Taking a vacation should be all about relaxation, not worrying about your plants. But if you are a plant lover, leaving behind your glorious greenery can indeed be a bit stressful. Let’s talk about how to keep your plants alive so vacation is enjoyable and your plants survive your absence.
The key challenge here is making sure your plants stay hydrated and healthy while you’re away. From lush gardens to cherished houseplants, they all need consistent care.
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Some plants thrive on a regular watering schedule, while others, like succulents, prefer less frequent watering. Understanding your plants’ needs is the first step in keeping them happy in your absence.
Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions, both high-tech and DIY, to make sure your greenery stays in top shape while you enjoy time away.
Keeping Outdoor Plants Alive With Automatic Watering Systems
Automatic sprinklers are also a great option for outdoor gardens, allowing for covering large areas.
These systems are a great way to keep your plants hydrated without much hassle.
Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses, for example, deliver water directly to the plant’s soil, ensuring even distribution and minimizing waste.
By pairing a self-watering system with timers, you can customize when and how much water your plants receive. This is particularly useful for maintaining the perfect moisture level.
These systems can be adjusted to suit your garden’s specific needs, ensuring that your plants stay well-watered, whether you’re away for a weekend or a couple of weeks.
DIY Solutions for Plant Hydration and Keeping Indoor Plants Alive
When it comes to keeping your plants hydrated on a budget, DIY methods can be both effective and simple.
Water globes, for instance, gradually release water into the plant’s soil, ensuring consistent moisture levels.
Another handy trick is using a water bottle. Just fill the plastic bottle, make a small hole in the cap, and place the bottle upside down into the plant’s pot. This creates a slow-release watering system that can keep your plants happy for days. If you prefer to use a glass bottle, a wine bottle also works great.
For a more crafty approach, try a wick system using a towel, cotton rope, or twine. Place one end in a bucket of water and the other in the plant’s soil. The towel will wick water from the water container into the plant. This method allows for gradual water absorption, keeping your plants hydrated with minimal fuss.
These easy DIY solutions will keep your plant roots watered while protecting them from the root rot that can result from overwatering.
Mulching and Soil Moisture Retention Can Help Keep Plants Alive
Mulching is an effective way to help your garden retain moisture while you’re away.
By adding a layer of mulch over the plant’s soil, you can significantly reduce evaporation, which means your plants stay hydrated longer.
There are various mulch options to suit different types of plants. For larger outdoor gardens, wood chips or straw work wonderfully to keep the soil moist.
If you’re caring for succulents or other plants that prefer well-drained soil, fine gravel or small stones are excellent choices.
Mulch not only helps retain moisture in the soil. It also stabilizes the soil temperature for your plants and can even suppress the growth of unwanted weeds. Before you pack your bags, take some time to mulch your garden—your plants will appreciate it!
Using Technology for Monitoring
In today’s digital world, technology makes plant care easier than ever. Smart plant monitors can keep an eye on soil moisture, light levels, and even temperature. This gives real-time updates on your plant’s health.
These handy gadgets sync with apps on your phone, so you can monitor your garden from anywhere. Some advanced systems can even alert you when the soil of the plant is too dry, allowing you to make timely adjustments.
Imagine being able to adjust your watering schedule while sipping a drink by the pool—pretty cool, right?
Pairing these monitors with automatic watering systems can be a game-changer. You can set them up to water your plants at the right time, ensuring they stay hydrated without any guesswork.
Whether your plants are in your living room or spread across your backyard, this tech-savvy approach offers peace of mind.
So, if you love your gadgets as much as your greenery, integrating technology into your plant care routine is a smart move. This way, you can focus on enjoying your vacation, knowing that your plants are thriving back home.
Getting Help from Neighbors or Friends
If you’re fortunate enough to have helpful neighbors or friends, consider asking them to water your plants while you’re away.
Leave clear, simple instructions about each plant’s needs.
Be specific about how often to water and how much water to use for each plant. If any plants have unique requirements, like avoiding direct sunlight or checking for dry leaves, make sure to note that as well.
