In recent years, the small brown clay beads of the once very popular hydroponics seem to have gone somewhat out of fashion. Wrongly so, after all, dragon trees cultivated indoors require significantly less maintenance than when using conventional substrate.

Even in hydroponics, the dragon tree needs some care from time to time

Hydroponics can certainly offer some advantages for dragon trees

Hydroponics is soilless plant care in a pot, in which small, baked clay balls (€22.65) give the roots of a plant support instead of the usual substrate. As a rule, special planters are used in which the plant roots draw moisture from a water reservoir in the lower area of the container. There are various reasons why switching to hydroponics can be worthwhile, especially for dragon trees:

  • it can be poured at longer intervals
  • Allergy sufferers can breathe a sigh of relief: without soil, various mold spores cannot find a place to multiply
  • regular substrate replacement when repotting is not necessary
  • dangerous waterlogging is easier to avoid

So while on the one hand the watering work is reduced with hydroponics, on the other hand the system offers better control over the water supply, especially when using the usual water level indicators.

There are a few things to consider when growing a dragon tree in hydroponics

You should be aware that hydroponic clay pebbles themselves do not contain or store water or nutrients. Rather, these act as a "foundation" for the plant, as they give the roots support. At the same time, the problem of dangerous waterlogging is also effectively avoided in hydroponics, since constant aeration of the root area is guaranteed in any case. Since there is no soil with the appropriate nutrients, a precisely dosed amount of liquid fertilizer must always be added to the irrigation water. Even with a dragon tree in hydroponics, watering should not be exaggerated. The layer of salt that sometimes forms on the surface of the clay balls can be washed off without hesitation or removed by mixing the small balls on the surface.

Getting the dragon tree used to being in a pot full of clay pebbles

In a dragon tree previously grown in ordinary soil, when switching to hydroponics, the roots must first increase in length in order to be able to reach the water in the reservoir. Therefore, after repotting, you should first place these plants in a less sunny place with very high humidity.

tips

You can leave a hydroponic dragon tree in a location that is not too hot for up to three weeks if you fill the pot to the maximum on the water level indicator before you leave.

Category:

Indoor plants