Dracaena is an easy-to-care plant that can be found in apartments, houses, offices. The decorative flower is resistant to diseases, but if improperly cared for or attacked by pests, it quickly loses its attractiveness. To prevent death, you need to learn about diseases dracaenas and methods of combating parasites.
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Content
Description and characteristics of dracaena
The plant belongs to the asparagus family. Its homeland is Africa. In nature, there are more than 100 species of such flowers, but in apartment conditions, 10 varieties are grown. They differ in size, shape, color. In rooms, exotic plants stretch up to 2 m in height, in greenhouses, their trunks can reach 9-10 m.
Dracaena has elongated narrow leaves. They can be green, striped or lanceolate.
Some species have serrations on the edges of the foliage, and the surface is covered with bright yellow spots. The stems are either hanging or erect. The leaves are dense with downward-curved tips, diverging in a rosette.
The following types of dracaena are most often grown in apartments:
- fragrant;
- Deremskaya;
- bordered.
The plant blooms extremely rarely – once every 7-10 years. The buds are pink, white or yellow. The inflorescences emit a subtle sweet aroma.
Signs of diseases
Dracaena is susceptible to various diseases. The reasons for their appearance are improper care, infection or attack by insect pests. In order to detect the pathological process in time, the plant must be inspected regularly.
External signs of disease:
- Abundant shedding of foliage. The greenery "stays" on the trunks for at least 2 years, after which it is gradually renewed. A sign of the disease will be the active falling of leaves, exposure of the trunk.
- Yellowing and paleness of foliage, formation of spots.
- Drying and curling of leaves.
- Flabbiness and wrinkling of the trunk.
- The appearance of rot on the leaves.
The plant often gets sick when the conditions of maintenance are not met, and is affected by fungal infections.
Mistakes in care
Dracaena needs to be provided with an optimal microclimate, creating conditions as close to natural as possible.
When growing the plant, owners make several mistakes:
- do not observe the lighting regime;
- the soil is overwatered or overdried;
- They introduce unsuitable fertilizers and neglect recommended dosages.
For good growth, the plant needs the right soil. It should include peat, clay or perlite. It is permissible to purchase ready-made soil for palms. When replanting, choose a pot larger than the previous one. Failure to comply with these and other growing rules will negatively affect the appearance of the flower.
Low humidity
Dracaena loves high air humidity – at least 50%, otherwise the flower slows down in growth, its leaves become stunted and lifeless. Therefore, novice plant growers are advised to provide suitable conditions for the green pet.
Indoors, water should be sprayed once every 2 days or humidifiers should be used. Irrigation is especially important in winter, when heating devices dry out the air in the apartment.
In summer, you need to spray the trunk and foliage, preventing drops of water from getting into the rosettes. You cannot pour water into the tray.
Too much or too little light
Dracaena loves partial shade. If there is too much light, burns will form on the leaves. If you do not take appropriate measures, the greenery will dry out. If there is not enough sunlight, the foliage will lose its rich colors, and the growth of the flower will stop. To create comfortable conditions for the pet, it is recommended to place the pots on windows facing east or west.
If the dracaena is kept in a dark room, artificial lighting must be provided. Since the plant is adversely affected by direct sunlight, it cannot be placed on southern windowsills or outdoors without shading.
Over- or under-feeding
Deficiency, as well as excess of fertilizers, threatens dracaena with decreased immunity to many diseases. It is necessary to feed the flower with complex fertilizers for asparagus.
It is important to follow the dosage specified in the manufacturer's instructions. Excessive fertilizers have a negative effect on the root system and foliage.
In summer and during the growing season, the plant needs to be watered with nutrient solutions at least 1-2 times a month. In winter, during dormancy, the number of fertilizing is reduced to 1 time in 30 days.
Incorrect watering
Overwatering, as well as insufficient soil moisture, is fraught with consequences.
