Why do dracaena leaves fall - reasons
Content:
Among lovers of indoor flowers, dracaena (from the Latin Dracaena), which is also called a false palm, is very popular. About 150 species of this plant are known in nature. It not only pleases the eye at home or in the office, but also enriches the air with oxygen. Proper care and early recognition of diseases guarantee a long life for the flower. Yellowing and falling foliage is a serious signal to think about looking for the cause that caused these symptoms. Below is a description of why dracaena leaves fall and what to do to save the flower.
Dracaena leaves fall: what could be the reasons
This is an unpretentious houseplant that does not need special care. But if the foliage begins to fall, this may indicate non-compliance with the care recommendations.
A withering palm tree urgently needs to be rescued
The main causes of falling foliage:
- watering. Untimely watering will dry out the soil. From this, the leaves will begin to dry out, and their fall is inevitable. Excessive moisture in the substrate also negatively affects the plant, since the trunk becomes soft from the abundance of water, the leaves begin to wither and fall off;
- spraying. This procedure, if simple rules are not followed, also has a detrimental effect on an indoor flower. Stagnation of fluid in the leaf sinuses provokes decay. Dracaena will begin to shed some of the foliage;
- fertilizer. If the leaves of dracaena die, this means that feeding is not carried out correctly. It is important to comply with all conditions for the preparation of fertilizers, doses and application rules;
- root damage during transplantation. Dracaena is transplanted into a new pot as its growth increases. During this procedure, you can damage the root system. Therefore, in response to a stressful situation, the plant sheds its foliage;
- improper microclimatic conditions. There are many of them: this is a lack or excess of light, drafts, inappropriate temperature and humidity;
- diseases and insect pests. Failure to follow the rules of care leads to a weakening of the immune system. The plant is attacked by pathogens or insects.
To answer the question of how to save dracaena, you need to find out the reason that provokes the death of the plant.
Dracaena dies: how to save from the disease
If all conditions of detention are observed, then the development of diseases and foliage can be avoided. The plant will have strong immunity, and it will be able to overcome the disease. In addition, it is recommended from time to time to apply fertilizers that contain phosphorus and potassium to the soil.
However, it is not always possible to protect the flower from infection. Symptoms of the disease are most often manifested on the foliage. First of all, the color of the leaf blade changes, the turgor is lost, spots appear, the tips dry out, and then their base.
Dracaena has a lot of diseases
Diseases that most often affect dracaena:
- heterosporosis. The foliage on both sides begins to turn yellow, after which it becomes stained and dries. Without treatment, the flower dies. To help the plant, you need to react in time. Fungicides, which contain copper, can help;
- phyllostictosis.Irregular brown spots with a green or yellow border appear on the foliage of the lower tier. They are quite large in size. Leaves may fall off;
- bacteriosis. The foliage at the tips rots, so the plant discards it en masse. Ulcers can be seen on the stem. High humidity and high temperature in the room are the main factors in the development of the disease. The treatment is useless, so the flower will have to be destroyed in order to save the rest of the plants in the house;
- alternaria. Fungal disease, signs of which are brown spots. Over time, without treatment, they begin to turn black. Spray with fungicides three times a month. This will help fight and prevent illness.
Why does dracaena massively shed its leaves when it gets sick? This is a natural response to pathogens. This is how the plant tries to protect the rest of the organs.
Pests
Pests are often found on the soil or enter the plant from neighboring infected indoor flowers. Sticky plaque, the appearance of cobwebs and stains on foliage become the main signals of an invasion. If the dracaena begins to dry, what to do with this problem and how to overcome pests?
Whom to fear:
- shield. This insect is about 3-4 mm in size, practically immobile and protected by a grayish waxy shell. It sucks out juices from leaves and stems, as a result of which they dry out and fall off;
- thrips. Whole columns settle on the bottom of the leaf. The upper part becomes stained and darkens;
- spider mite. A small pest that is difficult to spot. It settles on the lower part of the leaf blade. The main signs of its invasion are the appearance of cobwebs and white bloom. Falling foliage is inevitable;
- mealybugs. They suck out the juice from the plant, this stops the development and growth of the flower. A white waxy coating resembling cotton wool is left on the leaves and rosettes.
Pests on foliage are visible to the naked eye
It is recommended to observe the watering regime, temperature conditions and use insecticidal preparations. Often they resort to the help of such means as aktara, karbofos, intavir.
Soil moisture
Dracaena loves moderately moist soil. It is not necessary to fill it, because as a result, the stem and root may begin to rot. This will lead to the fact that the plant begins to die before our eyes.
In the hot season, it is recommended to water the flower once every 2-3 days. You must always orient yourself on the ground in the pot. If the soil at the base of the stem is dry, then it needs to be moistened. It will be enough to pour 170-200 ml of settled water at room temperature.
Proper watering will be a good prevention against foliage
Winter is the period of rest of the flower. He needs watering only once every 4-6 days. And if the dracaena begins to wither, what to do during this period? Again, you need to navigate on dried soil. This is the only way to understand whether a plant needs water.
Air temperature
If the elementary rules of the microclimate are not followed, the leaves begin to fall off the flower. What to do in such cases? At home, the temperature regime is very important for the flower. In summer, in order to ensure good growth and development, you need to adhere to the mark on the thermometer within 24-32 ° С. In the cold season, indoor temperatures should not be allowed below 17 ° C.
A temperature of 12 ° C can become critical for death. Then, first of all, the plant will drop all the foliage, and then it will slowly begin to die.
Decay of roots
There are many reasons why dracaena leaves fall. Root decay often becomes one of them. Abundant watering, especially during the dormant period (winter), can be a death for the false palm.
Rotting of the root system leads to the fact that the transport of water and nutrients to other organs is disrupted. Dracaena first of all gets rid of old leaves, and then young ones fall off.
Rotting roots
Other possible problems
In addition to all of the above, there are other reasons why the dracaena can begin to throw off the foliage and soon die (if measures are not taken in time).
Among them:
- transfer. When the root system is actively growing and the flower grows in size, it needs a larger pot. You need to transplant carefully, otherwise you can damage the root or stem. The stress that a flower receives while adapting to a new place can lead to shedding of foliage;
- direct sunlight. It is important to choose the right place in the house where the dracaena pot will stand. She does not tolerate direct sunlight: it begins to dry, the leaves turn yellow. It even happens that the stem, drying out, can fold in half. The plant sheds foliage and dies;
- drafts. Dracaena does not like drafts, so a window sill is not the best place for a palm tree. Firstly, in such places, temperature fluctuations are given by a battery, and secondly, frequent ventilation with an open window will provide unfavorable conditions for a delicate flower;
- fertilizers. Excess or lack of fertilizing leads to the fact that the green leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. It is important to use complex fertilizers. During the period of active growth (March-September), they should be applied 2 times a month. To do this, you can make a solution using rainbow or ideal preparations.
Dracaena is a beautiful plant that will enrich the room with oxygen and remind with its appearance of the sea and palm trees. The main question for gardeners is when the dracaena sheds its leaves, what to do? Compliance with all the rules of maintenance will help to grow a healthy and strong flower. And even if the disease turned out to be stronger, and the leaves began to fall off, the main thing is not to despair and provide the necessary help in time.
