Dracaena - spectacular evergreen. It can be found both in apartments and in office premises. It is valued by amateur flower growers and designers for its attractiveness and unpretentiousness. However, despite its undemanding and unpretentious nature, dracaena suffers from unintentional errors in care, attacks by pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses and harmful insects. This negatively affects her presentability. Therefore, you need to know what symptoms are characteristic of a particular disease or pest, and how to deal with them.
How to create an optimal microclimate for dracaena
Dracaena is quite unpretentious, and there is nothing difficult in creating an optimal microclimate for it at home. But you should still listen to the requirements of the plant, trying to create for it an environment as close as possible to the one to which it is accustomed in nature.
Dracaena is a popular (not least because of its unpretentiousness) indoor plant
Table: suitable conditions for growing dracaena
| Factor | Recommendations |
| Location | Not far (1–2 m) from a window facing east or west. It is not recommended to place it close to a south window to avoid sunburn. In the summer, if dimensions allow, you can take the container out into the fresh air. Dracaena loves it, but does not tolerate cold drafts. |
| Lighting | Diffuse light or light partial shade. Views from variegated leaves more demanding on lighting. All dracaenas can exist in completely artificial light if the daylight hours last for at least 12 hours. |
| Temperature | In spring and summer - moderately warm (20–25ºС). Dracaena does not tolerate heat well. In winter it is slightly reduced - to 17–19ºС. The lower limit is 15ºС. Exceptions are fragrant dracaena, Hooker, Dragon (tolerate short-term drops to 10ºС). All species react negatively to sudden temperature changes. A difference of 10ºС or more can lead to the death of the plant. |
| Air humidity | It normally exists at standard air humidity of 40–50% (Dragon and Godsphere dracaenas are especially undemanding to it), but responds with gratitude to any measures to increase it. The only thing you should not do is pour water into the pan. In winter, heating radiators dry out the air greatly, so spraying is recommended every 2-3 days. warm water ambient air. In the summer, when it’s hot, you can spray the plant itself, but so that the drops do not fall into the sockets, or arrange a shower by covering the soil with polyethylene. Be sure to wipe the leaves with a wet cloth or sponge at least once a week. |
Choose a place for the dracaena not far from the window; placing it on the windowsill due to its size is very difficult
In addition to the optimal microclimate big influence timely applied fertilizing and correct mode glaze.
In summer, you need to let the soil in the pot dry out to about 4–5 cm deep. This can be determined by sticking a wooden stick into the pot. One procedure every 2-3 days is enough. In winter, the intervals are increased to 5–7 days. In wet soil when kept cool, rot quickly develops. Broad-leaved dracaenas need to be watered more often - they have a larger area of evaporation. A clear signal is drooping leaves that have lost their tone. And do not forget to loosen the soil after each procedure.
Material about the conditions of keeping Dracaena Sander will also be useful:
As for fertilizing, there are special fertilizers for dracaenas. Nutrient solution The tree is watered once every 20–30 days, thoroughly moistening the soil in about half an hour. If used universal remedy for indoor plants, pay attention to the composition. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen can lead to deterioration appearance leaves. And dracaena categorically does not tolerate fluoride.
Video: maintaining and caring for a flower at home
Typical diseases and pests of dracaena and their prevention
Dracaena, which is properly cared for, is quite resistant to damage by various pathogenic fungi, viruses and bacteria. Most often, these types of plant problems are the result of unintentional mistakes by the owner. An invasion of pests, even a massive one, is also unlikely to lead to its death, but will cause a lot of trouble for the grower.
The most dangerous for it are all kinds of rot, as well as bacterial and viral diseases, which cannot be cured with modern means. In this case, the plant must be destroyed as quickly as possible, no matter how sorry it may be. Otherwise, you may lose your entire collection.
Most often, to avoid problems with dracaena, competent prevention is sufficient:
- quarantine for newly acquired plants for 25–30 days;
- regular inspections of the entire collection (ideally through a magnifying glass) and immediate isolation of “suspicious” specimens;
- free, without crowding, placement of pots;
- frequent ventilation of the room and maintaining high air humidity;
- placing indoor and cut flowers as far as possible from each other, especially if they are roses or chrysanthemums;
- mandatory sterilization before using pots, substrate, and any tools;
- treatment of all “wounds” inflicted on dracaena in;
- following recommendations for plant care, especially those related to watering and fertilizing;
- maintaining cleanliness - regularly wiping dust from leaves and carrying out other permitted water procedures.