You can even set up a little schedule for your plant sitter to follow. Sometimes, a bit of human touch is just what your garden needs.
By doing this, you can enjoy your time off, knowing your plants are in good hands.
Leaving your plants behind while you enjoy a vacation can be a bit nerve-wracking, but with a little planning, it’s entirely manageable.
Don’t forget the importance of mulching to retain soil moisture, especially for your outdoor garden.
For tech enthusiasts, smart plant monitors and automated systems can offer peace of mind by keeping you informed about your plant’s health in real-time.
Additionally, enlisting the help of a neighbor or friend ensures that your plants get the personal touch they might need.
With all these options at your disposal, you can tailor a watering strategy that fits both your garden’s needs and your vacation plans.
Whether you have indoor plants in a sunny window or a lush garden outdoors, these strategies can help ensure they remain healthy and vibrant. Enjoy your time off, knowing your green friends are well taken care of!
When I opened my coworking space in Totnes for female entrepreneurs and women in business back in 2020, I designed it with the principles of biophilic design in mind. I wanted to use an earthy colour palette, texture, natural materials, organic shapes, and incorporate lots of plants. I wanted the users of the space to feel good in the work environment and wanted it to be a space that supported their mental health and physical wellbeing.
We moved into a new space last summer and our new female coworking space is so much more biophilic. It is a converted barn with vaulted ceilings and huge roof lights so it is flooded with natural light. It also has lots of exposed brick and textured walls and there are expansive views of the countryside on all sides. Our neighbours are cows and pheasants, we have a little bird who comes and knocks on the windows and we’ve had visits from squirrels and regular fly overs of geese. It couldn’t be more perfect. So bringing in the principles of biophilic design has been a breeze.
When I took over the additional studio space upstairs, the previous tenant had some huge plants that they offered to sell me for many hundreds of pounds. Knowing myself and how bad I am at looking after plants I knew that this would not be a good investment for me. So instead I opted for faux plants and I knew exactly where to get them from. Blooming Artificial is a company I have used for many years when it comes to artificial plants and trees. I’ve already featured a Blooming Artificial review years ago when I got some faux houseplants for my home and then again when I used their plants in the first coworking space.
But what I really love about having faux plants is the lack of guilt. I never have to feel bad for not remembering to water them. I never have to watch them wither and droop because they are not getting enough light, or they are getting too much. I never have to watch them slowly get pot-bound because I am seemingly incapable of repotting my plants. Plant care is something I find extremely overwhelming. I try my very best, but it is just so hard to know what plants want and need. Online advice provides very little clarity. The very same symptoms could be a sign that you are not giving your plant enough water…or that you are overwatering. I feel so bad when a plant dies because I have neglected to meet its needs.
Luckily, over the years, I have learnt to buy super hardy plants that thrive on neglect, but even those plants grow and need some ongoing maintenance, and I am just not nurturing enough for this. So faux plants have become a staple in my office. They look wonderful, give us all the good feels and I do not end up crushed under the cripling weight of guilt.
That’s why I wanted to share this Blooming Artificial review—because these plants have solved a problem I didn’t even realise could be solved so beautifully.
What I’ve Learned Since Discovering Biophilic Design
I have been writing about biophilic design since 2019, when I first became aware of the concept and wrote my first article on the topic for designer magazine. Back then, it wasn’t such a hot topic but since then we have seen the emergence of more human-centric design and a willingness to put the needs of people first when creating spaces. We now recognise that biophilic design has an important role to play in counteracting some of the more negative impacts of urbanisation and the persistent disconnect from nature that many of us are experiencing. With the rise in mental health problems and the prevalence of stress in our modern society, biophilic design and its associated benefits are one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to counteract the worrying developments we see in society.
Biophilic design gives us the opportunity to support and nurture one another in a way that reduces stress and increases productivity. According to the report Human Spaces: Biophilic Design at Work prepared by environmental consulting and strategic planning firm Terrapin Bright Green for Interface, environmental psychology research tells us that being connected to nature actually assists with, psychological restoration. It also states that biophilic design supports multiple organizational outcomes, including well-being, productivity and creativity.
