Why do dracaena leaves fall down
Content:
Dracaena is grown because of its beautiful appearance and pleasant smell. The plant has long or narrow green leaves and buds of yellow, white, pink color, collected in panicles. However, the flower may lose its decorative effect. Many are worried about why the dracaena dropped its leaves.
Dracaena leaves are dropping - what could be the reasons
First of all, you need to know that the regular fall of the lower leaves and their yellowing is a normal phenomenon that will accompany the flower throughout its growth. On average, the maximum age of a single leaf is 2 years. After the old foliage dies off, a new one will appear.
Dracaena appearance
However, dracaena leaves fall down not only for a natural reason. If over time most of the foliage will fall off, then you should be on your guard. Another reason could be:
- passing the acclimatization period;
- damage to the root system;
- violation of the rules of agricultural technology;
- attack by a dangerous pest;
- defeat by the disease.
A store-bought plant must adapt to new home conditions. At first, the level of illumination, humidity and air temperature in the room will affect the well-being of the flower. If a recently purchased dracaena has dropped its leaves, then there is no particular cause for concern - this is temporary.
Diseases
Improper care or transplantation can lead to the appearance of various diseases in a plant. A flower with reduced immunity is susceptible to fungal, viral or bacterial diseases.
Alternaria
The causative agents of this disease are fungi, attributed to the genus Alternaria. An infected flower will initially show pale brown, round spots on the leaves. After some time, they will turn black. Eventually, some of the leaves covered with these spots will begin to die off. On the outside, the leaves are covered with an olive bloom containing spores of the pathogenic fungus.
Fundazol drug against Alternaria
At the first signs of the disease, the flower is transferred to a free windowsill away from other plants and the foliage is wiped with an infusion of wood ash. Dracaena can be cured with the help of Fundazol, Topaz or Oxyhom. The dosage is 10 g per 0.5 l of water.
Phylostictosis
It is a fungal disease that most commonly affects adults and older flowers. It appears on the leaves of the plant in the form of vague beige-brown spots with a lemon-green border. Over time, they will turn into small black grains.
To cure the bush, you need:
- Remove infected areas. Severely damaged leaves should be cut off completely.
- Sprinkle the places of the cuts with the powder of activated carbon, chalk. For processing, you can also use iodine or brilliant green.
- Spray the plant with Topaz or Skor solution. Spraying is carried out 3 times at weekly intervals.
Bacteriosis
It is an infectious disease that affects different parts of the plant.The tips of withering leaves acquire a dark brown color, small ulcers appear on the trunk and petioles, and the crown turns yellow.
A yellowish oily streak will separate infected tissue from healthy tissue. The root system also suffers from the disease if it is hot in the room and the soil is waterlogged.
A plant infected with bacteriosis cannot be healed. You can cut a healthy shoot without the characteristic signs of the disease and try to root it.
Fusarium
Infection with this fungal disease is indicated by yellow spots on withering leaves. The plant will begin to gradually change its color to brown.
The damaged leaves are removed, and the sections are treated with activated carbon or cinnamon. The bush is sprayed with a solution of Fundazol, Benomil or Vectra.
The procedure is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 3-5 days. For preventive purposes, Fitosporin-M is added to the water for irrigation.
Dracaena infected with fusarium
Pests
Due to harmful insects, dracaena can get sick and drop leaves. It is necessary to eliminate parasites immediately after detection. The most common pests are scale insects, spider mites, aphids, mealybugs.
Shield
The presence of the pest is indicated by rounded brown plaques 1-3 mm in diameter, covering all parts of the plant. They are used by the pest as a shelter.
The leaves will acquire a yellow-red hue, begin to fall, dry out and die off. The insect itself can be removed by hand with a sponge soaked in soapy water.
Spider mite
This small insect 0.5 mm in size is yellow-green in color. It is very difficult to see it. The mite settles on the inside of the leaf, where white spots will appear over time.
The damaged areas will be covered with cobweb-like formations. Leaves may turn yellow and darken.
Dracaena treatment consists of treatment with a soap solution heated to +50 ° C and spraying with Actellik or Fitoverm. Spraying is carried out only after the bush has dried.
Aphid
Small pests severely damage the upper parts of the shoots and the lower parts of the plates, sucking out cell sap from them. Infected leaves lose color, turn yellow and fall off. Timely treatment will help prevent the death of the plant.
To combat these pests, insecticides are used. The flower is treated with Antitlin or Biotlin every 5 days until complete recovery.
Mealybug
The pest infects leaf plates and leaf axils. A waxy discharge similar to cotton wool can be seen on infected areas. The flower will have growth and development delays. The bush is treated by spraying with soapy water. After that, it is treated 3 times with a solution of Aktar or Mospilan with an interval of 5-7 days. It is also worth updating the soil and making a transplant.
Dracaena infected with mealybug
Soil moisture
Despite the love of moisture, dracaena should not be constantly moisturized. After each watering, you need to wait until the soil dries out 3-4 cm deep.
An adult specimen is watered every 2-3 days in the summer. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced by 2-3 times, depending on the age of the flower and the air temperature.
Broad-leaved representatives of dracaena have a high demand for moisture. In the summer they are watered daily. Narrow-leaved specimens consume much less water. They can be easily poured. Descended leaves are the first sign of drying out of the roots. Regular spraying and watering will correct the situation.
Air temperature
When asked why dracaena hung leaves and what to do in this case, there is an answer. This could be due to dry, hot air.
The regulation of the air temperature will correct the situation. Then the plant will be able to lift the leaves.
- In summer and spring, Dracaena feels comfortable at temperatures from +20 ° С to +25 ° С. If the air is even warmer, the crown will lose its beautiful appearance.
- In winter, it is permissible to keep a flower at temperatures from +17 ° С to +19 ° С. The temperature must not be allowed to drop below +15 ° С.
Sudden temperature changes are also dangerous. If the flower began to shed foliage, then it suffered from hypothermia.
Decay of roots
Plant roots can rot due to waterlogged soil. This is another reason why dracaena leaves fall down. In a similar situation, the bush is transplanted into a new pot, previously disinfected with alcohol. It is important to get your transplant on time.
Transplanting dracaena into a new pot
You can save a flower by following these steps:
- Gently remove the bush from the container and wash off the remaining soil from the roots.
- Cut off the rotted parts of the root with a sharp pruner. At the same time, grab 3-5 cm of healthy tissue.
- Place the roots in a pink solution of potassium permanganate or Bordeaux liquid.
- Sprinkle the cut with wood ash or colloidal sulfur.
- Transplant the bush into a sterilized container with new soil.
Other possible problems
There are other reasons due to which the leaves begin to wither and die off:
- barrel damage;
- slow growth;
- redness of the leaf plates;
- sunburn.
If the trunk is broken, then the place of the break must be trimmed with a pointed pruner. After the cut is sealed with wax. This will prevent it from drying out. A flower that grows slowly is transplanted into fertile soil and fertilized. The same is done in the case of redness of the foliage. The bush on the windowsill is sprayed in the evenings when the sun goes down so that the leaves do not turn yellow.
Now the florist knows why the leaves of the dracaena dropped, what to do in such a situation. The above rules will help to revive the flower and it will again delight the owners.