Diagnosis of the problem
The plant gives the grower unambiguous signals. Deterioration of its appearance - a clear sign health problems. It is important to correctly interpret these signs and know what to do in each specific case.
Table: symptoms and possible causes
| External manifestations | Possible reasons | ||
| Errors in care | Disease | Pest | |
| Yellowing and withering leaves. | Their lifespan is about two years. Otherwise - excessive watering | ||
| Fading, shrinking leaves, deformed, thinning trunks. | Lack of light. | ||
| Falling green leaves. | Unsuitable room temperature (both high and too low), constant cold drafts. | ||
| Drying, curling and falling leaves. | Too little watering. | ||
| Dry brown leaf tips. | Low indoor humidity. | ||
| Dry ends and small areas dead tissue on the leaves. | Excess fluoride in the soil - using unsuitable fertilizers or watering with hard, unsettled water. | ||
| Leaves losing color and yellowish or almost discolored spots on them. | Burn from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. It is almost inevitable if the plant has been sprayed before. Water drops focus rays just as well as lenses. | ||
| Yellowish-white spots on the leaves, dry edges. | Low room temperature or sudden changes. | ||
| A discolored “watery” border along the edge of the leaf. | Excess fertilizer in the soil (too frequent fertilizing). | ||
| Reddening leaves. | Unsuitable, too heavy soil with a predominance of peat. | ||
| Small white crystals on the underside of the leaf. | A natural phenomenon provoked by a single heavy watering combined with high humidity. | ||
| Slow growth or its complete absence. | Unsuitable soil, lack of fertilizing for a long time, or too tight a pot. | ||
| A coating similar to flour on the leaves. | |||
| Brownish trunk, soft to the touch. | |||
| Brownish spots, gradually becoming covered with gray “lint”. | |||
| Dark “watery” spots, softening tissue. | |||
| Yellowing leaves covered with dark brown spots. | |||
| Reddish-yellow, gradually turning brown spots on the leaves. | |||
| Brown spots on leaves with a bright green border. | |||
| Small beige spots with a white dot in the center. | |||
| Elongated beige spots with a pale red border. | |||
| Vague brown spots with a yellow-green border. | |||
| Dark “watery” tips of leaves, “ulcers” on the trunk. | |||
| Brownish spots and stripes cast in bronze. | |||
| Yellow spots on the leaves, petioles entwined with cobwebs. | |||
| Silvery “scratches” and small black dots on the leaves. | |||
| Brown “plaques” on the leaves, reddish-yellow tissue around them. | |||
| Small lumps of whitish substance in the axils of leaves and in the soil. | |||
| Many small yellow-green or black-brown insects on the underside of the leaves and sticky drops on them. | |||
What errors in care lead to: examples in the photo
Dracaena, whose leaf tips dry out, suffers from too low air humidity or sunburn. Dracaena can shed its leaves for several reasons, including natural ones. This is what dracaena most often looks like before shedding its leaves. Dracaena can very easily get burned if it is sprayed leave the plant in direct sunlight. Browning, drying leaves of dracaena mean long-term neglect of the plant's need for moisture. Yellowing of leaves of dracaena reacts to overwatering
Diseases and how to cope with them
Of the fungal diseases for dracaena, the most dangerous are all types of rot, which develop very quickly with improper watering. If at the same time the temperature in the room is still maintained below normal, this is almost inevitable.
