User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

growing Dracaena Marginata

I am just curious.. do you think I would get better results growing from seed or from a cutting?

if so how do I do both. I'm nervous abotu cutting my plant off wrong and creating a disaster...

I just recently got a small plant

[img]https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs170.snc3/19757_475977835226_738360226_11037752_4950778_n.jpg[/img]

and I would like to grow 2 more "trees" to plant with this one in my large Terra Cotta pot that my first now dead dragon tree was in..

[img]https://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs122.snc3/16957_394767660226_738360226_10358342_2642409_n.jpg[/img] (before it died)

[img]https://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs145.snc3/17257_440608695226_738360226_10801021_5919753_n.jpg[/img] (after it died) but a better picture of the pot

thanrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 716
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:01 am
Location: Jacksonville, FLZone 9A

First, why did your old Dracaena marginata die? Looks like it came on suddenly, with green leaves drooping and then no new growth. I'm rather thinking that it was a lack of water, but there could be some other root damage.

If you still have that dead one around, I'd cut a lot of the cane off, leaving ten inches or so above the soil surface and water it really well. Soak it deep in a tub for ten minutes or more, then drain it. If the cane does not feel like the papery bark is slipping off the cane, it may be viable and sprout for you. Then you'd have the rest of the cut off top to trim up into naked canes to see if they'd sprout for you, too.

Second, talking about the new one. I can't count the canes you have from the photo, but am guessing you only have one rooted cane, and then three or more sprouts from the top of that one with leaves on each? That will grow just fine as it is. If you wish to propagate from that one, wait until you have some cane showing on each sprout, then you can lop them off with an inch or two of each young cane left on the main cane. More or less for each is fine, but if you cut too short, the bits left behind may not sprout new growth.

Now with the leafed out canes you cut off, you'll want to remove the lower leaves, and cut the remaining leaves in half. Plant each cane end at least an inch deep in potting soil, water, and tent for higher humidity until they root and start growing.

User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

First, why did your old Dracaena marginata die? Looks like it came on suddenly, with green leaves drooping and then no new growth. I'm rather thinking that it was a lack of water, but there could be some other root damage.

I think I thought I over watered it cuz the leaves started to fall off so I tried to let it dry out but then under watered it.

If you still have that dead one around, I'd cut a lot of the cane off, leaving ten inches or so above the soil surface and water it really well. Soak it deep in a tub for ten minutes or more, then drain it. If the cane does not feel like the papery bark is slipping off the cane, it may be viable and sprout for you. Then you'd have the rest of the cut off top to trim up into naked canes to see if they'd sprout for you, too.

I no longer have the old one I threw it away. the bark was coming off and it was un saveable

Second, talking about the new one. I can't count the canes you have from the photo, but am guessing you only have one rooted cane, and then three or more sprouts from the top of that one with leaves on each? That will grow just fine as it is. If you wish to propagate from that one, wait until you have some cane showing on each sprout, then you can lop them off with an inch or two of each young cane left on the main cane. More or less for each is fine, but if you cut too short, the bits left behind may not sprout new growth.

its one truck with 3 off shoots. I'm really afraid of lopping one off and doing something wrong and having it not work for some reason.

Now with the leafed out canes you cut off, you'll want to remove the lower leaves, and cut the remaining leaves in half. Plant each cane end at least an inch deep in potting soil, water, and tent for higher humidity until they root and start growing.

I mist my plants daily. I think I'm just going to try and find 2 more of each lemon lime and standard plant and try to grow them "tiered"

I love how that looks.



Return to “Container Gardening Forum”