Fittonia Care Tips

Care tip for Fittonia (Nerve Plant) (Vanzile, 2022)

Soil

In a standard potting soil together with a peat moss base, Fittonia grows well. The houseplant likes to be on well-drained moist soil (must avoid getting the soil soggy).

Temperature

Fittonia is a sensitive plant, its leaf will eventually burn when direct sunlight is given. Keeping it under a fluorescent light or on a diffused light from a sheer curtain is a must. These plants are fond of humid conditions that can be found in rainforests. Leaf dropping is the effect of cold temperatures or drafts. Placing them into higher temperatures (at least 70 F) where this kind of plant naturally grows helps the plant to recover. Not receiving enough humidity and receiving too much direct sun results in dry and shriveled leaves. Keep it under a room humidifier in winter when the humidity level may drop significantly. It is highly recommended to provide the plant a high and constant humidity; a terrarium can help. Even with the low lighting, you can place the plant in the bathroom. Humidifiers are helpful in dry months of winter, most growers find it’s easiest to grow the plant in terrariums, bottle/covered gardens where they can receive high humidity which they love so much.

Water

To keep the plant from drying out, constant misting can help. Avoid watering the plant too much, it’ll turn the leaves yellow. If that happens, Put it in a pot with drainage holes to avert the soil from being soggy.

Fertilization

Feeding the plant weekly using a weak dose of liquid fertilizer for tropical plants. A good formulation is a fair 5-5-5 fertilizer diluted to half strength.

Trimming

The plant grows rapidly, if the stems extend too long, cutting off the tip keeps the growth full and thick. Cutting off the sprouted buds of the plant will keep the leaves full.

Propagation

Using leaf-tip cuttings is convenient (it’s the best practice to propagate nerve plants since planting its seed is inefficient) in late spring or early summer while repotting the plant. Use clean and sharp garden shears to cut the lead at an angle. Ensuring that there are at least two growing nodes included in the cutting will obtain the best result. After you’ve put the cut leaf on a pot, its roots will sprout within two to three weeks. If the condition is less than ideal whether it’s too dry or too cool, the rooting hormone may help the chance for success.

Pestering

Fungus gnats, mealy bugs, or aphids are common insect problems. It must be treated as soon as possible when an infestation occurs. You can use an insecticidal plant like neem oil which works well, the affected plant must be isolated to keep the bugs from spreading to other plants.

Causes of a dying Fittonia Plant and how to fix them (Smart Garden Guide, n.d.)

“Why Is My Fittonia Plant Dying?” is a question that you’ve asked yourself or will be about to ask, the following may be the cause of it. It’s either due to Underwatering, Overwatering, Low Humidity, Excess Light, Incorrect Soil, Fertilizer Issues, or the Pests. You need to identify what the problem is before jumping to a solution or trying to fix your plant. The first that must be considered when spotting the problem is the watering issue, then the humidity and lighting problem. Now, consider the care and conditions the plant has been experiencing over the past weeks. You can get your plant back to a healthier one will be much easier once you spotted the cause of why it is like that.

References: Vanzile, J. (2022). How to Grow and Care for Nerve Plant (Fittonia). https://www.thespruce.com/grow-fittonia-houseplants-indoors-1902486 Smart Garden Guide. (n.d.). Why Is My Fittonia Plant Dying? https://smartgardenguide.com/fittonia-plant-dying/

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