Table: diseases typical for dracaena
| Disease | Symptoms | Treatment and prevention |
| Small, round, pale brown spots on the trunk and leaves with a whitish dot in the middle that quickly changes color to black-gray. Gradually, the tissues in these places die. |
For prevention, treat the flower and soil once a month with a 0.1% solution of Fundazol, Topsin-M. |
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| Elongated beige spots with a reddish border on the leaves. Gradually they become covered with a layer of greenish-gray plaque. | ||
| Phyllosticosis (brown spot) | Blurry Spots irregular shape beige- Brown with lime rim. Then small black “grains” form in the middle. At risk are adults and especially old dracaenas. |
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| Dark brown “watery” tips of leaves, brown spots on them, small round “ulcers” on the trunk and petioles. Healthy tissues are separated from infected ones by a wide yellow “oily” stripe. | There are no effective treatments. The development of bacteriosis is provoked by constant dampness in the pot, heat in the room, and alkaline soil unsuitable for dracaena. | |
| Spotted wilt (bronzing) | The leaves are almost completely covered with stripes and irregular spots. At artificial lighting they are brownish and cast bronze in the sun. Dracaena growth almost stops, new leaves are small and deformed. | By using modern means it is impossible to get rid of the virus. Plants that are not fed are more likely to suffer from spotted wilt. A deficiency of potassium and phosphorus is harmful for dracaenas. |
| Yellowness spreading along the leaves from bottom to top. There is a “watery” border along the edge. The top of the trunk withers. It itself becomes thinner and changes color to brick. In particular severe cases dracaena becomes covered with “wetting” brown spots. |
For prevention, add Fitosporin-M to water for irrigation. When replanting, add Gumistar and Trichovit to the soil. |
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| Root (black) rot | Brown roots and bases of the trunk, mold on the soil and an unpleasant putrid smell coming from it. |
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| Bacterial (wet) rot | Dark “watery” spots on leaves and trunk. The tissues in these places soften to a semi-liquid state. | |
| Pale brown spots on the leaves, gradually covered by a layer of grayish “lint” with multiple small black inclusions. |
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| Brown rot (rhizoctoniosis) | Dracaena stops growing. The leaves turn yellow, become discolored, and then become covered with black-brown spots. |
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| Small brownish spots with a bright green border on the leaves. |
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| Leaves seem to be dusted with flour. Gradually this plaque thickens and turns brown. |
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Photo gallery: what does a plant look like when it is infected with pathogenic fungi and bacteria
It seems that powdery mildew- this is a harmless coating that is easy to erase, but this is by no means true Brown spotting is a rather rare disease Dracaena affected by brown rot practically stops growing gray rot easy to recognize, but difficult to cure Tissues affected by bacterial rot turn into a semi-liquid mass Root rot It is very difficult to recognize in time, but the disease can only be treated in the early stages of development. Plants in the garden most often suffer from fusarium, but indoor plants are not protected from infection. A plant affected by spotted wilt can only be thrown away. It is not yet possible to cure bacteriosis. Phyllosticosis most often affects adult and old dracaenas. The greenish-gray coating that appears as heterosporosis develops contains fungal spores. Tissues affected by Alternaria gradually die off, holes remain on the leaves
Video: treatment of dracaena diseases
Pests attacking dracaena
Most pests, even if they multiply in large numbers, will not kill the dracaena. But this does not mean that you do not need to fight them. The plant did not “bring” any exotic insects from its historical homeland. You will have to deal with the most common insects and mites that feed on its juice.
Table: common pests
| Pest | Symptoms | Control and prevention measures |
| Round "plaques" different shades brown on the underside of the leaf. Gradually they “swell”, the tissues around them acquire an unnatural yellow-red color. In especially severe cases, the soil turns black. |
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| Thin almost transparent threads entwining the petioles. On the underside of the leaf there are brown dots and vague pale or yellowish spots around them. |
For prevention, spray the plant weekly with a decoction of cyclamen tubers. Or irradiate the leaves with a quartz lamp for 2-3 minutes on both sides. |
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| Discolored leaves, small black dots and thin silver-beige “scratches” are visible on the underside. |
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| Lumps of a coating similar to dirty cotton wool in the axils of the leaves and at the base of the trunk. The leaves quickly turn yellow and dry out. |
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| Large colonies small insects, clinging to the underside of leaves (especially young ones) and the top of the trunk. Then a sticky transparent coating appears. |
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Photo gallery: what pests that attack dracaena look like
Aphids are distinguished by their rare “omnivorousness”; dracaena is also among its interests. If you do not pay attention to the mealybug, very soon the plant will be covered with a continuous carpet of moving “fluff”. Small black dots on the leaves are nothing more than the thrips themselves Spider mite- not an insect, therefore, to combat it, not general insecticides are used, but special preparations - acaricides. Durable shell of the scale insect - reliable protection from the majority folk remedies
Video: common pests of indoor plants and how to combat them
Plant resuscitation
Most often, the owner is to blame for the fact that the dracaena requires urgent resuscitation. It reacts most painfully to improper watering - “drought” or “swamp” in the pot.
In the first case, cut off all the dry leaves to living tissue, without touching the growth point at the top of the dracaena. Spray with a solution of any biostimulant every 2-3 days. Rearrange it as closer to the southwest or southeast window. Water according to instructions. If the roots are not damaged, after 2-3 months the dracaena will give new leaves. When the growing point has dried out, you will have to cut it off and hope that the side buds will “wake up”. But there is not much chance of this.
