Prune Dracenas: [Importance, Season, Tools, Considerations and Steps]

The dracenas are ornamental plants that are used very frequently in the interiors of houses due to their high decorative value. If we add to this that they require very little care, the positive impact increases much more.

It is a plant that grows steadily, so at any time you may be surprised that it has quite extensive stems.

Its leaves are long and thin, occupying a very large surface, perhaps more than you had thought. Then comes the question of how to prune dracenas to reduce its height and continue enjoying its benefits without affecting it.

Do not worry because today we will talk about just that, detailing the entire process in a very simple way.

Why prune dracaena?

The idea of ​​pruning dracaenas arises from their constant and healthy growth, which leads the plants to have an imposing size.This often creates problems because dracaenas are exotic houseplants, so you can’t afford to overgrow them.

Another reason that is very frequent to advance with a pruning has to do with the health of the specimen. When it is noticed that the plant has developed a part in poor condition or that it has dried or withered, it is best to eliminate it. This last condition does not necessarily imply a large magnitude pruning.

When is it better to carry out pruning of dracenas?

Pruning can be done at any time of the year as long as it is indoors and there is no risk of it being affected by low temperatures.If you are outdoors, it is best to wait for spring or summer when the weather conditions will be better.

What tools should we use when pruning dracaena?

The dracenas do not usually generate excessively thick stems, so a pruning shears will be more than enough to advance the work.

If there is a need to prune a stem that has thickened more than expected, it is possible to rely on a handsaw. Here the most important thing is to ensure that the tool has a good edge so that it can execute the cuts quickly and that they are clean.

In the same way, tools must be well disinfected to prevent the spread of diseases, especially if they are also used with other plants.

What considerations should we take into account when pruning dracenas?

Previewing the entire plant will help define more clearly which branches are worth pruning.Thanks to this simple action you can follow a safer route to avoid causing unnecessary damage.

In addition, it will be possible to concentrate energy and efforts on the points that are convenient, and the work will be faster and safer.

How to prune dracaena without damaging the plant?

The pruning of the dracenas is a really simple job because it will only be enough to remove those parts that are very high.This is one of those species that can be pruned without much risk because it has a really strong structure.

So the steps so that pruning does not become a headache will be the following:

1. Identify the branches you want to prune by arranging them from tallest to shortest. That is, you will start from the top down. This is a recommendation that specialists place a lot of emphasis on.
2. Remove all parts that are in poor condition: dry, damaged, withered or diseased. This step must be completed from the base where the part is born to eliminate the problem.
3. Cut the branches that you are going to prune with a clean and diagonal cut to ensure that the wound can drain the liquid and does not accumulate water that later generates rot.

It is important to know that when a cut is applied to any main or secondary branch, it will heal and generate new buds. Most likely, from this pruning, a Y will be created on said branch, so two new extensions will be born.

As these grow, they can be reduced in size and thus encourage the plant to maintain a certain height and with a renewed structure. The best thing is that all these extracted parts can be used to work as cuttings by submerging the branches in water.

In this way, you will get some new specimens of dracenas to decorate other areas of the house or to give to a loved one. The choice of indoor plants is not an easy topic due to the conditions involved, but many benefits will be obtained with the dracaena.

And, one of them, is that pruning is a subject that you will have to worry about the least because it is easy to apply.

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