Plantscaper suppliers can only spend so much time educating you on how to take good care of your houseplants. It is up to you to learn of other things like leaching the soil, trimming the plant and keeping it safe from pests. One point most interiorscaper suppliers will often not touch on is that on rotating your plant. How often should you turn a houseplant?
If you have been focusing on the progress of your draceana, you may have noticed that it has been leaning somewhat towards the light. This is common with all plants. Whenever a plant is indoors, it will tend to crane itself towards the best source of light. This is a natural growing process which enables the plant to wildly search for sunlight. The problem here is that in its struggle for sunlight, the plant may end up with a weird shape. The good news is that you can prevent the bending by rotating your plant.
How to rotate houseplants
Phototropism is the process that causes plants to lean towards the source of light. The auxins are cells in the plant which determines the growth rate as well as the shape of the plant. Auxins that are located on the side of the houseplant that receives the most sun grow stronger and much sturdier while those on the shadier side grow longer and spindlier. This means that one side of the dracaena will grow taller than the other. This is what causes the bending effect.
Turning your plants regularly is the key to avoiding the bending. This will further enable your plant to look its best. But how often should you turn your plant?
The frequency of turning your plant will depend on the source of light. Depending on the source, wholesale nurseries may recommend that you turn the plant every 3 days or every 2 weeks. You are the person who understands the lighting of your room. To avoid forgetting, the rule you should consider is that of turning your plant a quarter each time you water it. This will enable the plant to grow healthily and evenly.
Install florescent lights
If you feel turning your plant every now and then will be impractical, most growers recommend that you install florescent lights. These lights should be set up on the shady side of the plant. By doing this, you will enable the auxins on the darker side to grow sturdily and your plants will tend to grow straight. Alternatively, you can install a growing light directly above the plant. This will cause it to grow straight. In this case, you will not even require natural sunlight.
Nobody wants their dracaena to struggle for sunlight. The above recommendations will surely help you ensure that your plant grows evenly and healthily. Stick to your routine. If you must use grow lights, make sure you buy the best models.