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My Ginny here is starting to wither away I’ve watered it when Planta… | Gardening and Outdoor | Planta community

Hanna Scott

My Ginny here is starting to wither away I’ve watered it when Planta advised but I’m starting to worry that it’s not going to last much longer..any advice?

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9 comments

  1. Adrian

    Have you given her roots a look at all? If you have and the roots look healthy, then I’d wanna make sure it hasn’t been exposed to any cold or frequent drafts from an air vent, colder window, or frequently opening door. Another thing I would consider is the size of the pot. If the size of the pot is more than 1-2 inches larger than the diameter of the root ball of the plant, that could definitely be contributing. I water my peperomia obtusifolias and clusiifolias every 12-14 days, let them dry out completely between waterings, and keep them in cactus mix, cause they need a really well-draining soil, and like being more snug in their pots and getting a little rootbound. Hope this helps!

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    • Hanna Scott

      Ohh okie that makes sense I’ll have to take her out and take a look. Anything I need to look for? I’m pretty new to this species of plant and want to keep her thriving as much as I can 🙏

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    • Adrian

      With the roots, check that they’re fairly firm and light in color. If they’re dark, mushy, or crumble at the touch, come back and lemme know, and I’ll be happy to walk you through how to treat that. If the roots are fine, try to observe how long it takes for the current soil to dry out and if there’s a considerable size difference between the root ball and the amount of soil and size of the pot. Peperomias are pretty low maintenance as long as they’re in well draining soil and in a spot with enough light that doesn’t change in humidity or temperature.

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    • Hanna Scott

      Yes will do thank you I appreciate it!

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  2. Eucalyptus

    I assume that since your plant is above others and looks to be in a porcelain pot, that it doesn’t have drainage holes. One, I would repot it into another or with drainage, and I would check the roots closely while doing so. Also, see if you can get a probe based moisture meter to closely monitor the water content. They have some good ones on Amazon and Temu. I know all of this is obvious, but I want to make sure that you remember. Also, I would double check the soil you put it back into and the type of fertilizer you use. Tailoring each to your plant will work wonders.

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    • Hanna Scott

      I just have that one and one other next to it all that’s underneath is my soils and tools ☺️ and to me it’s not obvious I’m new to this plant so I’m very grateful for all the kind advice from you 🙏I’ll have to look for a new pot and the probe you mentioned that will help a lot thank you

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    • Adrian

      For a cheap alternative to a moisture meter, you can use a wooden barbecue skewer and stick it all the way to the bottom of the pot, then pull it out to check if the soil is dry enough to water. It’s like using a toothpick to see if brownies are done enough in the oven. If you pull it out and soil is sticking to it, you might wanna hold off on watering it for a day or two. But if the skewer comes out dry without any soil sticking to it, it should be safe to water your plant. I do agree that porcelain pots aren’t the best choice for this plant, since they can hold more extra moisture than this plant needs, so getting a smaller, plastic or terra cotta pot with at least one drainage hole at the bottom, or many smaller drainage holes, will work great for this plant. A well-draining cactus mix will also help this one out, like Espoma’s Organic Cactus and Succulent mix. If you’re worried about overwatering or live in a more humid environment, I would avoid using Miracle Grow brand soil for this one, as even their cactus mix can lack the good drainage of other soil brands. Home Depot and Lowe’s tend to sell pots for cheap in the outdoor Garden Center section. The biggest thing to make sure is that it’s got drainage holes and isn’t a glazed ceramic pot like porcelain. And please give yourself some grace if you’re new to plants. Caring for houseplants can take a little getting used to, but peperomias are pretty beginner-friendly plants once they’re in a good soil and pot size, and given time to dry out between waterings. You’ve got this! 😉👍

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    • Eucalyptus

      That’s a great idea with that barbecue skewer. I might try that myself, as I don’t own a moisture meter. Thanks!

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    • Adrian

      No problem! Metal skewers work too, if you want a reusable skewer 😊 the wooden ones just tend to be a bit cheaper, and come with more skewers.

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