Change out high peat soil or leave alone?

10 years ago

I found a small dracaena marginata at Lowe's on clearance for a dollar. The leaves were a little beat up, but no yellowing and otherwise ok. The soil, though, is still somewhat damp, it seems, even a week later. I can tell from both the smell and the fine soil texture that it has quite a bit of peat in it.

I have the plant right in the west facing window, with the hopes that the sun may dry it out some.

Would you guys risk it and repot in a coarser soil this time of year, or just leave it a lone and let it dry out, barely watering it through winter? I don't know if it would shock the plant too much.

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

10 years ago

You might consider adding your state/zone/other pertinent info so it shows up next to your user name - like my tapla (mid-MI z5b-6a). It can make a difference in how specific the advice you receive can be.

Since knowing how limiting extended periods of soggy soil can be is a big part of the battle, I wouldn't repot until the time is more appropriate - around Father's Day is a good time if you live in the US, but even that can vary slightly by geography. You can take steps to mitigate the potentiality of limitations due to soil saturation by using some form of deionized water (distilled, rain, snow melt, dehumidifier water, water from a R/O water filtration system (what I use) ....... and applying water in smaller volumes; or, you can water freely so you're flushing the soil and put science to work to eliminate most of the excess water. If your plant/pot is small enough, just holding the pot over the sink and moving it downward then reversing direction sharply to upward will eliminate all of the excess water. Tipping the pot after a thorough watering and using a wick is also very helpful. I'll leave a picture and a link to help you decide what to do, but I'd be patient if it's not an emergency situation where you MUST repot to save the plant.

More on how to deal with that excess water in the soil if you click me.

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Comments (7)

jentsu926
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm sorry--it's the Janet Craig, not marginata. I almost bought one of those, too, though. : )
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Mentha (East TN, Zone 6B-7A)
10 years ago
If it is still moist after a week, there are three reasons that come to mind.

1. too dense of soil

2. not enough light

3. too cold

All of them can have the same effect on your plant's soil. I would also move it to a south facing window if you have one.

I'm going to go with #1 since you probably have it inside. New soil it is. I always add about half volume of perlite to my soil to lighten it considerably. This causes me to have to water more but I know my plants will not have wet toes for long. Tapla probably has some soil recipes floating around somewhere. He is a wiz with soil mixes. I would do a search for his name and read up on what he has to say. (that is if you can search on this new site, I haven't really looked all too closely to the new layout)
jentsu926 thanked Mentha (East TN, Zone 6B-7A)
jentsu926
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, everyone. I am in North Georgia. I have the plant in a West facing window (no South window available, sorry), but I think I will take Al's advice and water lightly using a wick. This is very peaty type soil. Come Spring, this heavy soil has got to go!

The poor plant must have suffered terribly at Lowe's, probably due to no light whatsoever, because just a few weeks later at my place it looks a bit better.
Mentha (East TN, Zone 6B-7A)
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Glad it is doing better. I have rescued many a plant from big box hardware stores. I love trying to bring back near dead plants. Winter is the hardest time to do that but also the most rewarding.
tlbean2004
10 years ago
That janet craig can go a LONG time without water. I have a few of them. I repotted one and it rotted even though the soil was not strictly peat.
jentsu926
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, Tibean! Good to know. I was contemplating whether or not to water it a little bit this week, but I think I might hold off. I have not watered since i purchased it around 11/21 and the soil still has a tiny bit of moisture. That is some extremely water retentive soil - 20 days to fully dry out!