This plant has been growing taller and taller and seems healthy thus far. I think I need to put a support stake next to it soon but is it supposed to keep growing up? Is this a flowering plant? It seems that at this rate, in a few years it will be several feet tall with just the one single stalk. I water it about once a week from the bottom tray so the roots can soak it up and I don't soak it. What is it and am I caring for it properly?
I am always hesitant to water from the bottom, unless you do it right, you saturate the soil and cause rot. If it were me, I'd give the plant more sun, and water from the top only when the top layer of soil is no longer moist. Also, water until you see water freely draining from the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. These are general guidelines that I use for all my house plants, and that seems the best way to "not kill" anything, haha!
I was taught to water them from the bottom tray because it causes the roots to reach for it. Plus when I water from the top it seems I'm more likely to over water. Any idea what this is?
Well, when you water from the top, you have to be sure all water drains out of the bottom of the pot before you place it over it's normal home on the drip tray. I'm not sure what it is, but I was just pointing out something that I do to help me not overwater (I used to be a chronic over-waterer, lol.)
Sorry, not sure what you have. Do you know if it's a houseplant? Whatever it is, it definitely needs more light. If the light is too low, growth can be thin and wispy, also reaches for more light with larger space's then normal between the leaves.
the plant is in the tradescantia family...the wandering jews. this particular one has the 'common name' of oyster plant. any flowers would be insignificant on this particular one - very small and most probably white. this one does get tall and then do tend to need staking after a bit (it may be something you could grow in a hanging basket and just allow it to drape over the sides once long enough to do so). i had one for a while and never did get a clear answer as to whether i could top it off and root the top piece (i did pose the question here and on some other garden sites). as for watering from above or below, for me, it depends on the particular plant. most succulents i water from below and any african violets and anything similiar (anything that has a corm that is susceptible to rotting) also is watered from below. aroids get the water at the top. cacti - depends on type, some from above and others below. there's nothing wrong giving the water from either direction. it's mostly a matter of personal preference as well as ease in doing it. as long as proper drainage is available - within the soil composition as well as drain holes in the container - and allowed to occur and all excess water is removed from drip pans/dishes, then, either watering method is acceptable. the soil will only remain too moist for the plant if it's the wrong type, in the wrong container (no drainage, using plastic instead of clay, etc), you are allowing the excess water to remain and the container is sitting right in it and/or you are watering too frequently for that particular type of plant.
This is the same plant as the photos in my first post. I definately see why they call it an oyster plant. It is getting huge now and I'm not sure if I want it to be a hanging plant. I left it how it was until now since it has been doing very well. It has roots growing from the underside of the large top and I wanted to know if I should put that part in a 2nd pot, let it root, and then cut off the long skinny stem or if it really would be better to slowly get it to hang. I've included a photo of the roots. Thank you!
Oh my! It's a bit straggly, and I have to give you the sad news that your lizard is dead... Cute, though. I thought it was an anole. Judging from the first photos and now these, you have one very long loop-de-loop stem, with some more robust leaves and flowers at the top. I don't grow these, but they are everywhere down here. They are never as long and lanky as yours though. You know those nubs you think are roots? They are. Cut off below some of those nubs, strip the last leaf or two and put the top in potting soil. I gather the sap can be irritating, and most tradescantias will ooze quite a bit, so wear gloves. Now you'll still have quite a bit of looping stem remaining. You could cut it in multiple sections, leaving a few inches on the rooted bit. That rooted section may or may not sprout new growth. Sometimes old growth on herbaceous plants gets too tough to sprout, but you don't know until you try. The sections above that could be buried in potting soil to see if they'd root, too. I'd suggest you stick them in upright. Some things will sprout well from a section pinned to the soil surface, but I'd suspect these will rot if you do that. Good luck!
Thanks much for the info! Should I put the top in water for a few days to give the roots a heads up as to what's happening?
I wouldn't. The type of roots that form in water are not the way they grow in soil. It makes us feel good to see them, but it probably doesn't help the plant any. The fact that they are showing is a good sign. Just remove the leaves that split over them, and stick them in moist potting soil or sand.