In a waterlogged substrate, the development of rot is almost inevitable. Dracaena needs to be replanted as quickly as possible, regardless of the time of year. But this procedure does not guarantee success; it will only be effective for early stage development of the disease. During the process, be sure to cut off all roots affected by the fungus, and do not forget to sterilize the new pot and soil. At first, be very careful with watering, but spray the dracaena daily. Select the container according to the size of the root system (plus a maximum of 2–3 cm).
What to do with a broken dracaena palm
Dracaena is a rather massive plant, so aboveground part It might just overweight the pot. Also, often the “fractures” she received are the result of the vigorous activity of children and pets. IN in this case don't be upset. If done correctly, instead of one plant you will get two.
A broken dracaena is not a reason to cause a tragedy
The easiest way is when the barrel is broken, but not broken completely. “Splints” are placed on it, as if on an arm or leg, and the skin is fixed so that it covers the “wound” as much as possible. You can wrap the top with strips of sphagnum moss or coconut fiber.
Don't forget to "seal" the cut you make.
Otherwise, the remaining part of the plant in the pot:
- Saw off the trunk evenly just below the damage site. It is advisable to do this along the “scars” left by fallen leaves.
- Disinfect the cut with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate or 1% Bordeaux mixture.
- Fill with liquid wax, paraffin, cover with garden varnish. If you don't have anything on hand, apply 2-3 coats of oil paint.
- Place the plant in partial shade. Water moderately. When growth buds form, return to normal care.
Material on methods of propagating dracaena will also be useful:
The side buds on the dracaena “wake up” for quite a long time, be patient
Broken top:
- Cut at an angle of approximately 45º. Try to do this as smoothly as possible, without fraying or nicks. Let dry for 2-3 hours.
- Remove offending leaves. Place in a container with the biostimulant prepared according to the instructions. Can be used succinic acid and activated carbon (one tablet for every 200 ml). An alternative is rooting in damp perlite, vermiculite, or sand. The cut will need to be sprinkled with any powdered root formation stimulator.
- Change the water every 3-4 days, moisten the substrate regularly. Provide bottom heating, at least 12 hours of daylight and a temperature of approximately 25ºC.
- Be patient. The rooting process can take 3–4 months or even six months. When will the first one appear? new leaf, transplant the plant into soil suitable for adult dracaenas.
Most often, the broken top of dracaena is rooted in water
Video: rooting dracaena cuttings
Dracaena, like any indoor plant, is not immune to attacks from diseases and pests. However, it is quite resistant to them, and a tree that is properly cared for rarely suffers. However, individual errors in care, pathogenic fungi and bacteria can cause a deterioration in the appearance of dracaena. If nothing is done, the plant may even die. Therefore, it is important to be able to recognize what causes certain symptoms and know what to do to cope with the problem.
The appearance of a white coating on the stem and leaves of dracaena is a characteristic symptom of mealybug infection.
On a note! The pest is highly mobile, so if you find a mealybug on a dracaena, you should inspect nearby plants.
Brief description of the pest
Characteristic signs of mealybug
The sizes of adults vary from 3 to 7 mm. Occasionally, larger specimens are also found, reaching a length of 9-10 mm.
Interesting! The mealybug prefers to colonize leaf sinuses, forms numerous colonies on young shoots of dracaena, and in the case of mass infection, on the leaves of the plant. Except leaf form There is also a root of the pest. Rootbugs primarily spend their lives on plant roots, but if there is a shortage nutrients The above-ground parts are not neglected either.
Insects prefer moist, warm, draft-free places. Using stylets, they attach themselves to plants and feed on their juices. After mating, females, with the exception of viviparous species, lay eggs in peculiar cotton masses. The fertility of a female individual reaches 600 eggs. The oviposition period lasts 1-2 weeks, after which the females die off.
Very often, oviposition is found in the axils of leaves, cracks in the bark, between shoots, along the veins, which greatly complicates their detection.
Mealybug visible to the naked eye
The eggs, reliably protected by their downy shell, are not afraid of water and many chemicals, which in turn contributes to the conservation of the population. After 10-20 days, young larvae hatch from the eggs. Newborn individuals do not yet have any plaque and begin to actively disperse in search of a food source. By selecting appropriate place, they immediately start eating. The supply of nutrients provokes the release of sticky liquid and the larvae gradually become covered with a characteristic white coating.
Causes of the pest
Optimal conditions for the development and reproduction of insects: high indoor humidity and air temperature within 25°C. Spring and autumn are accompanied by a peak in mealybug activity; during these periods their numbers are especially high.
