All varieties of wandering jew plants require the same fundamental maintenance despite their variations. So, regardless of the type you have, you can use these growing directions.
How To Water A Wandering Jew Plant
Wandering Jews don’t like their land to dry out for very long and prefer to be watered frequently.
At all times, keep the soil evenly moist (but never saturated). Give them a sip, then let the extra liquid drip from the pot’s bottom.
They may take occasional overwatering as long as the soil is never left wet for an extended period of time.
I suggest investing in a moisture probe if you have trouble giving them the proper dosage.
You could take cuttings and cultivate them in a vase of water instead of bringing a giant roaming jew indoors. Even though they won’t last forever, they’ll be good for a few weeks if you keep the water fresh.
Wandering Jew Humidity Requirements
Humidity, and lots of it, is another essential component of good wandering jew plant maintenance. The leaves begin to brown and die when the humidity is too low.
The major problem with growing plants indoors during the winter, when our home’s air is quite dry, is this. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain a high humidity level.
Running a humidifier next to your wandering jew plant is a simple approach to raise the humidity level in the area. Additionally, you ought to have a humidity gauge inside close to your plants.
You could grow it in a small plant cloche or a makeshift indoor greenhouse, or you could place the pot on a pebble tray filled with water (but don’t let it soak in it).
Wandering Jew Light Requirements
Jews on the go are very particular about their lighting needs. With the exception of purple queen, which loves full sun, they require a lot of light to maintain their vibrant color, but direct sunlight will burn their leaves.
An east or west facing window is the best place to grow wandering jew indoors. In this manner, it will receive a lot of natural light in the morning and evening, as well as bright indirect sunlight for the remainder of the day.
Lack of light causes their leaf hues to deteriorate and become drab. Add a grow light if you don’t have a location with a lot of natural sunlight.
If you decide to take your plant outside for the summer, be sure to place it where it will be shielded from the intense afternoon light in the shade or a spot with some shade.
Temperature
Even while wandering Jews may endure brief bursts of extremely cold or hot weather, their ideal growing range is between 50 and 80 degrees.
The plant may begin to suffer if it deviates too far from that range. With shade, greater humidity, and regular watering, it can withstand warmer temperatures.
If a brief period of freezing weather or frost is predicted, move the plant indoors or cover it to protect the foliage.
Best Type Of Potting Soil For Wandering Jew Plants
Wandering Jew plants don’t have a particular preference for soil; they can thrive in any mix.
However, you can add some peat moss, coco coir, or vermiculite to the soil to assist it retain moisture if you frequently forget to water (been there, done that!).
Fertilizing Wandering Jew Plants
Although they don’t actually need to be fertilized, wandering jew plants will of course benefit from being fed sometimes.
Do not fertilize them in the fall or winter; they only require it from spring through summer. You definitely don’t want to foster winter growth because it is typically quite weak and lanky.
You can feed your wandering jew plant once a month with a liquid fertilizer that has been diluted by half as part of your usual care regimen.
Instead of utilizing synthetic plant food, I advise using organic plant food. Chemical fertilizers might be irritating to wandering Jews.
Compost tea or a nice organic all-purpose fertilizer would work well. If you like, you could also mix in some slow-release organic granules with the soil.
Other excellent alternatives include liquid kelp and fish emulsion, but only use these outside (they can get a bit stinky when used indoors).
Repotting
Wandering Jews will easily fill a container if given the right care and ideal surroundings. Thus, you might need to repot them every year.
It’s time to size up if yours becomes pot-bound or you notice roots poking through the bottom holes or covering the soil.
Replant it in the same depth in a container that is 1-2 larger than the existing one.
Wandering Jew Plant Flowers
Additionally, fertilizing might promote blooming. The wandering jew flower is quite little and unimpressive, and different types have different appearances.
It’s exciting to see roaming jew flowers, which can be white, pink, or purple. They occasionally even bloom in the dead of winter, which is a pleasant surprise.
