The money tree plant can be grown outdoors, but because it prefers tropical climes, its range of habitat is constrained. The USDA hardiness zones 10–12, which include portions of Florida, southern Texas, southern California, and Hawaii, are the only places where P. aquatica should be grown outdoors. Given that it is sensitive to the cold, it is typically grown as a low-maintenance indoor plant. Here are comprehensive guidelines for caring for your money plant that can keep it happy and healthy.
Water
It makes sense that money trees prefer to be kept moist since their native habitat is one that is characterized by the presence of water. Maintaining adequate watering for your plant should be your top priority! The ideal method is to thoroughly soak the soil with water. Wait until the substrate is completely dry and the soil is exposed before watering it again. Pay special attention during the first few weeks of caring for your money tree because this time frame will depend on the climate in your region. You can create a watering schedule once you become familiar with the pattern.
The native climates of money trees are also humid. Consistent mistings will be advantageous to money plants. The solution is a spray bottle with a nozzle that can be adjusted. However, if you have a few tropical plants, you should think about buying a humidifier or researching a pebble tray to keep them healthy. Once more, this is influenced by the local climate.
Light & Climate
Money trees should be cultivated inside in much of the United States because they are only winter hardy in USDA zones 10–12. Although they can handle shade and even direct sunlight, bright, indirect light is preferable for them. Find them a comfortable, bright space, especially one with a south-facing window!
Try to avoid moving the pot too frequently once you’ve located a space for them in your house. Money trees are reputed to be sensitive to significant alterations and disturbances. To encourage even growth and leafing, it is a good idea to occasionally rotate the pot.
Soil
Despite their preference for damp soil, money trees require soil that drains properly. Pour some rocks or gravel into the bottom of the container before you plant your tree to aid in drainage. Use a loose, permeable potting soil blend after that. For optimal results, incorporate perlite, peat moss, or sand into the potting mixture.
Fertilizer
Using fertilizer when the plant is growing will help it get the nutrition it needs to thrive. Because the plant can quickly and effectively take liquid fertilizer, it is a fantastic option. While this additional plant food can benefit your plant, if you fertilize it too much, it could grow excessively lanky. From May through September, fertilizing every two weeks is the recommended method.
Tending To a Growing Plant: Repotting, Pruning, & Cutting
You can give your money plant a little extra attention as it matures throughout the seasons to make sure it thrives for many years. Pruning and repotting are two techniques for regulating and promoting growth. Plus, you can use part of the plant’s cuttings to create fresh individuals!
Repotting
Every three years, money trees typically require repotting. Pick containers with good drainage holes when replanting, and keep the bottom lined with rocks or gravel. Although you can cut back on some root growth, be careful not to remove more than 25% of the roots. Early spring is the ideal time for repotting.
Pruning Needs
Pruning is an excellent approach to foster new development and give your money tree a certain shape. Branches and leaves that are wilting or turning brown can be pruned back, and new leaves and branches will develop in their place very rapidly. The shape of your tree is something you can control with careful preparation. Money trees are trained by several bonsai masters utilizing wires and meticulous trimming techniques. Although you can undertake some modest trimming all year long, late winter is the ideal time for a pruning session.
How To Take Cuttings
Do you wish to continue the customs of money tree folklore? You will soon find yourself in a money tree forest if you use cuttings to multiply more plants. Although seeds can be collected and planted, cuttings are the most typical method of breeding money trees. In the late spring or early summer, trim a branch. After that, submerge the branch in a glass of water to start the rooting process. Plant it gently in soil when it has developed a few roots. You can skip the water glass phase, but doing so frequently results in a longer process.
Care Challenges and Common Problems
Money trees are typically a hardy indoor plant or bonsai. Rarely are diseases and pests problems. Here is a list of likely problems and solutions, though, in case something does turn up.