With excessive watering the following is observed:
- root rot;
- formation of brown spots on leaves;
- softening of the trunk.
Overwatering causes worms, midges, and mold to appear in the soil.
Lack of moisture leads to drying out of the root system, flabbiness and yellowing of the leaves. To avoid these problems, dracaena should be watered as the top 2-3 cm of soil dries out.
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Temperature
Dracaena loves heat. In summer, a comfortable temperature for it is +20…+23 ºC, in winter – not lower than +15 ºC. The plant does not tolerate heat well. When the temperature rises to +30 ºC, the leaves begin to wither and turn yellow. All varieties of dracaena do not tolerate sudden changes in conditions. For example, a decrease or increase in temperature by 10 ºC can lead to the death of the flower.
Diseases and treatment methods
Proper care of dracaena is the key to its resistance to fungal, viral infections, and bacteria. If the gardener makes mistakes, the plant gets sick. Sometimes the green pet is affected by several types of diseases at once.
Alternaria
The pathogen is fungi belonging to the Alternaria family. The external manifestation of the disease is the formation of round brown spots that turn black over time. If left untreated, the greenery dies, and a coating containing fungal spores appears on its surface.
If alternaria is detected, it is recommended to spray the plant with Fundazol.
To prepare the solution, 1 g of the preparation is dissolved in 0.5 l of water. The procedure is carried out three times. The interval is 10 days.
Phyllostictosis
Affects adult and old plant crops. Phyllostictosis is characterized by the appearance of beige-brown spots with a dark border. Control measures are reduced to spraying the foliage with a 1% Bordeaux mixture (once every 10 days). The use of fungicides such as "Horus", "Tersel" is recommended. Before processing, the affected areas are destroyed.
Spotted Wilt
The presence of the disease is indicated by the almost complete covering of the leaves with stripes and spots of irregular shape. Under the rays of the sun, the formations are covered with a bronze coating. During this period, the growth of the flower stops.
There are no drugs to treat the viral disease. You shouldn't leave a bush with spotted wilt on the windowsill - the disease will quickly spread to other crops. The only way out is to destroy the houseplant.
Heterosporosis
The initial stage is characterized by the appearance of yellow spots of an oblong shape on the apical shoots. The lesion spreads along both sides of the leaf blade.
With further development, the formations acquire a dark shade and a dark red border. If timely measures for treatment are not taken, the lesions will quickly spread, the bush will die.
For control, it is recommended to use fungicidal agents - "Topaz", "Falcon", "Quadris". Treatment with Bordeaux mixture according to the instructions is recommended.
Bacteriosis
A bacterial disease that cannot be cured. It affects plants kept in apartments with insufficient air ventilation.
Signs indicating bacteriosis:
- wateriness at the ends of the leaf blade;
- rotting greenery;
- formation of round ulcers on foliage and stems.
A culture infected with bacteriosis must be destroyed to save the rest of the collection.
Powdery mildew
The presence of this disease is indicated by affected foliage. A light coating forms on the plates, which darkens over time and acquires a brown color.
Treatment consists of a number of measures:
- wiping the surface of the leaves with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- dusting the plates with crushed activated carbon;
- treatment with any fungicide.
If measures are taken in a timely manner, powdery mildew will be quickly destroyed.
Stem and root rot
Symptoms of the disease include brown roots and the base of the stem, mold formation on the soil. Rot is accompanied by an unpleasant odor from the soil. To save the bush, you need to remove the dracaena from the container and wash the roots. The affected roots are cut off, the remaining part is soaked in 0.5% Bordeaux mixture for half an hour.
The root sections treated in this way are sprinkled with wood ash. The plant is transplanted into a disinfected pot with new soil. It is recommended to water the planted bush with a 0.5% solution of "Alirin-B" for 4 months.
Pests and methods of control
Dracaena can be attacked by various insects. Pests feed on the juice of the tropical plant, which can cause damage to it. You should not ignore their spread, since harmful microorganisms can destroy the flower and quickly attack other crops.
