as spider mites from leaves. Thorough watering dissolves chemicals in soil and allows roots to deliver them to the rest of the plant---also flushes out buildup of these. I understand and commend your caution...but do NOT be afraid to water!!! Watering thoroughly and regularly keeps the soil absorbent. You know how a bone-dry sponge needs to be wet down and wrung out before it will soak up more moisture? Same thing with soil. Moist soil accepts moisture much more readily than does dry. I think that your Dracaena is, mainly, thirsty! You appear to be an observant and meticulous plant owner. I think with your good care and the water it needs, that there is hope for your Dracaena.
Thank you for all of this info! Should I purchase the same size pot? Is there a soil that you recommend? Is good soil available for purchase online? I looked online a few times over the months and didn't know what to buy. If the Home Depot sells soil, maybe I could order some from there, if you think it would be enough. My shower spray can't be regulated, so it might be a little too strong. I can put the plant in the bathroom sink, potted of course, and spray it very thoroughly with tepid water from a spray bottle. When I water the plant, is some gentle watering directly into the shoots OK? I noticed last night that there was a white tiny thing at the side edge of a couple of leaves. Could those be mealy bugs? Is the human eye capable of seeing the movement of a mealy bug? Thanks again for all of your help!
Use a pot that allows a bit of room around the root ball. I do not have a favorite brand of potting soil, but whatever I use I mix with orchid bark. Helps to make the soil looser and lighter. I feel the soil through the bag: do NOT buy soil that feels wet and clumpy!!! Throw in perlite or vermiculite sometimes, too. What you want to avoid is soil that becomes a solid swampy foul-smelling block, and this will happen if no air is getting into the soil. Misting is fine---IN ADDITION TO watering thoroughly. By 'thoroughly' I mean lots of water, till it runs out the bottom of the pot. I'd be doing this at least once a week or so. With your low humidity, and with good drainage and loose soil, don't think you need worry about too much moisture. Whatever the white thing is, it does not belong on your plant! Now is the time to remove it, while it is just ONE and not hundreds!!!
Thanks again. I watered the plant last night. I hope what I did today is OK. I still need to buy the pot and soil, etc. I gently cleaned the leaves using tepid water on Q-tips, being careful not to leave a cotton residue. After that, I sprayed the plant with water that has a small amount of Dawn dish washing liquid. I noticed that a few young leaves look healthy! I will let you know how it all goes and eventually, send photos.
Harpoom, If they are mealy bugs, they don't move much. They just sit in their cottony cocoons and suck the juices out of your plant. Water is OK but isopropyl alcohol applied with a q-tip works for both mealy bug and scale. You are getting excellent advice from togata and welcome to the forum. ;))) barb
Thank you, Barbara. They probably were mealy bugs as togata57 and you have suggested. The brown spots at the edge of some of the leaves look like something took a bite out of the very edge! I'll try the isopropyl alcohol. Do I need to wash that off? This forum is great!
I want to thank you again. My plant seems to be making a bit of a recovery. I haven't re-potted yet, but will, doing all the things you suggested! The plant is perking up a bit since I watered it more and sprayed more soap, and cleaned the leaves. Now that I've looked so closely at it, I see that the brown spots on some of the leaves look like burns. When I see a fairly healthy leaf that turned brown at the tip, I've taken that small part away. It doesn't seem to hurt the plant.
Think that once your plant starts getting the moisture it needs---from the soil and from the air---it should be much happier! (And you will be, too!) Advise watering in the bathtub whether or not you use the shower: then you can water away and let the plant drain, and not worry about mopping up! Glad to hear the positive news.
Thank you, togata57. Is it best to put the vermiculite at the bottom of the pot before adding soil? When I change the soil, should I keep any of the original soil around the roots?
I usually throw a layer of orchid bark in first, then mix more bark, perlite, vermiculite, etc. in with potting soil. Not necessary to remove every last bit of old soil, unless you suspect it of being infested with unwanted visitors, or it is swampy/smelly. Loosen up soil and roots, gently. While you have the plant out of the pot, take a close look at the roots---see if all is well.
Harpcom, No you don't have to remove/wipe off the alcohol. I will evaporate. Safer Soap and neem oil are about the only bug killers I use. Just be glad you have a small marginata. Can you imagine taking alcohol and Q-tips to a 6 foot ficus tree? I get some interesting comments on that. :)) barb
