🌿 My dracaena was stretched out, stems thin, leaves hanging—plant looks tired, almost giving up 😢 One cut in the right place, and it wakes up 🙈 Did it once—watched mine come to life. Step-by-step way in the article below 🔥👇
Dracaena is a beautiful plant, but over the years, it can lose its neat look. Its stems grow long, get thin, and start bending under the weight of the leaves.
But don’t worry! If you trim it the right way, you can bring back its beauty and even grow new plants.
Why trim dracaena?
As time goes by, dracaena’s tall stems become thinner and begin to bend. This makes the plant look messy and untidy.
Instead of getting rid of it, you can cut it back to help it grow a new, lush top. Plus, pruning is a great way to grow more dracaena from cuttings.
How to trim dracaena correctly
1. Get your tools ready
Take sharp scissors or garden shears. Make sure to disinfect them before cutting, so you don’t spread any disease to the plant.
2. Pick where to cut
Cut the stem about 5 cm below the leaves. Make a clean, straight cut without leaving jagged edges.
3. Treat the cut
To stop the cut from rotting, sprinkle charcoal or activated charcoal over the fresh cut.
4. Root the top part
The top part you cut off can be placed in water until roots grow. You can also plant it straight into the soil after dipping it in a rooting solution.
5. Trim the trunk
The leftover stem can be cut down to the height you want. This will help the plant grow new branches. If you cut the stems at different heights, the new leaves will form a fuller, bushier top later.
6. Help new shoots grow
After trimming, put the plant in a warm spot. Water it regularly and keep the air humid. In about 3 to 4 weeks, new shoots will start to grow.
How to grow new dracaena from cuttings after trimming
Besides growing the top part, there are other ways to get new plants from cuttings:
Vertical method – Cut the stem into small pieces about 7 cm long. Push them 2-3 cm into moist sand, perlite, or vermiculite.
Horizontal method – Lay the cuttings flat on damp soil, press them lightly, and cover them with plastic to create a greenhouse effect.
Roots usually appear in about 1 to 1.5 months. By the end of the second month, new shoots will grow.
Final thoughts
Cutting back dracaena is a simple but effective way to make the plant look young and fresh again. It’s also a good chance to get more plants.
If your dracaena has started looking weak and stretched out, follow these steps and give it a fresh start!
