How to repot dracaena [Detailed Guide]

The dracaena marginata (also known as the Madagascar dragon tree) is such an interesting plant! There are many types of plants in the dracaena family, including the dragon tree, which made me think of the one we have at our home. Dracaena marginata plant care includes repotting at the right time so in this article, we go over how to repot dracaena plant, specifically how to repot dracaena marginata. We go over when to repot dracaena as well as some signs that may mean your dracaena needs some space.

If you see your dracaena marginata dropping leaves, the roots growing on top of the potting mix, below through the drainage holes, and/or around the potting mix, these are good signs that your dracaena needs repotting. I hope this article is helpful and I am here for any questions, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

When to repot dracaena marginata

The first thing that we are going to look for is signs that our plant needs repotting and the first one is going to be on the leaves.

If you are giving adequate watering to your dracaena, so this means that you are watering regularly and waiting for the soil to be partially dry before you water again, but the leaves are droopy still most of the time, this may be a sign that your plant needs more space in the roots.

And the other signs are in the roots. The first thing that we can look for in the roots is if they are growing on top of the potting mix. This is a very good sign that our plant needs repotting.

And there are other signs for example we can look down at the bottom of the pot and if the roots are growing down through the drainage holes, this is another very telling sign that our plants may need more space to grow.

The last thing we can do is to take our plant out of the pot and see if the roots are growing around the potting mix. And this is a very good sign that our plant a bigger pot, so let’s get to our pot now.

Best pot for dracaena marginata

In terms of the material of our pots we have many different options, and the most common ones and terracotta and plastic.

When it comes to our plant care one of the main differences between these two is that plastic is not porous, and terracotta is porous.

This will mean that the soil in plastic will stay moist for longer periods of time, and terracotta will actually dry out more quickly.

I am going to be using a terracotta pot because I love terracotta and I’m trying to reduce my use of plastic. And let’s talk about the size.

And what I always recommend is that you go a maximum 1-2 sizes bigger. You don’t want to go bigger because this may be too shocking for the plant, and also you may risk overwatering your plant.

And what kind of potting mix are we using for our dracaena? I got you, so let’s get to the dirt!

Potting mix for dracaena marginata

For my dracaena marginata I’m going to be using seven parts of coconut coir.

I love coconut coir because it’s a great material for moisture retention and at the same time it doesn’t compress so much when it dries out, which is great to maintain our potting mix fluffy and to make sure that the water can get through the potting mix into the roots.

When you get your coco coir at home you’ll get something like a square or circular brick, depending on which size you select. It is a compacted, dried coco husk and all you have to do is to submerge it in water, it will absorb the water.

And here is a tip, use your hands to break it apart, it is the best part and it will be ready to use for your plants.

Then we are going to add two parts of worm castings for nutrition, two parts of pumice for drainage, and here you can also use perlite. But they are both great for drainage.

Now, if you do use perlite, make sure to soak it in water before you use it because perlite is really dusty and we don’t want to be breathing all of that dust.

And my secret weapon when it comes to transplanting right now is myco bliss. Mycorrhizal is a beneficial fungi that will help us prevent shock in the new environment for our plant, and it also helps with healthy root growth.

OK, so let’s get to repotting!

Repot dracaena marginata

After mixing our potting mix we are going to add the first layer to our pot. This first layer will provide support from below to the roots.

Then we are going to take our plant out of the pot, and massage the roots out of the soil. Do this very gently because we don’t want to damage any of the roots.

But make sure that you do massage that soil out, so they have space to breathe and to hold to the new potting mix.

Now we are going to place our plant inside the pot, and here what I always recommend is that you place it at the center of the pot, so then you can add some soil around all sides, and she has support on all sides.

OK, now we add some soil. I always like to pat it down a little bit just not so much so you still have some fluffiness in the soil, but you also have that support around the roots.

Now we water so everything settles in, and we are done.

The result

I’m very happy with the results, it looks really pretty, and it has lots of support, which is great because it was falling a lot before. So I hope that this is going to be good for her.

FAQs on Dracaena repot

What kind of soil does Dracaena marginata need?

A soil combination of 1/2 to 1/3 potting soil and 1/2 to 2/3 perlite or loam should be used to pot Dracaena marginata. If possible, choose a location in your home that receives strong, indirect sunlight throughout the day, and water every 14 days in the spring and summer (and every 21 days typically during the winter months).

Can I use an indoor potting mix for Dracaena?

Dracaena prefers rich, well-draining soil in a pot with good drainage, like many other easy-to-care-for indoor plants. A regular indoor plant potting mix works great!

How often should I water my Dracaena?

Dracaena trees love to let the soil dry out between waterings, but not totally. Watering every 10-14 days will keep the soil moist and equal.

If you repotted with me, I would love to know your experience, so make sure to comment below, I would love to know how it went for you. Happy gardening!