Question
Last spring I started a wandering jew from shoots that sprouted in water.  I was amazed at how easily they grew, as I had found them at my school on the floor and have no idea how long they had been dropped there.  When I finally planted them, I combined them with some Swedish Ivy shoots that were ready to pot. There were about 8-9 different starts in my 10 inch hanging pot.  They took off and did great!  However, about two weeks ago I moved my pot to another spot and last week I noticed how horrible my wandering jew looks, as well as some of the ivy.  I moved it back to the window area it came from, as it had more light in that spot, but it hasn't revived itself yet. The soil is very wet; it is a planter that you water from the bottom so I thought it would only soak up water as it needed it...but now I'm thinking it got too much water! Also, one of the Swedish Ivy plants still looks very healthy and could it be that it has taken over the planter in the last few days? How long is too long to wait and see if the better light revives it? Should I repot with dry soil? Thanks!

Answer
Hi Alycia,

Not only was the bottom-watering pot not a good idea, but at 10 inches it is way too big for starts. All the extra soil absorbs the water and stays wet for too long and causes the roots to gradually rot.

Unpot your plant, remove all loose soil, and inspect the roots. I suspect that you have few healthy roots remaining. Any of the starts without healthy roots attached should be discarded.

If you have any starts with healthy, firm roots, then pot them together in a very small pot (2-4 inches) with just enough potting mix to cover the roots. The pot must have drainage holes in the bottom. Water from the top only when the top inch of soil is dry.

Place your plant right in your sunniest window for best results.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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