Transplanting into contaminated soil or taking the plant outside increases the chances of the flower becoming infected. But still, predominantly, the main factors influencing the development of the mealybug population on dracaena are errors in care:
- excess or deficiency of moisture;
- incorrect choice of plant location, inappropriate temperature conditions, high humidity in room;
- lack of regular water procedures, inattentive inspection of the flower to identify insects, untimely removal of dead fragments and diseased leaves;
- ignoring quarantine measures after purchasing a new plant.
On a note! Insufficient attention to soil disinfection is the reason for the appearance of many pests on indoor plants. Before transplanting the dracaena into new soil, the soil is kept in the freezer or treated with boiling water and a 1% manganese solution. When using the old flower pot, the container also needs to be disinfected.
Methods for controlling mealybugs
If single individuals are found, they are removed using tweezers, and the leaves and the window sill on which the plants are located are treated with a soap-vodka solution. To prepare it, a teaspoon of crushed laundry or green soap is dissolved in hot water. Then bring the volume to 1 liter and add a tablespoon of medical alcohol. Having previously covered the substrate in the flowerpot, spray the dracaena with a spray bottle. Regular visual inspection to make sure there are no offspring.
If the number of mealybugs exceeds 10, dracaena needs treatment. All visible individuals are removed using a toothpick, a cotton swab, tweezers, and the plant itself is treated with a chemical. The following products are used to treat leaves and stems:
- "Aktellik" - destroys pests in one procedure. The drug is toxic, so do not neglect personal protective equipment.
- "Aktara" - used for soil application and foliar spraying. To completely get rid of insects, 2 treatments are necessary.
- "Intavir" is a drug with enteric contact action.
“Tsvetofos”, “Fosbecis”, “Decis”, “Fitoverm”, “Confidor” are also used. “Talstar”, “Bazudin”, “Arrivo” are used for soil cultivation.
Important! Before using the drug, a test should be carried out to determine the plant's sensitivity to the product. To do this, treat one leaf and observe the reaction of the dracaena for 1-2 days. Many insecticides are toxic to people, so treatment is carried out in a well-ventilated area, or outdoors, wearing rubber gloves.
Treatment of dracaena from mealybug involves 2-3 treatments. The drugs do not have an ovicidal effect - they do not have a detrimental effect on pest eggs. Therefore, after 7-10 days, in order to destroy new offspring, the procedure is repeated.
Folk recipes
Most flower growers are skeptical about the use of folk remedies, considering them ineffective against the pest. However, in the early stages of infection, they can help in the fight against harmful insects.
Important! When treating dracaena from mealybugs, it is isolated in separate place. All nearby plants are regularly inspected with a magnifying glass and treated if necessary.
Dracaena is a common indoor plant, which today is found both in apartments and in office spaces. However, sometimes a flower is affected by diseases and pests, and in order to get rid of them, it is necessary to take appropriate measures. Sticky droplets or brown spots - all this indicates the presence of the disease. In this article we will tell you what pests and diseases of dracaena there are, as well as how to cure them.
Dracaena diseases are very dangerous and can lead to the death of the flower. There may be many reasons why dracaena gets sick, but in most cases this is due to incorrect. Let's consider the main diseases of dracaena and methods of their treatment.
Alternaria blight
If you see brown spots on the trunk and leaves of your dracaena, this is most likely Alternaria blight. Dots may also appear in the middle of these spots. white, which change color to dark gray over time. Soon the affected leaves and sections of the trunk die.
What to do to save the plant? An infusion based on wood ash or a solution of colloidal sulfur will help here. You can also use Topaz. The procedure will have to be repeated three times with an interval of 10 days, after which the plant will return to normal.
Heterosporosis
First, small beige spots appear on the leaves, surrounded by a reddish border. Over time, a green coating begins to form in these places.
The drug “Topaz” will also help here, as well as “Oxychom” or “Kuprozan”. It is necessary to carry out processing according to the instructions.
Phyllosticosis
Characteristic brown spots of irregular shape appear on the leaves of diseased dracaena. Dark grains will soon appear in the middle of each such spot. Gradually, the affected areas begin to die.
How to get rid of misfortune? Firstly, it is necessary to remove all infected areas; nothing can be done to help them. Cut them off sharp knife and sprinkle the cut areas with cinnamon. Select one of the preparations (“Topaz”, “HOM”, “Skor”) and treat the plant according to the instructions.
