In today’s post I want to talk to you about wandering Jew plant care Have you ever taken care of this plant?
Wandering Jew plant is a houseplant very easy to care for and easy to propagate. Learn all about how to care for a Wandering Jew plant in this amazing guide.
Table of Contents
Wandering Jew Plant Information
This plant comes from Central America and is very popular thanks to the simplicity of its care. It is a hanging houseplant and is often seen on ceiling supports or covering the floor of patios and gardens.
Perhaps I should have started here: Wandering Jew plant is a botanical family of more than 70 species including Tradescantia Zebrina.
The different varieties differ from each other mainly by the color, shape, and size of their leaves. Tradescantia Zebrina, the species we will talk about today, has oval leaves with pointed tips in green, silver, and purple.
For me, it is a very fun plant that looks great in pots where its stems can hang down, which is when they look their best.
If you are considering caring for a Wandering Jew plant, I can only encourage you to take the plunge. It is very economical and easy to care for the plant, you will be amazed at how hardy it is and how little care it needs! Without a doubt, it is the perfect houseplant for beginners.
- I expected a plant … but it was delivered with multiple tiny saplings.
- This is how your CUTTINGS will look, healthy around 4-6 inches long. Some will already have a root poking out or a second+ stem. You need to just tuck them in soil and water well. Then watch them grow. Do not let it completely dry out while rooting. these will even root in just water but will then need to be planted asap.
- Indirect light is best. These are a little darker because they are outside in Florida sun. These plants are happy as long as they’re not kept soaked or allowed to be completely dry too long. Keeping the soil evenly moist is the best. You’ll know it’s ready for more water when the soil is dry to at least 1/2″ deep. Give it a good drink but be sure that the pot drains well.
Wandering Jew Plant Care Quick View
I tell you at a glance all the care that the Wandering Jew plant needs:
Illumination: high but without direct sun.
Ideal temperature: above 68°F (20 degrees).
Minimum temperature: 53°F (12 degrees).
Watering: moderate. Let the substrate dry out between watering.
Fertilizer: fertilizer for indoor plants during spring.
How to Care for a Wandering Jew Plant
If the quick care sheet was not enough for you and you need more information to take care of your Wandering Jew plant, do not worry because I will tell you in-depth what you should know about this plant.
First of all, I remind you that its care is very simple, that it does not require any special attention, and that the Wandering Jew plant is very grateful and will fill your house with green in exchange for very little.
Let’s go for the care it needs!!!!
Lighting
For it to grow at a good pace, strong and with intense color, in its leaves, it needs to receive plenty of light without direct sunlight. I advise you to place it in a place with high illumination but where the light enters screened by a curtain or store.
How can you tell if your Wandering Jew plant is getting the right amount of light? If you see that the stems are growing long and leafless, it means it needs more light. The reason its stems are getting longer is that they are growing fast in search of the sun. If you detect these symptoms in your plant, find a new location where it will receive more light.
Temperature
Wandering Jew plant needs warm climates to live. Its ideal temperature is above 68°F (20 degrees).
It does not tolerate cold climates or temperatures below 53°F (12 degrees) so if you live in places with cold winters, you will have to grow it as a houseplant.
Watering
The Wandering Jew plant is very easy to take care of and does not give any headache as long as we water it moderately.
Problems begin when there is excess humidity or when the roots of the plant become waterlogged. It is important to be moderate with the irrigations because once we overdo it with the water there is no turning back.
I will never get tired of saying it, it is better to water less than the other way around because a plant is easier to recover from lack of watering than from excess and with the Wandering Jew plant the situation is no different.
It needs moderate watering and it is also a species that tolerates “controlled” drought, so if you have doubts, it is preferable to postpone watering.
What is the watering pattern? The most important thing is to pay attention to the substrate and water only when the soil is dry. The frequency of watering will depend on the climate and conditions of your Wandering Jew plant but we could establish the following guideline:
Once a week in summer
Once a fortnight in winter
However, if you notice that the plant’s soil dries out earlier, advance the watering and adapt them to its needs.
Fertilizer
It is incredible how fast this plant grows. You will be surprised to see its rate of development; it is really impressive. However, we can always help it and provide it with more nutrients by fertilizing during its growing season, which is the summer.
My advice is to use fertilizer for indoor plants together with the irrigation water in the quantities and time limits indicated by the manufacturer of the product. Be careful and do not abuse fertilizers as excess fertilizers can be harmful to the plant.
We recommend applying this fertilizer to improve the development of this beautiful plant (Order it here).
Propagation Of Wandering Jew Plant
Propagating this plant is a pleasure! Because it takes root very quickly and grows at a very good rate. You should propagate it in two ways: by division of the plant or by cuttings (cutting a stem of the plant and putting it in water until it takes root).
Pests and Diseases Wandering Jew Plant
Wandering Jew plant is a very pest-resistant houseplant. It does not often get sick or attacked by bugs, but if it is affected by parasites, the most common are aphid, mealybug, or red spider mite.
Frequent Problems Wandering Jew Plant
Wandering Jew plant is a hardy plant and easy to care for but despite this, it can occasionally suffer from the following problems:
Wilted leaves turning yellow: excessive heat and dryness.
Long, bare stems: lack of light
Leaves with very uniform color and no variegation: lack of light.
Do you want my advice? If you have doubts and you don’t know whether to go for a wandering Jew plant or not, my recommendation is that you don’t think twice and get one.
It is the perfect plant for beginners or people who do not have much time to take care of it. It will require little attention and will look beautiful all year round. What more can you ask from a plant?
We hope this article on how to care for a Wandering Jew plant will be useful. We recommend our article about How to Get Rid of Mold in Plant Soil – Effective and Simple Ways.
