Dracaena is one of the most unpretentious indoor plants. However, she can sometimes signal discomfort in one way or another. Most often, amateur flower growers are worried that the leaves of the dracaena are drying. Meanwhile, having established the cause in a timely manner, you can easily deal with the problem.
Dry indoor air
Dracaena can react to excessive dryness of the air in the room, while the tips of its leaves begin to dry. If the problem is not corrected, the plant can shed some of the leaves and even die over time. To increase the humidity in the air, install a humidifier in the room, or hang wet towels on the batteries.
It is also necessary to periodically spray dracaena from a spray bottle, wipe the leaves with a damp cloth, and once a week take a shower.
You can increase the humidity for dracaena in this way: pour expanded clay into a container or deep saucer, or small pebbles and put a pot with a plant on top. And then just add water to the container.
Direct sunlight
Even such an unpretentious plant as dracaena cannot stand direct sunlight and bright light. Therefore, take care of a convenient place for her at some distance from the windows (especially if they face south). If for some reason it is impossible to do this, on especially sunny days, cover the windows with blinds or loose curtains that diffuse light, or just with a newspaper. Also, make sure that the bright light of lamps does not fall on the dracaena in the evening.
Improper watering
Insufficient or, on the contrary, excessive watering can adversely affect the state of the dracaena, the leaves will curl, turn yellow, dry and fall off. Meanwhile, it is very simple to establish proper watering: water the plant only as the earthen coma dries slightly. At the same time, make sure that no water stagnates in the pan.
An important condition: a pot with dracaena must be equipped with good drainage - expanded clay or pebbles, which freely pass water and prevent water from accumulating at the bottom of the pot.
Drafts
The pot with dracaena should not stand in drafts, especially cold ones. If you need to ventilate the room and drafts cannot be avoided, protect the plant with at least a rolled newspaper or throw a light cloth over it, otherwise the appearance of dried leaves cannot be avoided.
Root rot
Improper watering of the dracaena or the heavy, air-tight soil in which it grows can cause root rot, and then the plant begins to die - first the leaves dry and fall, then the trunk loses its firmness (it becomes soft to the touch). You can correct the situation only at the very beginning of the process of dracaena death, when you have just noticed negative changes. Shake the earthy ball out of the pot, free the roots from the soil as much as possible and trim them to healthy tissue (healthy roots are strong and light, rotten roots are soft and black). Remove dried leaves as well. Transplant the plant into a pot with nutritious and light soil, sprinkle well, and then leave it alone for 2-3 days. Then, water as usual as the earth clod dries up.
Pests
Dracaena leaves can dry out due to the presence of pests on it. Buy an insecticide from a specialty flower shop and treat the plant. Good help from many pests - spider mites, whiteflies, aphids such drugs as Avertin N, Aktellik, Aktara and others.
Age
Finally, dry leaves may simply be due to their age. Dracaena leaves live for about 2 years. Then they turn yellow or gray, dry and fall off. The aging dracaena is characterized by a "bald", often curved trunk and a lush top. You can cut it and put it in water, it is likely that it will root.