Bacteriosis
With this disease, the tips of the leaves turn brown and small sores form on the trunk. With bacteriosis, the boundary between infected tissues and healthy areas of the plant is clearly visible.
Unfortunately, it is useless to treat bacteriosis. Therefore, if you have diagnosed this disease in your flower, it is better to purchase a new one and destroy the diseased plant.
Spotted wilt
This is a very dangerous disease in which stripes and spots of various shapes appear on the leaves of dracaena. As a rule, they are brown in color, but sometimes have a reddish tint. A diseased plant experiences an almost complete cessation of growth, and the new leaves that appear are too small and deformed.
As in the previous case, no cure for this disease was found. Therefore, get rid of the infected flower and thoroughly disinfect the pot.
Fusarium
If you appear on the leaves yellow spots, most likely it is fusarium. Also syndromes of the disease are wilting of the top of the plant and a gradual change in the color of the plant itself. Sometimes the flower can be completely covered with yellowish spots.
How to deal with the disease? To remove yellow spots, you must first rinse the plant thoroughly and then remove all affected areas. Sprinkle the cut areas with cinnamon or crushed activated carbon. Afterwards, you need to treat it with one of the drugs of your choice (“Fundazol” or “Vectra”), according to the instructions. If you still have not gotten rid of the infection with the help of these drugs, you can try something more radical - “Kvardis” or “Bravo”.
Root rot
The soil becomes heavily moldy and smells unpleasant. At the same time, the roots of the plant and the base of the trunk become brown. The trunk may even begin to wrinkle.
The first step is to remove the plant from the pot and inspect the roots. Remove all damaged roots immediately, also cutting off a little healthy tissue to prevent the disease from spreading further. The root system should be placed in a solution of Bordeaux mixture for half an hour, and after removal, treated with wood ash and placed in a new sterile pot.
Bacterial rot
If the trunk is wrinkled and dark, watery spots appear on the leaves, you are most likely faced with wet rot.
We proceed in the same way as with root rot: remove the plant from the pot, cut off the affected roots and replant it in a new container.
Gray rot
Numerous brown spots appear on the leaves, which are gradually covered with a grayish coating with numerous inclusions of dark color.
The first thing to do is to get rid of the affected areas and disinfect the cut areas. Next, you need to rinse the plant and treat it with Topaz. After this, you should water your flower for a month with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Brown rot or rhizoctonia
The first symptom of the disease is cessation of flower growth. First the leaves acquire yellow, but gradually brighten. At the last stage of the disease, they become abundantly covered with dark spots.
First, stop watering the plant. After 5 days, remove the dracaena from the pot, clean the roots from the soil and soak in the Baktofit solution for 10 hours. After they dry, transplant the plant into a new pot.
Brown spot
Many small brown spots appear on the leaves, surrounded by a bright green border.
The plant can be saved only if the disease has not gone too far. All affected areas of the flower should be removed, the cut areas should be treated, and then the dracaena should be provided with optimal conditions content, carefully fulfilling everything necessary requirements for plant care.
Powdery mildew
If white specks appear on the leaves, similar to flour, and over time a white coating appears - this is powdery mildew, one of the most common diseases. At the first stage, the spots may look like dust, but over time, if the disease worsens, it becomes much more difficult to get rid of them.
Get rid of plaque by wiping the leaves with a solution of potassium permanganate, and then powder with activated carbon. Also treat the flower twice with a solution of any fungicide.
Attacking pests
In addition to diseases, there are also various pests of dracaena. Bugs (mites, aphids or scale insects) can become a real scourge. For example, the mealybug on dracaena, like its small white larvae, causes a lot of trouble for the owners of the flower garden. There are also many problems with aphids on dracaena (although aphids are quite easily removed with a soap solution). Sticky transparent drops on the leaves are a very unpleasant phenomenon. Apart from these insects, there are several other pests that can destroy your flower.
Spider mite
Spider mites are small little spiders that weave their webs around the leaves and petioles of plants. Another signal indicating the appearance of these pests is the presence of brown dots on the leaves of dracaena. Over time, the leaves become darker and darker and eventually fade.
An alcohol or soap solution that needs to be used to wipe the leaves of the plant will help here. Also, increase the humidity level as much as possible by spraying the dracaena, and then cover it with a plastic bag for several days, ventilating the plant from time to time. As a last resort, you can use acaricides (Apollo, Sunmite), but they are very toxic, and you will need several treatments to get rid of the problem.
Shchitovka
On inside brown “plaques” appear on the leaf, which grow over time, and the areas around them acquire a reddish tint. In advanced cases, even the soil may begin to turn black.
