1/3 loam + 1/3 peat + 1/3 pumice or vermiculite
To grow lush and green, Dracaena marginata plants need fertile and great-draining soil that’s lightly acidic to neutral with a pH value of 6 to 7.
A wonderful DIY recipe for this kind of soil is 1/3 loam, 1/3 peat, and 1/3 pumice or vermiculite.
Speaking of which, loam soil is very versatile and nutritious for plants, peat helps to manage its pH, and pumice enhances its drainage and moisture retention.
In this guide, we will delve more into the best soil for the spectacular Dracaena or dragon tree. We will also look at the soil components you can use, potting mix recipes, and other plant care requirements.
What soil does a Dracaena plant need?
The potting soil should be loamy and drain easily at a moderate rate. You may also want to add organic matter to improve its quality, but it’s not needed.
Being a combination of silt, sand, and clay, loam soil
- has spaces that let water and air flow in and out of it,
- holds moisture longer,
- and is also packed with many essential nutrients—all of which the plant needs.
Dracaenas must have the correct soil in order to flourish. This allows them to grow tall and have narrow, spiky leaves.
Good dracaena soil is conducive to the plant’s growth and development, similar to its native environment in Madagascar. It should mimic or replicate Dracaena’s home soil.
As opposed to other plants, dracaenas aren’t that picky when it comes to soil. In fact, it can endure being nutrient-deficient and dry for long periods.
However, in this poor-quality soil, the plant will have reduced flower growth and less resistance to diseases and pests.
Of course, no one wants this, and that’s why it’s important to provide it with nourishing soil.
Why does the Dracaena need soil with excellent drainage?
Like snake plants and alyssum carpet of snow, Dracaenas can’t bear sitting for long periods in wet soil. This can lead to root rot, fungal disease, and dropping leaves, among other plant health consequences.
Although tropical plants get a lot of warmth and energy from the sun, they also get a lot of rain, which can result in drenched soil that can’t dry properly.
To deal with that issue, the soil has to allow water to drain through the particles comprising it.
Aside from that, it has to have sufficient air pockets. Plants need air to carry out the food-making process of photosynthesis.
To sum up: a plant with excellent drainage generously lets water and air in the soil for hydration and lets it out to stave off overwatering and the ensuing health problems.
What are the different soil components I can use for Dracaena potting mix?
Below are the main soil elements you can use to make a custom dracaena potting soil:
- Loam Soil – As we said earlier, loam soil is an equal mix of sand, silt, and clay. It has a medium texture that balances the water and air passage for strong plant root development.
It’s the most beneficial and balanced type of soil for the dragon plant because of its great drainage, aeration, and moisture retention properties.
By the way, loam already has some organic matter added to it. You may opt to add more to it, though be aware that too much of it will raise the soil’s water retention rate, which can cause root damage.
- Compost – This is composed of a blend of decayed organic matter. like food scraps, coconut fibers, and shredded bark.
Soils can further be improved by mixing compost to boost nutrient count and drainage.
- Peat – This is a type of soil consisting of decomposed organic matter from peat bogs. It takes more than thousands of years for them to form naturally.
One common type of peat is peat moss, sometimes referred to as sphagnum peat moss.
A valuable addition to the potting soil, peat enables the soil to get more air and nutrients as well as retain more moisture.
- Pumice – This is a light and porous volcanic rock sourced from mining areas. It gives the plant better drainage and water-holding capacity.
Because of pumice in the soil, the plant will be better able to channel the water away from it in case you’ve overwatered it.
- Perlite – Similar to pumice, perlite is a small volcanic rock added to garden soils. It’s small and white, resembling marshmallows or styrofoam balls.
It’s tasked to make your soil drain moderately and absorb the needed air in the environment. It also holds enough water to prevent the plant from drying out in the heat.
- Shredded bark – An organic material, they are derived from the bark of trees. Two examples of common shredded bark are pine and orchid barks.