Pest Control For Wandering Jew Houseplant
In most cases, growing wandering Jews outdoors doesn’t present a bug problem. However, fungus gnats, aphids, and spider mites can cause problems indoors.
I suggest applying neem oil, a natural insecticide, to get rid of houseplant pests that attack the leaves.
To destroy the pests on the leaves, I also like to use a solution of 1 tsp mild liquid soap and 1 liter of water. Horticultural oil and insecticidal soap both perform admirably.
If you notice gnats buzzing about your wandering jew indoor plant, wait a little longer between waterings. A yellow sticky trap can be used to help keep them under control.
Pruning Wandering Jew Plants
Make pruning a regular component of your wandering jew plant maintenance routine. The vines will remain thick and compact with regular pinching and trimming, giving the plant an overall fuller shape.
It is preferable to just trim them in the spring and summer because it promotes new growth. At any moment, you can cut away stems and leaves that are dead or dying.
I advise using bonsai shears or a micro-tip snip for precise cuts. Otherwise, conventional hand shears work great for severe pruning.
How can a Tradescantia be revived?
Cut the plant severely back. Cut down living tendrils to live leaves and remove any brown branches from the plant’s base. The plant should then grow two tendrils from these cuttings, increasing its size. When there is a lot of impending new growth, late winter or early spring are the optimum times to do this.
Why are the leaves on my Tradescantia dying?
There is more than enough humidity in the house on average to support a Tradescantia. If the leaf-tips start to brown over, it can be an indication of too little humidity; to keep life happy, lightly spritz the foliage once a week or add a humidity tray.
What causes my Tradescantia to brown?
Traveling Jew Plants need medium levels of humidity, and they have a difficult time thriving in rooms with very dry air. The leaves will eventually begin to brown if there is a constant absence of dampness. Typically, this begins at the tips and edges and works its way down the length of the leaf.
Winter months call for particular caution about dry air since Wandering Jew Plants will struggle because of central heating and reduced ventilation.
If only the leaf tips are brown, the issue was probably discovered quite early, making the solution much easier and less time-consuming. Investing in a humidity monitor is an excellent approach to prevent problems with humidity because it will allow you to observe what’s happening in your space and take action before anything goes wrong!
Here are some of the simplest ways to raise the humidity in your home and stop your Wandering Jew Plant from developing any more dried, brown leaves.
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Misting the leaves
Misting the leaves of your Wandering Jew Plants with a spray bottle is one of the easiest ways to enhance humidity. If the air is particularly dry, we advise performing this a few times per week. It’s crucial to just mist in the morning so that the water has time to evaporate before it gets dark. The leaves can perish quite quickly if the temperature decreases and they are still damp. Because they’re so inexpensive and have a wonderful design, we adore these spray bottles from Amazon.
Pebble tray
Over a tray of tiny pebbles, spread out your Wandering Jew plants. Put enough water in the dish to cover the pebbles halfway. The roots will decay if they are left in a pool of water all day, therefore you want to make sure that the water level never reaches the pot.
The water in the tray will gradually evaporate over time, increasing the humidity level. To prevent the water from growing stagnant, replace it every few days. It will begin to smell if not!
Give your plant a shower
You can immediately increase the humidity and give your Wandering Jew Plant’s leaves a brief spray to remove any dust. Use only lukewarm water to avoid shocking or burning the plant. In order to prevent the plant from being damaged, try to keep the water pressure somewhat low.
Move your plant
The humidity levels in your home’s kitchens and bathrooms are typically higher than those in other rooms. This is a result of cooking and bathing steam. We advise relocating your Wandering Jew Plant into these well-lit areas so you won’t have to worry about remembering to mist or water it.
Buy a humidifier
Purchase a humidifier if you want a long-term fix for increasing the humidity in your home. They work well to keep your home’s humidity levels at a good level and aren’t overly pricey. Consider it an investment in yourself as well as your houseplants because they have additional advantages like improved sleep and healthier skin. This Amazon humidifier is our favorite since it performs an excellent job of retaining some humidity during the colder, drier months.