- Yellow leaves: If the leaves begin to yellow, this is frequently a result of inadequate nourishment or low humidity. Examine your surroundings. Does your money tree receive regular mistings, and have you given it fertilizer during the growing season? To observe if the leaves regain their color, try increasing the humidity or fertilizing the soil.
- Leaf spots are a particular form of coloring. A potassium deficit is typically indicated by brown or yellow leaf patches. Potassium aids in the plant’s ability to transport water and initiate photosynthesis. If this happens, double verify your fertilizing procedure to make sure this crucial nutrient is part of the nutrition package.
- When you repot your money tree, you may notice the roots are dark and squishy. This is a sign of root rot. Repot the plant if it has become waterlogged or overwatered, and be sure to include rocks or gravel at the bottom.
- Mold on the earth: Moldy soil is another sign of excess wetness. Reduce watering and misting or try repotting on a substrate that drains properly.
Pests
- Aphids: Aphids can be red, green, yellow, or brown and come in a variety of colors. They are typically fairly simple to identify, regardless of hue. Spray some dish soap and warm water onto the leaves, then wipe them down and give them a last rinse.
- Mealybugs: A second, more frequent pest of the money tree, mealybugs are easily identified by the layers of white, fuzzy wax they secrete. Again, washing the leaves in a little soapy water and wiping them off is the easiest approach to get rid of them.
- Spider mites: Spider mites are quite small, and you probably won’t even notice the harm they do until the leaves start to wilt, curl, and fall off. If your plant has spider mites, the first thing to do is thoroughly rinse it in the shower or with a hose. You should shift your money plant at this moment! After that, to get rid of the mites, apply neem oil or an insecticidal soap. It frequently requires multiple applications.
- Scale: Because they conceal themselves as plant growths, scale insects can be hard to spot. Use a mixture of water and insecticidal soap to fight scale if your money tree does become infested. Spray on daily for a few days until the issue is resolved.
Are money plants comfortable being root-bound?
Some people have misconceptions regarding how best to maintain money trees. No matter what kind of plant they are, very few desire to be root-bound. Many plants, including money trees, can endure being root-bound, although it’s not always an enjoyable situation for them.
Being root-bound not only slows growth but also makes it difficult for plants to absorb nutrients and water. There is very little place for soil in a planter after its roots have grown too far. Water will therefore very immediately drain away as a result. This makes it difficult for your money tree to adequately absorb water, which can cause dehydration and yellowing and loss of leaves. The plant’s ability to retain moisture is one of the functions of soil!
Take additional care while repotting your money tree if you’ve noticed that it’s root-bound and you’re worried about it. Because they must be slightly untangled before being placed in their new pot, roots that are firmly entwined are much simpler to injure.
The ideal soil for money trees is?
Although it’s simple to think that all indoor plant soils perform similarly, a variety of factors determine how well-suited particular soils are for particular plants. Discover some of the most crucial aspects to take into account while selecting the ideal soil for your money tree in the following paragraphs.
Drainage
Money trees thrive best when their roots are moist but not wet because they are accustomed to growing in a tropical environment with high humidity levels. The roots of the plants may rot if the soil is excessively damp.
To attain the ideal degree of moisture, pick a well-draining soil that’s loose yet rich. Sand and peat-based soils are often those that drain well. To avoid underwatering, it’s crucial that the soil be able to hold onto some moisture. A money tree plant needs to be in a container with a drainage hole in addition to having the appropriate soil.
Nutrients and pH Level
For houseplants to thrive, the three essential macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The balance of these three nutrients is represented by an NPK ratio, which is frequently listed on commercial soil and fertilizers.
Money trees do well in soil that is neutral to slightly acidic in pH. The roots of the plant will more easily absorb nutrients if the soil is a little more acidic. A money tree should have a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Ingredients
The best soil for money trees often has components like sand, pebbles, perlite, or horticultural charcoal, all of which aid facilitate drainage because a well-draining soil is required when potting a tree.