Treat the dracaena with an alcohol solution and manually collect all insects from the surface of the flower. You can also use a soap solution. After that, use Aktara to consolidate your success.
Thrips
The leaves gradually lose color and become lighter, but on their inner side you can easily notice small black dots.
Get rid of thrips using a soap solution. After treatment, you need to cover the plant with a plastic bag and leave it for a couple of days, remembering to ventilate occasionally. If this does not help, use Fitoverm or Actellik and treat the dracaena according to the instructions.
Video “If there are pests in the dracaena tree”
Mealybugs are hairy insects that look like small fleas. They suck the juice from the plant, so the flower grows slowly, gets sick and may die. At the first symptoms of mealybug on dracaena, it is necessary to take measures to combat it. In this article we will tell you how to get rid of mealybugs on dracaena, consider methods of control and preventive measures.
What are the signs that indicate that there are pests on the dracaena?
Insects can be detected with the naked eye. They look like small lumps of cotton wool or fluff. Symptoms of scale insects living on dracaena are:
- leaves are sticky because insects leave behind sticky secretions;
- plant growth slows down, decorativeness decreases;
- the stem bends, it becomes deformed and dries out;
- leaves decrease in size, turn yellow, dry out and fall off;
- There may be eaten areas on the leaves that turn brown over time;
- A white coating, similar to cotton wool, appears on the surface of the soil or on the inner walls of the pot.
The most dangerous root mealybug that attacks the roots. It is determined by white plaque on the roots of dracaena. If a houseplant suddenly begins to hurt and stops growing without visible reasons , should be inspected root system
for the presence of insect pests.
Description of mealybug on dracaena
| This type of pest is most often found on indoor plants. The insects reach 12 mm in length, they are mobile, and the males have wings. These features make it difficult to control scale insects. Insects easily move from one plant to another. Description of mealybugs in the table. | Characteristic |
| Description | Appearance |
| White hairy bugs, the body of females is grayish, orange or pink | Length |
| From 0.5 mm to 12 mm, the average size is 3.5 mm | Body Shape |
| Body soft, elongated, oval-round | The period of growing up of an insect |
| The insect will grow from the larva in 1.5 months | Presence of wings |
| Females do not have wings, but males of some varieties have wings but no mouthparts | Reproduction |
Females lay eggs; 2-4 generations are distributed per year, depending on the species.
- The waxy coating that covers the body of the insect protects it from chemicals and makes it immune to insecticides.
- Seaside. This is the most common type of pest. Females grow up to 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width. They are gray-pink in color. They lay eggs in the axils of leaves, where they cannot be reached.
- Root. It is the largest in size of all species. The female is pinkish in color and up to 10 mm long. Lives on roots and root collars.
Prevention of mealybug on dracaena
To prevent damage to dracaena, it is worth remembering that the pest starts when the soil is waterlogged, so you should not overwater the flower. Be sure to place drainage at the bottom of the pot so that water does not stagnate at the roots. Dracaena is regularly inspected. The likelihood of infection increases if the flower is taken out into the fresh air in the summer or transplanted into new soil.
Prevention measures are as follows:
- Keep your dracaena clean by washing the leaves regularly.
- Do not overwater the flower or place the pot in a draft.
- Stick to it temperature conditions flower content.
- Remove dry and diseased leaves.
- When planting or replanting, use only purchased soils, if you take garden soil, then it must be disinfected.
Tip #1. Isolate the sick plant from the rest, otherwise the bug will move to healthy indoor flowers.
How to remove mealybug from dracaena?
A population of more than two scale insects requires the use of chemicals. Insects are removed from the flower with a toothpick, and the dracaena is sprayed with chemicals. Effective drugs we present in the table.
| Drug name | Action | How to use? |
| "Aktellik" | One of the most powerful chemicals for controlling pests on indoor flowers, but very toxic. After one treatment, the pests die. | Dissolve 2 ml of the product in 2 liters of water. |
| "Aktara" | Systemic insecticide. When foliar sprayed, it protects for up to 28 days; when applied in soil, it provides protection from 40 to 60 days. | Treat twice with an interval of 10 days. For 10 liters of water use 4 g of product. If the drug does not help in this proportion, then the concentration is increased to 4 g per 5 l. |
| "Karbofos" | Broad-spectrum insectoaccaricide. It is valid for up to 20 days. Has no smell. The disadvantages include the fact that it only acts on those parts where the solution gets in. | 60 g per 8 liters of water. |
| "Intavir" | Enteric-contact insecticide against pests of indoor flowers. Valid for up to 20 days. | 1 g per 1 liter of water (1 g is an eighth of a tablet of the product). |
It is advisable to spray dracaena once every 10-14 days. To combat mealybugs, an integrated approach is needed. In addition to the drugs in the table, Tsvetofos, Mospilan, Intavir, Fosbecis and others are used. These products are used not only for spraying, but also for shedding the soil. In the latter case, the effectiveness of the chemical increases, since being absorbed by the roots of the flower, it spreads throughout all tissues of the plant. The scale insects suck the juice from the dracaena and die.