Do you want to learn more about how to make your Wandering Jew Plant and other indoor plants more humid? We have a whole guide on this.
How frequently do I need to water Tradescantia?
Even a novice plant parent can easily take care of their Tradescantia Nanouk. Follow our instructions on how to take care of your Tradescantia Nanouk, from the need for sunlight to typical issues and their fixes.
Sunlight
Giving your Tradescantia Nanouk bright, indirect sunlight or full sun is the first thing we recommend doing to take care of it because doing so promotes more bloom output.
The color of your Tradescantia Nanouk’s leaves may be fading because to inadequate sunlight, which is a common problem.
Solution: Set up your Tradescantia Nanouk in a steamy shower or close to a sunny window. Your Tradescantia Nanouk will grow leggy if it doesn’t receive enough light. Additionally, the leaves will be slightly smaller, with more green and less variegation.
Water
Watering your Tradescantia Nanouk when the top inch of soil is dry comes next on our list of things to do to take care of it. Usually, once every week is plenty. Additionally, it relies on the kind of lighting your plant is exposed to. The soil must be moist, however excessive moisture should be avoided as this might cause root rot.
Frequently Occurring Issue: Too much water may be the cause of your Tradescantia Nanouk’s drab and sickly appearance.
Giving the plant too much water is one of the most frequent errors made by novices or new plant parents. Only water your Tradescantia Nanouk once every week. Keep the soil damp but not drenched.
Use distilled water or a water filter system instead of tap water because some houseplants can be sensitive to salts in it. If this isn’t possible, overnight storage of the water in an open container is advised.
Humidity & Temperature
Put your Tradescantia Nanouk in a room with a little bit more humidity to add to our list of things to take care of it because it thrives in a humid climate. If you wish to enhance the humidity, we advise misting it frequently, putting it close to a humidifier, or using a pebble tray.
The ideal temperature range for Tradescantia Nanouk is between 75°F and 55°F during the day and at night.
Food
We also recommend feeding your Tradescantia Nanouk once or twice a month using fertilizer for houseplants that has been diluted to half the recommended concentration. Overfertilization should be avoided because it can cause dark leaf tips. Before adding fertilizer, make sure the soil is moist.
To prevent fertilizer burn or plant burn, it’s crucial to apply the fertilizer according to the recommended timing and amount.
Pests & Other Problems
The biggest issue with Tradescantia Nanouk is overwatering, which can result in fungus gnat problems as well as fungal infections and root rot. Always check if the soil is moist. If it is, let the soil to dry out entirely before watering again.
We also advise cutting off any decaying or damaged stems and leaves. The opposite is also true; if you let your Tradescantia Nanouk become too dry, it can draw spider mites. Increasing humidity and keeping a proper watering schedule are recommended.
If your Tradescantia Nanouk is afflicted with spider mites, give your plant a vigorous bathing with fresh water. After that, spritz it with a 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and water solution. To eradicate all spider mites and their eggs, repeat the misting multiple times.
That’s a wrap on how to care for your Tradescantia Nanouk. If you’re searching for a new plant to add to your collection, consider acquiring a Tradescantia Nanouk. It’s a hardy, attractive plant that looks fantastic in your living room or home office.
Grow your plant knowledge. Check out our Plant Care blog to discover more about different houseplants and advice on how to maintain your plants alive and healthy.
Does Tradescantia enjoy direct sunlight?
Tradescantia prefer direct, strong light. If they don’t get enough light, you’ll notice that the markings on their leaves start to deteriorate. However, direct sunlight will burn their leaves (with the exception being the purple queen variety, which loves full sun).
Tradescantia do well in regular interior conditions because they flourish in temps between 60 and 80 degrees. When outdoors, they enjoy a temperate temperature with daytime highs of at least 50 degrees. They’ll perish in the frost.