What fertilizer is needed for dracaena - choice
Content:
Dracaena is an indoor evergreen plant that looks like a miniature palm tree. It organically complements flower arrangements, diluting them with the severity of acute-angled leaves. Dracaena needs proper care, which includes not only proper watering, but also fertilization. Their use has a number of nuances, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the plant and especially the season. Fertilizer for dracaena can be purchased ready-made or made independently, although it is preferable to combine both options.
What elements does dracaena need?
Dracaena is unpretentious in care, has bright green foliage and tolerates transplantation well. If the soil is selected correctly, its roots will quickly grow and fill the pot. After that, there may be a deficiency of nutrients in the soil, you will need top dressing for room dracaena. The bad appearance of the leaves is also a signal of its necessity. Different fertilizers are required depending on the type of change.
You should always pay attention to the condition and density of the foliage.
- Drying of the tips of the leaves. Insufficient watering is considered a common cause of this. If the situation could not be corrected by an increase in moisture, you need to use a complex mineral fertilizing.
- Falling of the lower leaves. The symptom suggests that the flower is susceptible to pests and diseases, and also needs potassium.
- Yellowed leaves, weakened appearance. In this case, you cannot do without nitrogen fertilizers. Without it, dracaena chlorosis occurs; without treatment, it can lead to the death of the plant.
- Red, purple and brown spots, rarely brown. Symptoms speak of poor photosynthesis, weak energy metabolism. You can solve the problem with phosphorus fertilizers.
- Leaves lose color saturation. Another manifestation of chlorosis, in which the depletion of the root system occurs. Fertilization with iron, magnesium and sulfur is required.
- Death of young shoots. The reason is a weak root, lack of calcium in the soil. Without it, the cellular function is impaired, a calcined fertilizer is required.
- Dying off of the top of the plant. Boron deficiency leads to disruption of the processes of photosynthesis: the elements are unevenly distributed, the top does not get them at all.
Careful observation of the flower will allow you to accurately determine how to feed the dracaena at home. Before taking drastic measures, you need to make sure that the rest of the plant care is correct.
General rules for fertilization
Mineral liquid fertilizers are the most affordable option in flower shops. These mixtures are universal in their composition, they are distinguished by their purpose: for flowering and decorative deciduous plants. Top dressing for dracaena refers to the second option. Fertilizers are not applied in a concentrated form, but previously diluted in water, instructions are indicated on the label. They can be applied only on wet soil, that is, after 5-6 hours after the main watering.
Mineral liquid fertilizers for dracaena
Foreign manufacturers offer fertilizers in the form of sticks, which are inserted into the corners of the pot. The mechanism of such fertilization is simple: after watering, the soil becomes wet, and the stick gradually dissolves, enriching the soil. This method is practical, because you do not need to strictly monitor the feeding time.The nuance lies in the uneven distribution of fertilizers, sticks need to be stuck in all corners so that they enter the soil well.
Organic fertilizers are rarely used for indoor plants, usually twice a season. Horse manure for dracaena is suitable in a concentrated liquid form, an alternative is a granular composition. They are bred in water and watered with the soil according to the instructions. Mullein is also allowed for use for dracaena, it is bred in a ratio of 1:10 with water. The solution is infused for two weeks, you need to stir it periodically.
How to fertilize for growth
In order for the crown of the plant to be lush and healthy, you need to know how to feed the dracaena for growth. This will help a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 3: 1: 3 or 3: 1: 2. There are no ready-made fertilizers for this flower, you need to study the compositions of complex products. Pay special attention to the proportions of the listed elements, often referred to as NPK.
- Special sticks have proven themselves as a full-fledged top dressing, they are enough for several waterings.
- Spraying with the following composition has a good effect on foliage growth: nitrogenous potassium - 0.5 g, potassium phosphate - 0.4 g and ammonium sulfate - 0.3 g. Mix the elements and add 1 liter of pure water, stir until completely dissolved. Spraying will be an excellent addition to soil fertilization, it will help to avoid drying out of the tips and tops of the leaves.
- From mid-spring to the end of summer, you need to use a solution of nitroammofoska: 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water. It is recommended to alternate it with organic feeding, use it once every 2 weeks.
It is necessary to take into account the stages of growth of dracaena
What and how often to feed for flowering
During the period of active growth, the plant needs feeding most of all. Dracaena's vegetation lasts from April to August. Mineral fertilizer should be used 2 times a month, and root dressing should be applied after each watering. In order for the foliage to have a bright shade, fertilizers with nitrogen must be applied from the beginning of spring. During the winter period, the dracaena does not renew foliage, but still needs care. Nutrients are required, at this time it is recommended to fertilize the plant with complex agents once a month.
Fertilization errors and their consequences
To maintain a healthy species of plants, it is not enough to know how to fertilize dracaena at home. It is equally important to do it correctly, carefully treating the stages of leaving. Common mistakes include:
- uneven distribution of top dressing. This is especially true for the use of sticks in large pots: the fertilizer remains at the edges, without reaching the rhizome of the dracaena. As a result, the plant will not receive nutrition and may die;
- fertilizers do not need to be purchased for years in advance, their shelf life is limited. Their use after its expiration can worsen the appearance of the flower;
- non-compliance with the proportions of fertilizers. If you add the wrong amount of top dressing, other trace elements can be poorly absorbed;
- inappropriate application time. Each type of feeding has its own period of application, they should help the plant at every stage of growth. If you use them without taking this factor into account, the consequences will be dire.
Folk fertilization methods
To understand how to feed dracaena at home without using purchased funds, you can use the tips below. Folk fertilizers contain the necessary elements and are of low cost. One of the best is meat water, in which a piece of meat was washed. You can use it no more than 1 time a month, after watering, exposing it to fresh air. If this is not possible, then such fertilizer will have to be abandoned, because the unpleasant smell will quickly spread throughout the apartment.
A flower pleased with the care
At the transplant stage, you can use a banana peel: pour sand onto the drainage and put finely grated peel on top of it. For a pot of 5 liters, 3 peels are enough. Onion water is also used for spraying: 25 g of husk is poured into 1 liter of boiling water and boiled for 2.5 hours. After that, strain the broth and immediately spray the plant.
Dracaena grows well at home, the selection of fertilizers for it is not difficult, only an attentive attitude to the flower is required. Their specific choice strictly depends on the season, the size of the pot and the state of the foliage. In an effort to make your plant even more beautiful, the main thing is not to overdo it, since an excess of fertilizers will have a bad effect on their digestibility.
