How to grow Dracaena? Hydroponic methods and care tips for the "holy herb for blood activation"
Dracaena, also known as the "holy herb for blood activation," the "bleeding tree," and the "long-lived plant." Even those who don't know it have surely heard of the famous medicine "Qili San," and Dracaena is the main ingredient of this medicine. Moreover, Dracaena was recorded by Li Shizhen in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" as the "holy herb for blood activation," with excellent effects of activating blood and resolving stasis, reducing swelling and relieving pain, and astringing and stopping bleeding. Below, the editor of Huinong Network will tell you about the hydroponic methods and care guide for Dracaena.
1. Hydroponic methods
Choose a tall cylindrical glass container with a planting cup, cut off a section of Dracaena, keeping only the top leaves, and let it dry in the air for a few days. After the wound dries, insert the stem cutting so that 1/3 is submerged in water to root. Change the water about every 3-5 days, add a small amount of carbendazim aqueous solution for antisepsis and disinfection, and place it in a spot with sufficient scattered light, using black plastic film for shading.
After water roots grow, appropriately add foliage plant nutrient solution at 1/2 the prescribed concentration, and add clean water about every 7-10 days. In hot summer, replace with new nutrient solution about every 20 days; in winter, replace with new nutrient solution every 30-60 days. The initial liquid level of the nutrient solution should submerge 1/3-1/2 of the root system.
2. Care guide
(1) Temperature and light
The suitable temperature for Dracaena growth is 20-28°C. If it is above 32°C in summer or below 15°C in winter, it will enter a dormant state. Dracaena likes sunlight and is also tolerant of shade, but long-term growth in a dark environment will cause the leaves to fade. Avoid direct sunlight in summer.
(2) Changing water
In the early stage, change the water every 2-3 days for Dracaena. After water roots grow, changing the water every 10-15 days is sufficient.
(3) Fertilizing
When changing the water for hydroponic Dracaena, add nutrient solution at the same time. In summer, when the weather is dry and hot, to keep the leaves clean and moist, you can often spray clean water on the leaf surface.
(4) Pest and disease control
Red spider mites are the pest that infests hydroponic Dracaena. After discovery, manual capture is the main method, and their eggs should be removed to avoid recurrence.
How to grow Dracaena angustifolia? Can Dracaena angustifolia be grown hydroponically?
Dracaena angustifolia has a beautiful form and is very suitable as a potted tree species to embellish the home environment. However, what flower lovers are also very concerned about is how to grow Dracaena angustifolia? Can Dracaena angustifolia be grown hydroponically? Can it survive from cuttings? Let's take a detailed look below!
How to grow Dracaena angustifolia:
1. Temperature: The most suitable growth temperature for Dracaena angustifolia is 20-28°C. In winter, the growing environment should be kept at least above 8°C, otherwise Dracaena angustifolia is very likely to stop growing or suffer frost damage.
2. Soil: Dracaena angustifolia likes loose soil with good drainage and rich humus. If the potting soil is too hard or too dry, loosen the soil in time to maintain air permeability.
3. Watering: Potted Dracaena angustifolia should not be watered too much. During the peak growth season, watering once a week is sufficient. Water less during the dormant period, and at the same time you can often spray water on the leaf surface to maintain relatively high humidity.
4. Fertilizing: Growing Dracaena angustifolia requires light fertilization applied frequently. Fertilizing once every 2-3 months is relatively suitable. For fertilization, you can choose solid compound fertilizer or farmyard manure.
Can Dracaena angustifolia be grown hydroponically:
Generally speaking, hydroponic cultivation of Dracaena angustifolia can also be attempted, but its survival rate may not be as high as that of other hydroponic plants. Dracaena angustifolia grows relatively slowly and roots relatively slowly. During hydroponic cultivation, if problems occur in care, it will not be able to grow new roots.
To change soil-cultivated Dracaena angustifolia to hydroponic cultivation, you need to wash the root system clean and prune it appropriately, then place it in clean water and give it time to adapt and grow new roots. Before rooting, change the water once a day; after rooting, change the water once a week, that is, pour out half of the water and add half fresh water to maintain water quality balance. If you find that Dracaena angustifolia has not rooted for a long time, you can also add some rooting powder to the water to stimulate it to grow roots quickly.
Can Dracaena angustifolia survive from cuttings:
1. Cut off the stem. Use a sharp knife to cut off a section of Dracaena angustifolia stem, preferably with young buds, as it is easier to survive.
2. Dry the stem. Place the cut stem in a dry, ventilated place to dry slightly to avoid infection of the cut.
3. Prepare potting soil. Mix new potting soil, apply sufficient base fertilizer, or buy special flower soil, and put it into a flowerpot of suitable size.
4. Replant. Insert the cut Dracaena angustifolia stem into the soil, taking care not to insert it too deep. The surrounding soil should remain loose to avoid compression.
5. Later care. The planted stem needs careful care. Do not water for the first 2-3 days, then water a small amount every 3-4 days. When you find that it has regained vitality (such as sprouting new side buds), resume fertilizing and other care measures.
Tip: Generally, about 1 month after cutting, Dracaena angustifolia cuttings begin to sprout and root.
Complete guide to hydroponic steps and care methods for Dracaena
Hydroponic steps
1. Select a Dracaena with a well-formed shape and dark green leaves, wash the roots, and prune some old roots.
2. Choose a double-layer tall glass container, wash it clean, and set it aside for use.
3. Put the root-washed Dracaena into a planting basket, and fill the planting basket with maifan stone, orchid stone, or small pebbles.
4. Add water to the tall glass container so that the roots of the Dracaena fitted with the planting basket just touch the water. Place the Dracaena fitted with the planting basket into a plastic bucket or box filled with clean water for water cultivation to promote rooting.
5. Add 3-5 drops of nutrient solution to the tall glass container, add water, then put in one or two goldfish for ornamental viewing, and place the Dracaena that already has new roots into the glass container, allowing part of the root system to extend into the water.
6. In the glass vase, with green above and clean white roots soaking in the water below, and lively small fish swimming around in the water, a work of Dracaena for enjoying both flowers and fish, with movement and stillness complementing each other, is thus completed.
Daily care
1. It is best to keep fish in spring and autumn; it is not suitable to keep fish in summer and winter.
2. In summer, change the nutrient solution to clean water cultivation, and change the water frequently.
3. Choose heat-tolerant and cold-resistant fish, such as Chinese fighting fish, red swordtail, mosquito fish, zebrafish, and other relatively easy-to-keep fish.
4. Because fish are kept in the water, increase the frequency of water changes. If dead fish, rotten flower roots, or cloudy water are found, change the water immediately.
5. Generally, feed fish feed on the day before changing the water, and the amount of feed should be half of that for feeding fish alone.
6. It is best to place some shells, colored stones, or aquatic plants in the container. This can create a habitat for the fish, absorb impurities in the water, improve the clarity of the container, and also serve as decoration.