Pine bark enriches the soil by providing it with some vital nutrients. Plus it contains lignin, which helps the plant to have stable soil formation and terrific root growth.
On the other hand, orchid bark aids the soil’s drainage, aeration, and nutrient absorption. It’s mainly recommended for orchids, aroids, and epiphytes but can suit other plants that need well-draining soil just as well!
- Coco coir – Trying to improve the soil’s drainage and moisture retention? One great material to use for that is coco coir or coconut fibers.
These are produced from coconut husks and sport a brown and fibrous appearance.
If where you live is hot and dry, then the plant can benefit from coco coir, as it can hold water that’s ten times its weight to keep it from drying too quickly.
- Vermiculite – Vermiculite is a non-toxic, brown, and squarish mineral that makes a great addition to your potting soil.
It helps retain more water and nutrients for the plant while also giving it ample air.
What DIY Dracaena soil recipes can I create?
Here are the best DIY soil recipes you can create for your Dracaena marginata:
Recipe #1: Standard Potting Soil
- 1/3 loam soil
- 1/3 peat moss
- 1/3 pumice or vermiculite
This is our primary soil recommendation for your Dracaena marginata plant. It has all the things that the plant needs to thrive.
As you can see, the soil ingredients on this list combine to grant drainage, aeration, water retention, and the essential nutrients for the Dracaena plant.
And note that if you don’t have pumice, you can just use vermiculite for better water retention.
Recipe #2 – Soil-less Potting Mix
- 1/3 compost or shredded bark
- 1/3 peat
- 1/3 vermiculite or perlite
If you don’t have loam, you can just create a soil-less potting mix rather than get ordinary house soil.
Ordinary house soil isn’t good for a few reasons. One is that it often doesn’t allow water to drain well.
It doesn’t have the nutrients that the plants need, and also, it may harbor diseases and bacteria from where it’s taken from.
So, pretty much the same materials in the first recipe will be used for this soil-less mix, but instead of loamy soil, you will have to substitute it with compost or shredded bark, like pine or orchid bark.
What nutrients does Dracaena marginata need?
Here are the two types of nutrients every Dracaena should have:
- Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the minerals that are mainly needed by the plant to grow healthy roots, leaves, and stems.
The three important macronutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Each of them has a specific function for the plant.
- Nitrogen – It allows the plant to capture and use solar energy.
Also, it benefits the chlorophyll molecule in its stem and leaves, allowing it to perform photosynthesis and giving leaves their verdant color.
- Phosphorus – On the other hand, phosphorus is focused on optimizing the growth of the plant, affecting seed germination, roots, and foliage.
- Potassium – This equally essential nutrient assists in the regulation of the stomata in response to the sunlight it gets, necessary for photosynthesis.
What’s more, they facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients throughout the plant and play a role in the synthesis of protein and starch.
- Micronutrients
Although the plant needs less amount of micronutrients, they’re still essential to the plant’s natural processes and development.
Among these micronutrients are chlorine, copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, and nickel.
How do I supply the Dracaena marginata with these nutrients?
You can provide the Madagascar dragon tree with all the nutrients it needs, micro and macro ones, by feeding it with a balanced fertilizer. A balanced fertilizer is one that has equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Alternatively, if you can’t somehow obtain the fertilizer from a garden center or flower shop, then you can just amend the soil with organic matter by adding moss, leaves, coffee grounds, or other compost materials to it.
What is the best pot vessel to use for Dracaena marginata?
The best pot vessel to use for Dracaena marginata plants is one that’s made of ceramic or terracotta with drainage holes.
Since the tree can reach up to an incredible 12 feet high indoors and 15 feet high outdoors, these kinds of pots will help support its heavy weight.
Furthermore, these containers help it absorb and wick away moisture through their porous surfaces. These features keep the Dracaena soil healthy and allow it to dry out at a normal rate.
And it’s vital that you get a pot with drainage holes in them. These will serve as an exit for excess water to flow out so that the soil won’t become waterlogged.
More Plant Soil Resources
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