Repotting Dracaena

February 14, 2025

Winter is such a good time to tackle those indoor houseplant chores.

I love container plants, and over the years I have amassed quite a collection of potted specimens. To keep them looking their best, it is important to check their condition regularly, feed and water according to their needs, and repot those that have outgrown their current vessels. Recently, I instructed my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, to repot a group of dracaena - delicate plants with strap-like leaves that emerge in fountain-like clusters from thick woody stems.

Enjoy these photos.

: I often display interesting and eye-catching container plants in my Winter House porch or in my kitchen where I can see them every day. Among them, the dainty dracaena.

: There are more than 170 different species of dracaena and they all have grass-shaped leaves that grow from one or more thick, cane-like stems.

: Dracaena’s narrow foliage may be completely green or may include stripes or edges of green, cream, red, or yellow.

: Dracaena is a low-maintenance, easy to maintain plant that does best in bright, indirect sunlight. Here is a selection of dracaena that have outgrown their current pots.

: Under the foliage, the stems on these dracaena plants are thick with nodes indicating where leaves emerge. The stem color depends largely on the species, but can range from green to brown to reddish-purple.

: These plants need more soil and more room.

: The root ball is pulled from the pot showing some overcrowded roots, sometimes called potbound or root bound. This is a sign the plant needs repotting. Lacking the space to stretch out, the roots of a root bound plant are congested and overgrown.

: The new, larger replacement pots are made by master potter, Ben Wolff. These pots are a perfect up-size for my dracaena plants. The number on the side refers to the wet clay weight, which in this case is 10-pounds.

: I save all the shards from broken pots for repotting. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, these shards come in very handy.

: Ryan places the shard on top of the pot’s hole to maintain good drainage and to prevent soil from escaping.

: Dracaena plants thrive in a well-draining, slightly acidic potting soil mix with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.

: Ryan adds some fertilizer and mixes it in thoroughly. We use Miracle-Gro Osmocote. The beige shell on each prill coats a core of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

: Ryan starts by putting a few inches of soil into the pot.

: Then he teases the root ball just a bit to stimulate new growth. When transplanting, the roots should also be inspected for any signs of disease, rot, or pest infestation.

: Ryan places the plant in the pot at the same height it was in its previous container. If needed, he adds a bit more soil.

: Once the container is filled, Ryan tamps down on the soil gently to ensure good contact with the plant.

: Ryan adds some pea gravel as top dressing. This gravel not only looks pretty, but it will help to anchor the stems.

: This gravel is native washed stone in a blend of gray tones.

: Once the plants are all potted, Ryan carries them next door to the greenhouse where they can be thoroughly watered.

: During the growing season of spring and summer, these plants can be watered once a week. During fall and winter, they can wait a few days more. Dracaena plants prefer drier conditions, so it’s best to let the soil surface dry out between waterings.