Your plant’s leaves are losing their color and pattern, giving them a washed-out appearance.
Solution
You might be exceeding your plant’s tolerance for direct sunlight. Try moving it away from the sun’s direct rays or to a location that only receives a little direct sunlight in the mornings and evenings.
How can a dying nanouk be saved?
To maintain the vibrant hues of its leaves, Tradescantia Nanouk requires strong indirect light, well-draining soil made of orchid bark, perlite, and some horticulture sand, as well as watering from below to prevent leaf rot. every two to three weeks, water. It should be between 60 and 75 °F (16-24C). Ideal humidity ranges from 40 to 60 percent. Use a balanced fertilizer monthly, diluted to half-strength in the spring and summer.
How can a dying person in Tradescantia be saved?
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. The best time for this is late winter or early spring, when there’s plenty of new growth coming.
My Tradescantia is dying; why?
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 assist 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 frequently should Tradescantia nanouk be watered?
Introducing my tradescantia nanouk, please! As a big fan of my other pink Tradescantiathe fluminensis tricolor, I didn’t really sure what to anticipate when I acquired this wonderfully beautiful plant three months ago as a bit of a special treat for myself. When the plant came, I was intrigued to its robust, rounded, fluffy foliage and big stalks because I had never seen a plant in person. It was unlike any other tradescantia I had, and I was immediately captivated by its shape and compact growth habit. Oh, and its stunning coloration is also pretty remarkable.
I recently shared a photo of my plant on Instagram and received numerous inquiries about maintenance; so, rather than attempting to respond to each individual message, I have put this post together for you. I hope my care guide will be helpful to you now that I’ve had a few months to learn about it and its likes and dislikes. Share this post with anyone you know who is having problems with this plant!
I reasoned that it would be useful to demonstrate the growth of my plant while I’ve had it. For reference, here is how it appeared when it showed up at my door on April 3rd:
This behavior may appear somewhat extreme to those who are new to houseplants, but it is wise to take measures when bringing new plants into your home. I’ve talked about this previously, but it’s crucial to carefully examine your new purchase in very bright light when bringing home new plants. Your new plant can be carrying pests if it has been overwatered and poorly ventilated while crammed into a plant tray, which can occasionally occur in retail settings. Look for any patterns, webbing, sticky spots, speckling, or white fluffy deposits on the underside of the leaves. Be cautious if the potting soil is very damp or if there are broken roots. After performing a preliminary inspection, it’s a good idea to give your plant a good cleaning with water. Prior to introducing your plant to the rest of your houseplant family, it is preferable to keep it in quarantine for two to three weeks. During this time, exercise caution and check every few days. Before moving it to a new location among my plants, I frequently also change the potting mix to my personal “blend” that I like to use for my houseplants at this point.
When it comes to keeping these plants happy, positioning is crucial.
The stems of your tradescantia may begin to stretch, and the variegation may become more green, if it doesn’t receive enough light. This is less visible than, say, the zebrina because this variation is much more compact. The greatest location I’ve discovered for my plant in recent months is around a meter away from a window that faces south-east. Your tradescantia might bloom if it’s in a sunny area! Avoid prolonged exposure to bright, direct light because it could cause the leaves to get slightly crunchy. Keep in mind that these circumstances are exclusive to my current setting and are provided to you as a benchmark for comparison with your own home. It’s crucial to keep in mind that windows can vary significantly in size. Additionally, the amount of light that enters your home depends on your location, including whether you live in a built-up region, close to other buildings, or whether there are outside impediments like trees.
As I mentioned above, this tradescantia cultivar has a completely distinct form of leaf from the zebrina, especially those very fine fluminensis leaves. If you also have that plant, here is a care manual for it. Due to the way the leaves are tied to the stem, this foliage is fairly sturdy and the leaves retain their shape well; they kind of remind me of a sequence of folded pieces of paper or some kind of origami. The nanouk’s thicker leaf makes it less susceptible to dampness than its relatives with narrower leaves. As a result, I’ve never felt the need to frequently water my plant or add more humidity. I was aware, due to the curvature of the leaves, that water would collect at their bases and, if it didn’t dry out quickly enough, could cause rot. Regular indoor humidity seems to be keeping my plant content and promoting rapid growth.
There’s no getting around the fact that watering this lovely plant can be challenging! Although I don’t mind at all, as you can see from the photographs in this post, the stems branch out and cover the top of the pot, which is fantastic if you don’t like seeing potting soil in your houseplants but not so great when you want to water. I’ve discovered that I can water plants quite well from below using a drip tray, tepid water, and letting them sit for an hour to absorb what they need. You might find some room to be able to water from the top if your nanouk is not as packed as mine is! I’ve made an effort not to wet the top when the stems are almost resting on it because this can occasionally be an issue if there isn’t much air flow, harm some of the foliage, and produce a small fungus gnat problem. Don’t overwater, in other words!
I’ve been giving my plant one watering every seven to ten days over the spring and summer so that the top layer can dry out in between. Check the potting mix with your finger; I like to wait until the top few centimeters are dry. The pot’s weight can be checked as an additional method. When it is time to water the tradescantia, my inner pot feels light to lift up. In order to prevent the plant from sitting in water, always remove from the cache pot before watering.
Although it is not necessary, I find that tradescantia plants respond exceptionally well to regular fertilizing during the spring and summer. When the plant is actively growing, I find that feeding them once or twice a month using houseplant feed diluted to half the recommended dosage works nicely. Your indoor plants will be stronger and more resistant to pests if you give them a little more support in the form of nutrients and other elements. Just make careful to verify whether your potting mix contains any kind of slow-release fertilizer. For plants, too much fertilizer is detrimental. Additionally, you shouldn’t fertilize right away after repotting. More about that is given below.
This plant grows quite quickly! Therefore, you should be ready to offer it some attention and potentially repot it several times over the growing season. In the three months I’ve owned it, I’ve only had to repotted once. You can pretty much leave it alone over the Autumn and Winter, but when it’s actively growing, you’ll want to keep an eye on the roots. You should check for roots that are growing out of the drainage holes or that are circling the bottom of the pot.
I use a houseplant potting mix with added orchid bark, perlite, and a small amount of horticultural grit/sand to keep your plant happy. To establish effective drainage, this works nicely for my tradescantia nanouk. A excessively dense soil might result in root rot and a variety of other issues.
Tradescantia are typically relatively pest-resistant compared to some more challenging plants, but if your location is quite warm And dry, be on the lookout for mealy bugs. A badly dried-out plant that is very weak might also be attacked by spider mites. Overwatering on a regular basis can often lead to a fungus gnat problem (as with all houseplants). Get into a habit with a care plan that fits for your environment. As was mentioned previously in the text, frequent watering and feeding are good plant care practices.
Cutting propagation is the most effective approach to expand your plant collection with no cost. Although pruning your plant is a wonderful approach to keep it looking its best, it may seem contradictory to you if you are unfamiliar with houseplants. Replanting cuttings into the same pot to make it fuller is one of the simplest things to do with these kinds of plants. The easiest tradescantia kinds to explore with are probably the zebrina and fluminensis, along with golden pothos stems and baby spider plants. Being patient is essential because these nanouk stems are thicker and may take a little longer to root.
A detailed step-by-step tutorial on how to root these stems can be found in my previous piece, How to make a new tradescantia plant from cuttings.
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