Key global figures that were gathered in the report found that:
A third (33%) of office workers say that the design of an office would affect their decision to work at a company.
Two-thirds (67%) of respondents report feeling happy when walking into bright office environments accented with green, yellow or blue colours.
58% of workers report having no greenery, in the form of plants, within their work environment.
The research also identified that visible connections to nature can have a positive effect on an individual’s reported stress levels. Further analysis showed that perceptions of well-being can increase by up to 15% when people work in surroundings that incorporate natural decor elements, providing a connection to nature, in contrast to those who have no contact with nature in their workplace.
I feel so lucky that I knew all of this before I decided to open my coworking space. I had previously worked in a unit on an industrial estate when I first graduated, and I was selling metal alloys to the French aeronautical industry. There was no natural light in that unit because there were no windows. There was nothing natural about that place and my well-being took a nose dive. I can’t tell you how unhappy I was spending eight hours per day in that kind of work environment. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around because my wellbeing and mental health mean too much to me. I need light and views of nature to do my best work.
The coworking space I have created is the office of my dreams. Every day I come to work and am overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to work in such a beautiful space that makes me feel so good. It is flooded with natural light, has beautiful views of the landscape outside, and the biophilic office decor incorporates natural materials and earthy colours, and I have filled it with a mix of real plants and artificial plants.
I understand that even the most realistic faux plants don’t offer quite the same benefits as living plants, but I have found that mixing the two provides a great balance for me with all the wellbeing benefits I need, minus the guilt.
The faux plants I have both downstairs and upstairs are primarily from Blooming Artificial and the reason I get my faux plants from there is because the quality is incredible and they actually look real. I swear if you didn’t know they were faux and you were looking at them across the room, you would have no idea. I would even go as far as to say you probably wouldn’t guess they were unless you reached out to touch them.
They have brought so much joy, colour and texture into our coworking space and they really are the star of the show in all my photos as they bring the space to life no matter what the season. Writing this Blooming Artificial review has made me appreciate just how much these small touches have contributed to the feel-good atmosphere of our coworking studio.
As for whether they are worth the money. It’s a resounding yes from me. Whilst these large artificial plants aren’t cheap, they actually cost roughly the same price as a similar-sized real plant. Considering the huge potential there is for a real plant not to survive my neglect, I would much rather spend that kind of money on a large faux plant knowing that it is guaranteed not to die. So given that the costs are comparable, the benefits of artificial plants actually make them the better investment for me. And I would gladly pay that money to alleviate myself from the guilt of being a plant murderer!
Succulents are some of the easiest houseplants to propagate because there are several ways to do it. Today we’ll show how one succulent can be turned into many (even a dozen or more!). So whether you’re looking to grow your own collection or gift some plants to friends, this is a fun and easy process to try!
And as you’ll see, propagation is also a helpful way to care for your succulent collection. Pruning is a necessary part of houseplant maintenance and these techniques will help you turn an overgrown plant (or one with an awkwardly tall offshoot) into a bunch of fresh new plant babies.
What Is Plant Propagation?
Propagation is the process of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant such as its leaves, stems, roots, or seeds. You can propagate just about any houseplant yourself, although the techniques vary depending on the plant. Popular methods include water propagation (where you can watch new roots grow in water) and soil propagation (when new roots develop directly in a pot of soil). Succulents can also be propagated in the air! In all cases, after the cuttings sprout healthy new roots, they can be potted in soil and cared for just like the parent plant.
Succulent propagation is best done in the spring and summer, during the plant’s active growing season. It can be successfully done any time of the year, though. Results may just take longer to show in the fall and winter. So don’t fret if you are starting your propagation out of convenience or when your succulent needs pruning. In fact, pruning prompted the propagation of the succulent you’ll be seeing today!
This Echeveria sits in our bathroom window, which is somewhat shaded. The limited sunlight caused the succulent’s stem to stretch out and look “leggy” as it reached for more light (a process called “etiolation”). We don’t mind how it looks, but we realized this etiolated succulent would be a great opportunity for multiple propagations! Yes, we got more than ten new succulents from just this one leggy stem!
