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Fittonia plants, also referred to as Mosaic Plants or Nerve Plants, are easy to care for and offer stunning color combinations in their leaf blades and veins. These stunning blooms come in an array of hues from pinks and greens to whites and reds.
These houseplants are perfect for growing indoors and can easily be propagated via stem cuttings. They thrive in bright indirect light, high humidity levels, and consistent moisture.
They do not like excess water, so make sure the soil doesn't dry out between waterings. Conversely, if your leaves begin to wilt or turn yellow, you may need to water more frequently as this could lead to botrytis fungus and root rot.
Utilizing the correct potting soil is paramount for keeping your nerve plants happy and healthy. It should have a peat moss base with an acidic pH.
You have two choices for indoor potting mixes: regular indoor potting mix or specialized peat moss-reduced blend. While these may be harder to locate in the UK and usually costlier, they will provide better results over time.
Moisturizing the soil without becoming soggy is ideal, as this can encourage root rot and damage the shoots. To determine whether it's moist enough to touch roots, insert a stick into the ground and feel for wetness.
This plant can be grown successfully in either a wide, shallow pot or even terracotta bulb bowls that should be available year round at garden centres. Repot them every three years or as the soil condition deteriorates to maintain an ideal moisture balance.
Avoid over-watering your plants, as this can cause them to wilt and die quickly in hot climates. Instead, only allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
They will wilt if left to dry out too long, but this is usually harmless and the plant should recover after a few hours if its foliage continues functioning normally.
You can store them in a cool but humid place until you are ready to repot them. They tolerate temperatures ranging from 15degC to 18degC, so keep them where they will stay during their repotting and acclimatization period.
In the meantime, take some rooted cuttings to repot into fresh soil in spring. You can take stem cuttings from healthy shoots or one single stem of a mosaic plant by trimming away its tip and cutting it a few millimetres above soil level, or at its leaf node.
To preserve your fittonia cuttings, place them in a perforated zip-lock bag to prevent excess humidity and allow air to circulate. Doing this will protect them from rotting, so you can save them for future use!
For any additional assistance with your fittonia plant, book a 1-on-1 video call with Joe Bagley and he can answer all your queries. He will recommend the ideal branded compost and pot size for your specimen as well as providing step-by-step instructions on repotting with confidence!
