Make my pilea great again (gardening question)
March 10, 2016 7:37 AM Subscribe
My pilea peperomioides (Chinese money plant) is doing okay, but not great. I want it to look lush and lovely like the ones I see in pictures!
I got my pilea about a year ago. It was very small and only had three leaves. At some point, I repotted it using not-so-great potting soil. This stunted its growth and caused the leaves to turn slightly yellowish. I got some better soil, repotted it, and it had a little growth spurt. Great! But it still seems a little anemic to me, plus the leaves are growing in lumpy and not like the pretty, smooth cups that they should be.
How can I get my plant to look more like one of these? I keep mine near a north facing window, so it gets a nice amount of indirect morning sunlight. Would south facing be better? I let the top bit of soil dry out between waterings, and when I water it, I give it a fairly decent soak. Should I give it some plant food? If so, what kind? (I have some Miracle Gro All-Purpose Plant Food but I have not yet given it to this or any of my other houseplants.)
BONUS QUESTION: Does anyone know where I might get one or two more of these plants in Los Angeles? No one seems to have them. (I've looked online, too. The place I ordered this plant from is all out and won't have more until next year.)
I got my pilea about a year ago. It was very small and only had three leaves. At some point, I repotted it using not-so-great potting soil. This stunted its growth and caused the leaves to turn slightly yellowish. I got some better soil, repotted it, and it had a little growth spurt. Great! But it still seems a little anemic to me, plus the leaves are growing in lumpy and not like the pretty, smooth cups that they should be.
How can I get my plant to look more like one of these? I keep mine near a north facing window, so it gets a nice amount of indirect morning sunlight. Would south facing be better? I let the top bit of soil dry out between waterings, and when I water it, I give it a fairly decent soak. Should I give it some plant food? If so, what kind? (I have some Miracle Gro All-Purpose Plant Food but I have not yet given it to this or any of my other houseplants.)
BONUS QUESTION: Does anyone know where I might get one or two more of these plants in Los Angeles? No one seems to have them. (I've looked online, too. The place I ordered this plant from is all out and won't have more until next year.)
If it's in a north window right now, you could bump it up to a cool east facing window to get a little more light and see what happens. I agree with late afternoon that it looks pretty good for a young plant. It could suffer from minor etiolation, especially in a north window, but it could be something else. Dilute fertilization can be helpful too, just be sure to use a balanced fertilizer (equal N-P-K) and use sparingly so you don't burn (cause desiccation) of the roots.
One last thing, make sure you're not overwatering the plant. The soil should dry out at least somewhat between waterings.
Happy Houseplanting!
posted by strelitzia at 2:46 PM on March 10, 2016
One last thing, make sure you're not overwatering the plant. The soil should dry out at least somewhat between waterings.
Happy Houseplanting!
posted by strelitzia at 2:46 PM on March 10, 2016
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You can try to bump up the humidity a bit. Fill a small tray with pebbles and rest the planter on top of the pebbles, leaving a gap between the base of the planter and the surface of the tray. Put some water in the tray, but not enough to cover the pebbles / reach the base of the planter. Admittedly this won't help much, but you're in very dry LA and even little boosts in humidity may help humidity-loving plants.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 8:31 AM on March 10, 2016