Friends who grow the dragon blood tree often look forward to the moment when some small side shoots will sprout from the bare trunk of the tree. Whenever the thought of "cutting off the head" comes to mind, one always feels a bit sad, fearing that after cutting it off, it won't sprout and instead damage the tree. So what should we do? Don't worry! Today, I will teach you several methods without using a knife or cutting off the head, so that the "boring" trunk of your dragon blood tree can become full of lush branches and leaves, and become increasingly vigorous.
Before taking any action, you first need to understand the reason why the dragon blood tree doesn't like to produce lateral buds. In fact, it has an inherent "top priority advantage", meaning that all the nutrients will be given priority to the main bud at the top. This causes the lower bud points to remain in a "hibernation" state. Therefore, to make the lateral buds grow, you don't necessarily have to make incisions. Instead, you can achieve this through some gentle methods to break the top priority advantage, allowing the nutrients to have the opportunity to flow to the latent buds below, thereby awakening them and stimulating their growth.
3 Tips for Making the Dragon Blood Tree Produce Side Shoots Easily:
Technique 1: Gently pinch the top, break the dominance of the top growth point, and give the lateral buds a chance.
If you don't want to be too harsh and "cut off the head" of the dragon blood tree, there is actually a more gentle method - pinching off the topmost tender bud points. By removing these topmost buds, you can break the dominance of the top part, which will enable the plant to distribute its nutrients to other parts.
Choose a warm and well-lit day. Use clean and disinfected forceps to gently remove the growing point at the top of the dragon's blood tree. Make sure not to damage the surrounding leaves. [1]After the treatment, you can sprinkle some carbendazim powder on the wound to prevent bacterial infection.
When the top bud is removed, the plant will automatically adjust the flow of nutrients. The previously suppressed latent buds start to receive sufficient nutrients. Gradually, new light green bud-like structures will emerge from the originally bare main trunk! After about 1-2 months, you will be able to see these small buds sprouting from the main trunk.
Technique 2: "Gently carve" at the bud point to stimulate the growth of lateral buds.
For the dragon blood trees with thick main trunks, merely cutting off the top might not be sufficient. It's like giving the trunk a gentle scratch, creating a small wound to stimulate the growth of latent buds.
Locate the area where you want it to grow lateral buds. Choose an appropriate height and observe the green or brown raised part to identify the dormant buds. Use a sterilized craft knife and make a small cut about 5 millimeters above the dormant bud. Note: Make sure not to damage the tissue；the cut should only affect the epidermis layer. After the cutting， the nutrients in the wound will concentrate at the location of the dormant bud, helping it heal quickly and sprout new lateral buds.
The best time to prune the buds is in spring and autumn. During these seasons, the dragon blood tree grows most vigorously, and the wounds heal more quickly, increasing the probability of side buds sprouting.
Technique 3: Stimulate lateral buds through environmental "pressure"
Sometimes, when the dragon blood tree is in an environment that is "too comfortable", it refuses to grow. To break this comfortable state, we can apply some "environmental pressure" to it to stimulate its growth.
Find a non-transparent black plastic bag and place it over the growing tip of the dragon blood tree. Position it in a well-ventilated area with soft light. The purpose of shading is not to keep it in the dark, but to prevent the top from receiving light and force the nutrients to be transferred to the dormant buds on the main trunk. As a result, the lateral buds on the main trunk will be stimulated by light and nutrients, and you will see them sprout within less than a month.
During normal times, do not water too much. Keep the soil moderately dry to prevent excessive moisture from hindering root growth. Every 20 days or so, you can add a little diluted phosphorus and potassium fertilizer (such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate) to the dragon blood tree to help new shoots grow. Be careful not to overdo it to avoid harming the plant.
No matter which method you choose, remember this: The growth rate of the dragon blood tree is relatively slow. It takes a long time from stimulation to the emergence of lateral buds. You can't expect it to start sprouting within 3-5 days. Usually, it takes 2-3 months to see the results, so be patient enough.
Notes: Do not water frequently and in large quantities. Wait until the soil in the pot is completely dry before watering again.[2] Avoid exposing it to strong sunlight as excessive light can burn the lateral bud points. Do not repeatedly perform actions such as frequently cutting the top or marking the buds. Maintaining a stable care routine is the most important.
Common misconception: Why does the dragon blood tree decay after being beheaded?
Many friends were initially very happy to see new shoots emerging after the cutting process. However, they never expected that the tree trunk would eventually rot and the pot plant would even completely collapse. This situation is not entirely due to bad luck; rather, it is mostly caused by insufficient operational details, resulting in improper maintenance later on. Here are several common reasons for "cutting failure": [3]
1. Improper disinfection of tools and improper wound treatment
I remember at that time, I simply grabbed a pair of undisinfected gardening scissors to cut, without even considering the issue of disinfection. In fact, the dragon blood tree is not particularly delicate. However, if the scissors are contaminated with bacteria (for example, if they were used to cut diseased leaves), and then used to cut the trunk of the tree directly, it will make the wound become the "entry point" for the bacteria. I didn't apply any healing agent or multi-microbial agent at that time, leaving the wound exposed to the air. Moreover, each time I watered the tree, water droplets would splash onto the wound, causing it to turn black and rot, and eventually the rot would spread throughout the entire trunk.
2. The season for beheading is not appropriate
At that time, I chose to perform the cutting at the beginning of the year. At this time, the temperature was relatively low and there was a large temperature difference between day and night. During this season, the growth rate of plants is already slow, and the wound healing ability is also poor. As a result, the wound recovery is slow and it is naturally more prone to infection. If you plan to cut the dragon blood tree, it is best to choose the spring or autumn seasons. At this time, the temperature is suitable, the plant growth is relatively vigorous, the wound heals faster, and the risk of infection is also smaller.
3. Incorrect maintenance habits
When the dragon blood tree sprouts new shoots after being cut down, not only does the trunk grow new shoots, but the wound is also healing. When many people see the new shoots emerging, they get excited and start watering frequently, thinking that the more water, the better. However, this approach is incorrect. After the trunk is cut, the wound needs a certain amount of time to heal. If the potting soil is too wet, the roots will easily have difficulty breathing, and the increased moisture will also promote the growth of bacteria, ultimately leading to rot. Moreover, the nutrients of the plant are concentrated in the trunk. If the trunk rots, the new shoots will also not receive sufficient nutrition, and eventually they will wither.
4. Excessive bud points disperse the nutrients.
After being cut down, the dragon blood tree usually sprouts many new shoots, which seem to be in a good mood. However, for the already injured trunk, this actually becomes a burden. Each shoot point requires nutrients. If some weak shoots are not promptly removed, the nutrients will not be concentratedly supplied to the trunk, resulting in slow wound healing and eventually causing rot. If I had removed some weak shoots earlier and concentrated the nutrients on the trunk for its recovery, perhaps this plant could have been saved.
Cutting off the head of a dragon blood tree is not achieved simply by a "single cut". Through some gentle methods, such as pinching the top, cutting the buds, and adjusting the environmental pressure, the growth of lateral buds can also be promoted. However, successful growth does not happen overnight. Patience and stable care are the key to ensuring the healthy growth of the plant.
Source:
[1] https://www.agrifarming.in/pineapple-farming
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/plantclinic/comments/1lkd0qm/ficus_elastica_not_doing_well/
[3] https://lavengel.com/pages/skin-issues-paw-licking?srsltid=AfmBOoqi87dafQLZ8a7yVjX5EHqUy3tbVYiK8FVHnRP7bQFg_ON8t8mo