Methods To Propagate Succulents
People love propagating succulents because you can use many parts of the plant and many different techniques, sometimes producing dozens of new plants from a single succulent! We’re not going to go through all of them today in detail, but here’s a quick overview:
Leaf propagation: Remove individual leaves and place in the air, soil, or water to grow new roots and pups (small new, baby plants).
Stem propagation: Place a bare stem cutting in the air, soil, or water to grow new pups where old leaves had been.
Root propagation: Cut off everything above the soil line and allow roots to grow a new plant in the existing pot.
Soil propagation: Place succulent leaves or stems in or atop well-draining soil and allow new roots to develop.
Water propagation: Submerge the tips of leaves or stems in a jar of water and allow new roots to develop before transferring to soil.
Dry or air propagation: Lay or hang leaves or stems with no soil or water, and allow new roots to develop before transferring to soil.
Succulent Propagation Steps
As an overview, here are the basic steps for this propagation tutorial. The process takes a few days upfront and then several weeks of waiting (and occasional watering) until new growth develops. So be sure to review all steps before beginning.
Water your parent or mother succulent, wait 3 days.
Cut stem at the soil line
Remove bottom leaves
Let all of the cut/removed pieces callous over for 3-5 days
Replant bare stem in new soil
Lay, hang, or plant leaves
Place in bright indirect sunlight
Keep propagating pieces lightly watered
Pot any rooted plants in new soil
Propagation Supplies
Luckily, it takes very few supplies to propagate your succulents. Here’s what you should have handy before you start:
Step 1: Water Your Succulent
Water your mother plant and wait about 3 days before cutting anything. Succulents store water in their leaves, and giving them one last drink beforehand helps fill them up with moisture and nutrients for the “journey” ahead. As with any time you water your succulent, make sure any excess water is able to drain out the bottom of your pot.
Step 2: Cut The Stem At The Soil Line
Start by cutting your succulent’s stem right at the soil line. Always use clean sharp scissors or snips when pruning your houseplants. Cleaning them first (a spritz or wipe of rubbing alcohol is great) helps prevent the spread of bacteria. Your pot will suddenly look very bare. Don’t worry!
Your existing pot isn’t trash. The roots can grow the first of many “new” plants you’ll get from this process. Place this pot in a spot with bright indirect light and continue to care for it as you had before. After a few weeks you should see new pups developing near the cut end of the leaves.
Step 3: Remove Bottom Leaves
Next, turn your attention to the plant you just cut off. Our stem was so long, we actually cut it again a little further up to create a small piece to work with at this step. But this may not be necessary for your succulent.
With our smaller pieces, we removed leaves from the bottom up. To remove a succulent leaf, gently move or twist it side-to-side at the base.
Most should break off easily, but take your time. It’s important to get a clean break from the base because ripped leaves cannot be propagated. Any yellow, brown, or mushy leaves won’t be healthy enough to propagate either.
If you’re replanting the top of the cut stem, leave a few layers of the rosette at the top. We’ll be replanting this portion in soil, which should give us our second “new” succulent. And thanks to this pruning, it won’t look leggy anymore!
Also, depending on how long leggy your stem is, you can also cut your bare stem into small pieces and propagate the stem clippings. If so, just treat those stem pieces the same as the leaves.
Step 4: Let Pieces Callous
Before you continue, you’ll need to give your leaves and cut stem a few days to callous over. After 3-5 days, the ends should become hard and dry. This is important because otherwise, these ends will absorb too much moisture in the next steps, causing your pieces to rot and ruin your propagation. So always err on the side of more callous than less, maybe giving everything at least a week before you move on.
Step 5: Replant Your Bare Stem
Next, let’s take care of the cut stem. Using soil or water propagation, the bare portion of this stem should develop new roots. We picked the soil method because it’s an easy way to get a “finished” looking succulent quickly. To do this, fill a new nursery pot with well-draining potting soil. A cactus or succulent mix works great, or try a standard potting mix with extra perlite mixed in. Make sure your pot isn’t too big. Succulents like to be snug!