In order to avoid the slight acidity that moss causes in soil, look for peat or sphagnum moss-containing soils. Some gardeners choose soils with coconut fiber since it has the same effect as mosses but is more environmentally friendly because some mosses are not thought of as sustainable ingredients.
Some of the best soils for houseplants already have components that serve as organic fertilizers in addition to having good drainage. Gardeners can use worm castings, compost, manure, or bat guano to fertilize their plants less regularly.
Can money tree be planted in potting soil?
A loamy, well-draining potting mix is preferred by money trees. They can survive in soil that is either acidic or alkaline, but they do best in a substrate that has a neutral pH between 6 and 7.5. They thrive on soil that is made up of a combination of perlite, vermiculite, peat moss, coarse sand, or coco coir and compost.
How can one tell if a money tree is in good health?
After turning yellow, leaves begin to brown as they start to dry up and eventually fall off the plant. Check the soil’s moisture if you find that your plant’s leaves are starting to look brown, usually initially on the ends. If you can feel dryness in the top inch, you should water your money tree.
The leaves on your money tree will completely turn brown if you don’t water it for a long enough period of time, and they might even start to fall off the plant. As it is a significant stressor for the plant, try to avoid doing this. The color of the money tree’s leaves should be a lush, brilliant green. Any more hues are a bad omen.
Brown or yellow leaves may indicate further issues. Check out this post to determine the health of your Money Tree if you don’t think you have a watering problem.
The size of my money tree
Although they can reach heights of up to 60 feet in the wild, money trees cultivated indoors usually only reach heights of 6 to 8 feet. If you would like preserve your money tree at a smaller size, it is also possible to train it as a bonsai. Giving a money tree the proper quantity of light and water is essential for growing one inside.
Do I need to remove the twist tie from my money tree?
Bonsai plants’ growth is shaped and directed with wire. Bonsai money tree plants are frequently grown. Many have their three trunks intertwined. By wrapping the wire around the branches, growers can influence the growth of the tree’s or plant’s highest branches or other branches in a specific direction. Keep the wire in place to preserve the shape of your plant. Remove the wire, being careful not to harm the wood, if you don’t mind the branches drooping or simply want the plant to flourish in its natural form.
How is a money tree made Fuller?
Pruning them properly will give your money plant a bushier appearance. If not, the stems will continue to trail and appear thinner. Money plants can acquire thin leaves and a non-sculpted appearance because they can grow in low-light environments. Pruning shears are used to trim the Money Plant’s stems and leaves.
– Prune the leaves and stems that are growing outward if you want a fuller Money Plant from the top.
Feed Them Right: The Money Plant doesn’t need fertilizer, unlike heavy feeders. You must fertilize the plant if you wish to promote growth. The plant will appear heavier and healthier thanks to fertilization, which will accelerate foliage growth.
– You can use compost or liquid fertilizer. To dilute liquid fertilizer, combine it with water. Dilution will prevent the plant from being burned throughout the procedure.
– An excess of fertilizer may be harmful. Use it sparingly. Remove the plant from the soil and transplant it in a different one if there is an accumulation of excess fertilizer.
Give It Enough Sunlight: The sun is the plants’ main source of energy. Your Money Plant will grow into a denser plant if you keep it in a sunny location. The plant will grow more quickly and better if it receives adequate sunshine.
Keep The Plant Hydrated: Plants can become dehydrated just like people can. Dehydration is indicated by leaves that have brown edges and curl up. Regularly water your plants. Water and remove any dead leaves.
Ensure the appropriate temperature: Money Warmer temperatures favor plants. Stress can be caused to plant leaves by extreme cold and heat. The leaves will burn, shrivel, or become limp.
How to make money plant bushy is a simple question to answer. Give your plant the care it needs. Give them the right quantity of sunlight, water, fertilizer, and pruning at the right time to care for and nourish them. Your Money Plant will develop into a bushier, sturdier plant.