A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Sad Looking Dracena

When I went for a trip to SOuthern Ontario back at the beginning of July, ( I was going to post this question then but I've been virtually internetless for most of the summer)I put my plants out side figuring I was gonna be away for almost two weeks,July should be warm enough to leave plants out over night. Well Apparently not in Thunder Bay. A few of the plants were dead by the time I got back, most are slowly recovering, but the Dracena lost all but about 3 leaves, it seems to be producing new leaves but the new ones get to be only a few inches long before they die too.
Is there anything that I can do to help the plant recover or is it too far gone?

Thunder Bay! zone 3! Yikes! I am getting goose bumps just thinking about that.

Seriously, Shani, without knowing what happened during those weeks when you were away, it is nearly impossible to tell just what happened. Perhaps your plants got dried out if it didn't rain much. Or maybe the roots started to rot if it rained a lot. And then there is the temperature issue. Dracaenas suffer damage in temps below 50 degrees F.

The key is root condition. If the roots were severely damaged by cold or drought or rot, then your plant may not recover. If they were partially damaged, then there may be a long, slow recovery.

You can be patient and wait to see what develops. Or you can be proactive and unpot the plants and inspect the roots for damage. Damaged roots are either soft and slimy or dry and stringy. If there are a lot of damaged roots, you may want to remove them and the surrounding soil and then downsize into the smallest pot that the remaining healthy rots will fit into.

Good luck!

Has winter started yet in Thunder Bay?! (Just kidding!)

Thanks Will I'll take at look at the roots, As for Thunder Bay, Winter hasn't started but Fall is well under way, the leaves have started to turn and nights are dropping to 10 C (50 F)

Ouch, Shani! I don't know about your keel, but it sure seems that the wind is always at your back up there in Thunder Bay!

Will we hear from you throughout the year or does your computer freeze up in Winter?

I'm hopping to be on this year through out the year but it all depends on how were I end up (I'm couch bouncing currently)

Good luck, Shani. I hope you can bounce your way south and get warm!