Tip #2. To combat mealybugs, use only strong drugs; more gentle ones, such as Fitoverm, Actofit or Akarin will not help. But they can be used for treatments together with systemic insecticides; they enhance the effect.
Broad-spectrum preparations for mealybugs
Spraying the flower with chemicals alone cannot save the flower; be sure to additionally spray the soil with broad-spectrum preparations. Let's look at them in the table.
Among the broad-spectrum biological insecticides, Gaupin is distinguished. It fights pests and protects dracaena from diseases. The drug is not toxic to humans. To treat, 200 g of the product is diluted in 10 liters of water. The solution is spilled on the soil and the flower is sprayed.
Measures to combat root worms
If a bug has grown in the soil and damages the root system of the flower, you must act immediately. In this case, the plants will not live long. The dracaena is removed from the pot and the pot is prepared with new disinfected soil.
It is advisable to take a new pot or disinfect the old one Traditional methods of combating mealybugs
Folk remedies for insects on dracaena should be used only for mild infestations. Once a week, wipe the leaves with soapy water. Spray every week with infusion of garlic, onion, tobacco, tangerine or orange zest.
Used to wipe leaves alcohol tincture calendula Let's learn more about each tool:
- An infusion of citrus zest only helps with mild cases. Leave the peel for 2 days.
- An alcohol solution of soap helps to cope even with a large population of insects. For 1 liter of water take 1 tbsp. l alcohol and 1 tsp. soap Before spraying, cover the ground. The next day, wipe the leaves with plain water. Spraying is repeated every 4 days.
- Calendula tincture is used for mild lesions. The product is used to treat the area where the pest lives.
- Rub the leaves of the diseased flower with garlic tincture. To prepare 4 cloves, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Leave for 4 hours. The effect of the infusion is similar to that of onion or horsetail infusion.
Eat positive reviews from using alcohol-containing skin care lotion. The leaves of dracaena are wiped with the product, as a result of which the mealybug dies. Most often, it is alcohol and soap that have a detrimental effect on insects.
Answers to common questions
Question No. 1. Why do mealybugs appear on dracaena?
Pests can get in with garden soil, with seedlings from greenhouses, bouquets of flowers, or purchased in a store. indoor plants. Favorable conditions for scale insects are high air humidity and low temperature air, less than 21˚С.
Question No. 2. Why are mealybugs dangerous for dracaena? Are insects dangerous for people?
Scale insects pose a threat only to indoor and garden flowers; they are not dangerous to people. Insects suck the juices out of the dracaena, so the flower stops developing. Its immunity decreases, the plant is often susceptible to fungal diseases, especially due to the fact that the scale insects leave behind sticky secretions to which fungi adhere. Often a diseased plant rots and dies.
Question #3. How to disinfect soil for planting dracaena?
Question No. 4. Is it possible to use Fitoverm for scale insects on dracaena?
It is possible, but with a large population of insects it will not be effective. Of course, this drug is not toxic to humans, but you need to spray the flower every week for a month.
Mistakes gardeners make when fighting mealybugs on dracaena
Take protective measures when using chemicals Serious errors are as follows:
- Gardeners begin to fight the pest only after the appearance of adult individuals, and this is not correct. Larvae pose the same threat to dracaena as adult insects.
- Folk remedies do not give 100% results. If there are a lot of pests, then it is better to resort to chemicals. Scale insects adapt to any means, so using the same methods of control will not be effective.
- If there are a lot of insects on the dracaena, then it is useless to collect them. Larvae will remain in the leaves, from which young individuals will soon emerge.
- When using the drug "Actellik" for dracaena, the flower must be sprayed on the balcony or on the street. The fungicide has a strong, pungent odor; if precautions are not taken, you can be poisoned. When processing flowers indoors, Actellik remains on the surface of furniture and other objects for up to 15 weeks.
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