How to propagate dracaena: cuttings, sow seeds, make air layers
Indoor palms transform our homes into a real tropical jungle. Take, for example, dracaena - its gorgeous foliage and lush crown will not leave indifferent any grower. It is not surprising that many are interested in the question of how to propagate dracaena. And to do this is not at all difficult, because the plant is not bad and grows roots pretty quickly from almost any part.
Dracaena breeding methods
You can get a new bush in several ways:
- from seeds;
- cuttings;
- from air layouts.
The first method is used very rarely in indoor floriculture. Homemade dracaena practically do not bloom, and it is not always possible to find seeds. In addition, variegated plant species can generally reproduce only vegetatively.
Most often dracaena propagated by rooting cuttings. They can be obtained in abundance during the spring formation of the bush. They take root well, although they do not grow very quickly. But as a result, the old bush can be rejuvenated / formed, and new palms can be obtained.
The subtleties of seed reproduction of dracaena
It is better to sow directly into separate small pots, covering each with a cap.
Seeds germinate for a long time, up to 2 months. When the seedlings appear, they need to provide good, but diffused, lighting. Watering should be regular, but you cannot fill it. You can feed it with a mineral complex. When the plants are 5 cm tall, they are transplanted into a larger grower pot.
How to propagate dracaena by cuttings?
The house palm stretches over time, and its lower leaves fall off. As a result, the lower part of the trunk turns out to be bald, which does not adorn the dragon tree in any way. She also reluctantly branches herself and can grow into one trunk. To make the lower kidneys wake up, the "extra" trunk is cut off.
You can use a cut stem for reproduction in two ways:
- By rooting the top of the plant.
- Having cut the trunk itself into cuttings.
Both apical and stem cuttings take root either directly in the ground or in water with further planting in the soil. In this case, the shanks can be planted both vertically and horizontally. The top is rooted only "standing".
Propagation of palm trees by air layers
To get a layering, you will have to disturb the bush a little. To do this, on a bare trunk, where a leaf once grew, an incision should be made across. It is not necessary to cut off completely, it is enough to reach the middle of the shoot. It is better to insert a chip or a match into the resulting gap - this way the cut will not be able to overgrow. Wrap around with wet sphagnum and wrap with foil on top. Moss must be sprayed regularly to prevent it from drying out. After a while, a young twig will grow in the place of the incision. When its roots grow through the moss, it will be possible to carefully cut off the layers and plant them.