Use a finger or chopstick to poke a hole in the center of the soil, and plant your cut stem inside. You can also dip the end in rooting hormone first, but it’s not necessary. We did that because we had some on hand already – and it seemed to help. Once planted, shake or squeeze the pot to allow the soil to fill in around the stem. The dirt and the stem need to make contact for this to work.
Once it is firmly planted, set it aside and move on to the leaves.
Step 6: Lay, Hang, or Plant The Leaves
Here’s where the real magic starts! Each leaf has the potential to become a new succulent. There are a few ways to accomplish this. We experimented with 3 methods this time around, just for fun.
The only method we skipped was water propagation. You have to carefully suspend the leaves over a glass of water so only the tips stay wet, which always feels unnecessarily complicated – especially considering how easy the other methods are!
Planting Succulent Leaves In Soil
Fill a shallow tray, dish, bowl, or small nursery pot with potting soil. Mist or water the soil so it’s damp, not soggy. Stick the calloused end of each leaf into the soil at a slight angle. It only needs to go deep enough to keep it stuck in place.
Laying Succulent Leaves In Soil
Alternatively, you can simply lay your callous leaves atop the moist soil. Many prefer this method for its simplicity and because it makes it easier to see new roots develop.
Hanging or Air Drying Succulent Leaves
Believe it or not, succulents can also grow roots and pups without soil. For this method, find a dish or tray to lay them on… or string them up on fishing wire or thread. This method can be finicky, but we thought it would be fun to try!
We started by tying fishing wire around the stem scrap, which would ensure the leaves wouldn’t slide off. Then, we used a sewing needle to thread the leaves together, just like a popcorn garland.
Once everything was strung together, we tied a loop at the top to hang it from a small cup hook by a window.
Step 7: Place In Bright, Indirect Sunlight
No matter what portion of the succulent you are propagating – the original roots, the repotted stem, and the leaves – you’ll want to find a spot in your home where they will get several hours of bright indirect sunlight each day. Windowsill, bookshelves, or side tables are great spots – just make sure it’s not burning with tons of direct sunlight.
We hung our string of leaves in a windowsill that got strong morning sun, making sure it was bright but not as hot and direct as strong afternoon light.
Step 8: Keep Everything Lightly Watered
Water regularly (every 2-3 days) to keep the soil moist, but not soggy, while your leaves are propagating. This is different than grown succulents whose soil should fully dry out between waterings (every 1-2 weeks). The timing and amount of water may vary depending on their location in your home. I found my tray was drying out quickly, so I usually sprayed them every day or two.
We found it easiest to mist our leaves using a small spray bottle. This kept us from overwatering and also made it easy to mist the strand of leaves hanging in the window. You can see that in action in our video as well.
Step 9: Pot Rooted Plants
It will take several weeks for your succulents to show signs of growth, depending on your conditions. You will gradually begin to see signs of new roots as well as new plants (called pups) beginning to form at the end of each leaf.
Here is some of our progress 1 month into propagation:
Here are the same leaves after 2 months. Note how some leaves are growing faster than others. Some – like the one on the end – didn’t take at all and quickly withered!
We waited a full 3 months before transferring our new plants into their own pots. To do this, we carefully removed the leaf from the soil and, if possible, gently broke the pup free from the mother leaf. Not all were ready to be detached yet, so you can just leave the ones that didn’t want to break off alone – so they can grow a little bit longer. Or you can proceed to the next step with the leaf still attached.
We had similar progress on our hanging leaves after 3 months. It’s hard to say if the results were better or faster using this method, or if they were just easier to see when they were hanging in the air.
To plant our new roots, we prepared a small pot with fresh moist soil and made a small hole to place the new roots in.
Once the new roots were planted, we cared for the pup the same way we cared for the parent plant – which means we kept it in a spot with lots of indirect sunlight and watered it whenever the soil dried out.
What’s the Best Method to Propagate Succulents?
It’s hard to pick our favorite propagating method because each one was pretty simple and successful and there were pros & cons to each.
