my 'pilea plant' has had brownish stems and browning edges on a few leaves for the past week or two....is this caused by overwatering or too much light? any ideas/advice? also mine has a couple sprouts around it so I want to replant all in a larger pot...when is too soon to repot??
To answer your first question, do you let the soil dry out completely between waterings, and how much light is it getting every day. Mine are in north facing windows, but my north windows are still pretty bright. Last question is what type of soil is it in (brand, contents, etc.) and does it drain or dry out quickly or does the water sit for a while when you water it?
1 likeI don't let the soil dry completely out (per plantas watering instructions) between waterings. It gets a decent amount of light, I would say a good 8 hours a day. And it is in an eco pot, with a hole and water catching dish-I'll get back to you about the brand of soil later today!
1 like Thanks for responding! I know it says not to let it dry out completely, but I’ve found my cousin of the pilea peperomia, the raindrop peperomia, needs to dry out completely between waterings. If you don’t wanna let it dry out completely though, at least let it dry out at least 75% before waterings. Peperomia are extra susceptible to edema, overwatering, and root rot, so it’s important not to overwater it or let it sit in excess water. As for lighting, I would guess that’s the other problem, and too much light. You could either move it a little farther from the window it’s in (but still within no farther than 1 ft from the window) or in an east or west facing window. Mine are all in north facing windows, which is another option for them, but my north windows are pretty bright, so you can try what works best in your home. Essentially, I think it’s likely a combination of watering frequency and too much light that’s affecting it. Hope this helps!
1 like As for repotting, I would wait until the plant has recovered from either changing your watering habits or changing its location. If the water-catching dish touches the drainage hole, and allows the water to still sit and get soaked up by the bottom layer of soil, you might wanna repot it in a plastic or terra cotta pot. All of mine are in plastic pots with drainage holes and they’re all bottom-watered to prevent overwatering and attracting pests, and it’s supposed to help it develop a stronger root system. I recommend terra cotta if you’re worried about overwatering it, though. Peperomia tend to enjoy being snug in their pots, and often enjoy being root-bound, but if the roots start poking out of the drainage holes, it’s time to repot. If the roots start poking out, make sure the bottom of the pot has soil before placing the plants roots in, then add more soil to fill the sides of the pot around the plant. That way the roots will be protected from trying to suck up more water than they can absorb, which becomes edema.
0 likesThank you so so much!! I'll let it stay in this pot for a little while longer and move it a little further from the window. The soil brand is G & B Organics. Going to start watering it a little less frequently and see how it does! Thanks again!!
1 like No problem! Good luck! My only other tip would be to try giving it filtered water if you’re using tap water for it. I’ve been told peperomia, especially the pilea and raindrop varieties, can be sensitive to the extra minerals and such in tap, so if light and watering habits don’t help, it could be that.
0 likes