Mealybug
Symptoms of infection include the formation of a whitish coating on the stems and leaves, the appearance of a sticky mass on the greenery (honeydew). The dracaena attacked by the mealybug withers, loses its decorative effect due to the curvature of the stem and deformation of the shoots.
When replanting, white clusters may be found on the root system.
Methods of combating mealybugs:
- spraying with an alcohol-soap solution, rinsing the stem and rosette with clean water after 3 hours;
- removal of white formations;
- treating the bush and soil with an infusion of tobacco or red pepper.
If there is no effect, the bush is sprayed with Iskra-Bio. It is permissible to resort to all measures in a complex.
Scale insect
When a crop is affected by scale insects, round brown plaques form on the back of the leaf blades. Over time, they "grow", and the damaged tissues acquire a yellow-red hue. The infected bush becomes lifeless, the foliage loses its color saturation, turns pale and soon falls off.
It is difficult to fight the scale insect, since the pest has a protective shell. The fight against the insect comes down to its manual collection with a sponge soaked in a soap solution. For greater efficiency, the plant is treated with insecticidal preparations such as Intavir, Decis, and Actellic.
Thrips
Insects attack the back side of the leaves.
Signs of a parasite attack:
- formation of light spotted spots on greenery;
- leaf blades acquire a light brown hue with a silvery coating;
- a cluster of black spots on the underside of foliage.
To destroy the pest, you need to spray the bush with insecticidal solutions 3-4 times. In case of extensive damage, the number of treatments is increased.
Spider mite
This insect is small in size – up to 0.5 mm. The spider mite is especially dangerous because it feeds on plant sap. In this case, the immunity of the dracaena to other types of diseases decreases. Pest attacks can slow down the growth and development of the crop.
Signs indicating a tick infestation:
- formation of white spots on the underside of the leaves;
- the appearance of a "spider web" on the affected areas;
- chaotic yellowing of greenery.
Treatment consists of irrigating the bush with a soap solution (temperature not lower than 50 ºC) and spraying after drying with “Akarin” or “Fitoverm”.
Aphid
Tiny insects, colonies of which settle on the upper shoots and lower leaves. Aphids suck the juices from the dracaena, causing severe tissue damage. Attacked leaves curl, turn pale, turn yellow and fall off.
Pests are afraid of insecticides, so the fight against parasites comes down to treatment with Iskra or Actellic. Treatment with preparations is carried out once. In case of widespread distribution of aphids, the procedures are repeated until the insects completely disappear.
Other causes of plant problems
Insects, fungi and improper care are not the only problems that dracaena faces. Mature massive bushes often break due to overweight. If the trunk has not broken completely, a “splint” is applied to it and wrapped with coconut fiber on top.
In case of a complete fracture, the stem is sawed off, disinfected with potassium permanganate, and covered with garden pitch. Until the growth buds form, the plant requires moderate watering and partial shade.
A common problem is the causeless darkening of leaves and their subsequent dying off. The "culprits" of senility are fluorine or chlorine contained in tap water. These microelements have a detrimental effect on dracaena. To prevent such problems, you need to water the crops with settled liquid or rainwater.
Preventive measures
When growing dracaena, prevention of various diseases is extremely important. To keep the plant healthy, the gardener should follow the rules of watering, monitor the temperature indicators and protect the bush from drafts and wind.
Preventive measures also include:
- placing the brought plants in quarantine for a month;
- regular inspection of the trunk, foliage and soil under a magnifying glass to identify diseases;
- immediate removal of suspicious specimens;
- cleaning green mass from dust and dirt;
- mandatory sterilization of containers for transplantation;
- replacement of soil mixture once every 3 years.
It is easier and faster to perform these preventive actions than to treat dracaena for diseases later. The result of proper care is a healthy, green plant with beautiful, juicy foliage, pleasing the owner with abundant flowering.