The trimmed stem had the most dramatic growth, but that’s to be expected because it had a big head start. It’s ready to trim and propagate again into ten more plant babies!
The leaves placed on soil produced taller thinner growth and overall seemed to produce more successful new pups than hanging the leaves in the air.
The leaves hanging in air produced smaller but thicker rosettes. This process produced fewer successful pups, but was the most fun to watch!
Overall, it’s helpful to remember that succulents aren’t fast growing plants, so you won’t see results as quickly as you might when propagating plants like pothos.
More Plant Guides
If you’re looking for more information on some of our favorite plants, check out some of these posts below:
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I try to resist buying too many plants as I’m still not great at keeping them alive. I had to dispose of the body of a cactus a few weeks ago, which made me feel very guilty. But that did mean that I now had a spot for a new plant.
I consulted the experts at Gardener’s Dream and together we decided that a Chinese Money Plant could be a perfect new addition to my coworking space in Totnes. They also shared some care tips with me to give my new plant the best possible start.
I’d had my eye on the Chinese Money Plant for a while, mostly because I like how they look, I don’t have any other plants that look similar and they are apparently easy to care for. Fingers crossed! I also like the name and it makes me feel like I might come into money if I look after it well. (Fingers still crossed!)
The scientific name for the Chinese Money Plant is Pilea Peperomioides. But they are also referred to as a UFO Plant, Missionary Plant, Pancake Plant, Lefse Plant, Pass It On Plant and Friendship Plant. That last one is my favourite.
About the Chinese Money Plant
These charming little plants are native to the Yunnan province in Southern China and were brought to Europe in the early 20th Century. First by a Scottish botanist in 1906, and later by a Norwegian missionary in 1946.
It is an evergreen plant with circular leaves (hence the names Pancake Plant and UFO Plant) of up to 10cm in diameter and an attractive rich green hue. The leaves often overlap and give the impression of coins piled on top of one another. Mature plants can flower in summer, producing tiny creamy-green blooms on pink stems.
Why Grow a Chinese Money Plant?
Chinese Money Plants have (quite literally) grown in popularity over the past few years and are now a frequent sight in homes around the country.
They are undemanding plants that require little attention to thrive. They forgive a bit of neglect when it comes to light and water, but a little attention will be rewarded with bright foliage and fast growth. This makes them the perfect plant for beginners as well as experienced plant owners.
Chinese Money Plants are said to bring luck and good fortune, which makes them ideal for housewarming and engagement presents. I’m hoping it will bring me lots of luck and good fortune at work!
On top of being an easy plant to care for, this is simply a gorgeous plant that suits any room. A Pilea plant will catch the eye and makes a great addition to any shelf or tabletop. In fact, one of the reasons for its recent surge in popularity is the fact it is so Instagrammable!
Chinese Money Plant Care
As already mentioned, Chinese Money Plants are simple to care for. But, like every other plant, they need just a little TLC to keep them happy and healthy.
Light Levels
Your Pilea peperomioides will be happiest in a warm spot with plenty of natural light. However, you should keep it away from windowsills where the direct sun may scorch its leaves. Bright indirect sunlight is ideal.
Wipe the leaves occasionally to get rid of any dust that may have built up and allow bright light to penetrate the foliage. Money Plants tend to start leaning towards the sun, so rotate the pot every few days to promote even growth.
Watering Schedule
As a general guide, water your Pancake Plant weekly during the growing season in spring/summer and fortnightly over autumn/winter. Give the plant a drink whenever the top few centimetres of soil feel dry.
Chinese Money Plants love humidity. Unless your plant is in the bathroom or kitchen, where humidity levels are usually quite high, it will need regular misting. Alternatively, you can place a tray of pebbles in water underneath the pot to help raise humidity levels.
Re-Potting
A Chinese Money Plant shouldn’t need to be re-potted more than once every two years. Signs your plant may need to be re-potted sooner include:
The plant is root bound, with roots growing down through the pot’s drainage holes or up above the soil.
Water flows right through the soil with no resistance.
The plant has stopped growing.
