Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Planting a Tradenscantia
• Part 2 of 3: Plant care
• Part 3 of 3: Common Problems and Solutions
• Warnings
• Necessities

Tradescantia or Father plants are beautiful plants because of their colorful elongated leaves. In warm climates, this is a hardy perennial that can be kept as a ground cover in the garden or in a pot and the stems can hang nicely. They are relatively easy to care for and very easy to propagate, making the plant also very beautiful as a houseplant.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Planting a Tradenscantia

1. Determine the growing conditions. Tradescantia originates from South America and likes a lot of sunlight and warm temperatures, around 13-24 degrees. This does not have to be a problem if you keep the plant indoors; if you want to grow the plant outside, you must have the right conditions.
   • America is divided into climatic zones, which are based on average temperatures. Plants are labeled with the zone or zones where the conditions are good. For example, the Father plant grows best in zones 9-11. According to that map, most of the south and a narrow strip along the west coast of America meet the conditions. Check out this map to see if the temperatures are warm enough to keep Tradescantia out.
   • If you don't live in U.S. zones 9-11 or a similar climate, you should be assured that you cannot overwinter this plant outside. Then the plant should certainly be kept as a houseplant.
2. Choose a good pot for the plant. You can use a regular plant pot with a saucer or a hanging pot. Whichever pot you choose, make sure there are holes for proper water drainage.
   • When using a hanging pot, make sure you turn it daily so that all sides of the plant get the same amount of sunlight.
   • It is also wise to choose a pot that is not too heavy, especially if you hang it up. Therefore choose a plastic pot instead of a ceramic pot. A lighter pot is also easier to bring in when it freezes.
3. Put the Tradescantia in a jar. Fill the pot about two thirds with potting compost and place the plant in the center of the pot. Add soil on all sides and fill all sides. Press down on the soil around the plant and water until the soil is well wet.
   • You can buy Tradescantia or Vaderplant at many plant stores and garden centers. You can propagate the plant well by taking cuttings. All you need to do is take a few cuttings from an adult Father plant. Read more about plant cuttings here.

Part 2 of 3: Plant care

1. Make sure your plant gets enough sunlight. If possible, give the plant a combination of direct and filtered sunlight.
   • An east-facing window is a good place for the Tradescantia. There, the plant receives indirect light throughout the day. Make sure it doesn't get too hot in the afternoon. If so, place the pot half a meter from the window or filter the light using net curtains.
   • If the plant stays outside at first, find a spot with indirect sunlight. Maybe on the veranda where the morning sun provides a few hours of sun. Make sure that the plant is not in direct sunlight all day without any shade.
2. Water the plant regularly. Father plants like moist soil, but you shouldn't drown them. Feel how wet the earth is with your finger every day. If the soil feels dry, water the plant enough so that it is moist again. Excess water will drain from the bottom of the pot.
   • If the jar is on a saucer, make sure to empty the saucer regularly.
   • Be careful not to pour water on the crown of the plant to avoid rot. In winter, the plant needs less water because the plant grows less quickly. You can then let the plant dry a little longer before watering it again.
   • Sometimes it can be useful to use a plant watering system using water bulbs; these bulbs do need to be filled and cleaned regularly. You still need to check that plants are getting enough water if you want to use them
3. Feed the plant regularly. Every two weeks, give the plant some 10-10-10 fertilizer that can be dissolved in an equal amount of water.
   • Liquid 10-10-10 fertilizer is a good universal fertilizer that consists of ten percent nitrogen, ten percent phosphate and ten percent potassium. Read the package instructions carefully, especially since some liquid fertilizers are powder that must be mixed with water.
   • Only feed the plants during the growing season, from spring to early fall.
4. Trim the plant. To keep shoots from growing too long, cut some stems just above a leaf. You can't actually cut too much away. You can prune about a quarter of the plant. This will encourage the plant to develop new foliage from the base rather than at the ends of the stems.
   • The best time for pruning is during the spring and summer months, when the plant is most growing. After pruning, give the plant time to develop new shoots.
   • If the plant gets too bushy, you can also remove a few branches from the base of the plant so that the air and light can spread better.
5. Remove affected, rotten and dead leaves. Eventually the plant will not develop new branches from the base, but will continue to grow at the end of the stems. Now is a good time to give the plant new life and repot it. To do this, you can take cuttings, let them root in water or even stick the cuttings in the soil.

Part 3 of 3: Common Problems and Solutions

1. Fight aphids. New stems on the Father plant are often sensitive to small, green insects such as aphids. They are usually found close to the stems. An effective treatment is to cut off infected stems and water the rest of the plant with plenty of water mist. You can also use a spray nozzle or a strong jet of water to remove them from the leaves.
2. Freshen up brown leaves. Spray the plants regularly with water mist. When the humidity is low, the leaves of the Tradescantia will turn brown, but if you spray the plant regularly, the leaves will remain colorful. Keeping the leaves wet will also help with potential aphid problems. Fill a spray bottle with water and mist the leaves until they are well moist.
   • Brown leaves can also be a sign that the plant is getting too much sunlight. In this case, you must ensure that the plant is not getting direct sunlight by moving the pot or filtering the light through some form of net curtain between the plant and the window.
   • For good results, you can use distilled water or spring water to mist the plants.
3. Freshen up discolored leaves. Leaves that aren't as colorful and variegated as they should be may not be getting enough sunlight. Gradually give the plant more and more sun so that the plant does not get a shock. You can do this by placing the pot near a window where more light enters or when growing Tradescantia in the garden by finding a place that gets more sun.
4. Remove root rot. If the plant becomes discolored and the leaves turn a yellowish color, the plant may have been overwatered and the roots are rotting. If this is the case, the plant will not show much new growth. You need to remove the part of the plant affected by rot, take cuttings from the healthy plant, and repot the plant.

Warnings

• The juice of the Tradescantia can cause skin irritation in humans and allergic reactions in dogs.

Necessities

• Cuttings or a plant
• Potting soil based on peat
• Pot or hanging pot
• Water
• Fertilizer
• Water globes
• Pruning shears