The best time of year to re-pot your Pass It On Plant is in spring or summer. Use well-draining potting soil in a pot with plenty of drainage holes to clear out excess water and help prevent root rot.
Propagation
One of the main attractions of the Chinese Money Plant is that it is so easy to propagate. In fact, the names Friendship Plant and Pass It On Plant were derived from how simple it is to create new plants and share them with friends and family.
When mature, happy, and healthy, UFO plants will produce offsets, also known as ‘pups’ or ‘babies’, at the base of the plant. You can remove these delicately from the soil – being careful not to disturb the mother plant’s roots – and place them in water. It won’t be long before you notice the baby plant starting to develop a root system. After about two weeks, the little plant will be ready to move into its new pot.
It is also really simple to create new plants from stem cuttings. Use secateurs or a sharp knife to cut the stem from the main plant and place it in water, ensuring none of the leaves are submerged. Like with pups, stem cuttings take a couple of weeks to grow roots before the baby plants can be moved into a pot.
Just give your new houseplant a thorough watering and watch it quickly grow. Look after them well, and baby plants will, in turn, become mother plants, having pups of their own.
Potential Problems with a Chinese Money Plant
Even the most well-tended plants can sometimes throw up the odd challenge. If you notice something isn’t quite right with your Chinese Money Plant it is probably easily fixed. Here are some symptoms to look out for:
White Spots
White spots on plants are often a symptom of powdery mildew, which can be tricky to get rid of. However, with Pilea Peperomioides, white spots appearing on the undersides of leaves are much less worrying. They are common wherever minerals are present in the water or soil. As long as the plant appears otherwise healthy, you don’t need to do anything to get rid of these white dots. If you’d rather remove them, try using rainwater or tap water that has been left out overnight, and they should disappear.
Curling Leaves
Downward curling leaves are a symptom of overwatering. Though this doesn’t automatically mean you’ve been watering your plant too often. It can also be a sign that the pot’s drainage holes are blocked or that the soil needs to be loosened or replaced to assist drainage. Give the plant time to dry out, and only water again when the top 2-3cm of soil feels dry. Ensure excess water drains clearly away before placing the plastic pot back inside the decorative pot.
Leaves curling inward suggest the plant is sensitive to heat and/or light. Move it away from heat sources such as radiators and out of direct sunlight.
Yellowing Leaves
If leaves start yellowing towards the bottom of the plant, don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal for older leaves to wilt away as fresh new growth appears on the top of the plant. They will usually drop off by themselves, but you can just remove the yellow foliage, and the problem will go away.
On the other hand, if leaves begin to turn yellow all over the plant, this is a sign you may be under or over-watering it. Check the soil and if it’s wet or soggy, leave the plant for a while before watering again. If the soil is dry and crumbly, give the plant a good drink.
Alternatively, the yellowing leaves may be a symptom of poor lighting. Move the plant to a spot with plenty of bright indirect light.
Chinese Money Plants will soon tell you if there is a problem and they’re feeling stressed or unhappy, and most issues can be remedied quite easily. So whether you’re looking for a single plant to fill a gap, like I was, or plan to create an indoor jungle using pups and stem cuttings, the Chinese Money Plant is a great way to start.
Have you got a Chinese Money Plant? If you have, let me know if you find it easy to care for. I sincerely hope I will be able to keep this one alive.
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We love houseplants all year round, but we’re especially grateful for them in the winter. When the temps are low and the skies are gray, a room full of lush plant life is an instant mood booster. Plus, tending to your green babes is a lovely daily ritual that rewards you with new growth, colorful blooms, and an endless variety of cute planters — all very much appreciated when the sun sets before happy hour.
So we’re celebrating National Houseplant Appreciation Day (January 10), by adding another plant (or three) to our collection, courtesy of Bloomscape. The online plant shop is offering up to 30 percent off its expert selection of houseplants! The sale includes stunning best-sellers — welcome home, monstera! — plus laidback beauties perfect for new gardeners. There’s no promo code needed, but the sale ends Tuesday, January 10 at midnight PT, so start filling your cart. Here are the deals you can’t miss.
