According to Feng Shui, the money plant is an extremely auspicious plant that brings good luck, prosperity, happiness, and wealth when kept as home. Not only do people prefer to keep this plant in their homes for auspicious purposes but they also do so because of its beautiful appearance.
In many parts of Asia, the broad leaves, shiny stems, and strong branches are a symbol of prosperity, renewal, vibrancy, and happy life. The money plant is a relatively easy plant to keep because it requires minimal care. Many people prefer growing money plants in water alone. So, let’s take a look at how to properly grow money plants in water.
Propagation
The easiest method of propagating money plants is from cuttings. Using cuttings to propagate a plant also means that the new plant will be very similar to the parent plant. Cuttings can be procured from a healthy mature money plant that you already own or can be purchased from a nursery. It is advised to get a stem cutting that is at least 4 to 6 inches long. Cut from below the root node and remember to choose a stem that has some leaves attached at the top.
Pot Selection
When growing money plants in water, you don’t need a pot with drainage holes. The growth of your plant is dependent on the size of your pot. Therefore, carefully choose a pot that can be placed in direct sunlight. Usually, for aesthetical purposes people pick a transparent glass pot, however, a dark-coloured vase obstructs light, thereby, reducing the growth of algae. You can also add a pole to your pot in order to promote climbing. The pot must be cleaned regularly as well to keep algae at bay.
Sunlight
Money plants whether they are grown in a potting medium or in water require a lot of bright but indirect sunlight in order to grow properly. If you live in an extremely dry and hot place, then it is best to keep the plant in a partially sunny area. Too much sunlight can burn the edges of the leaves. Money plant thrives in hot and humid temperatures, exposure to temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius can damage the growth and foliage of the plant.
Fertilizer
Since the money plant is not a flowering plant, it is ok to add nitrogen-based water-soluble fertilizer to it to promote the heavy growth of foliage. The best time to feed the plant fertilizer is late spring and early summer, right before the plant enters its active growth period. You can feed your plant some fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks during the active growing period. There is no need to fertilize the plant during winter as it doesn’t grow in that period.
Pruning
Whether it is a money plant grown outdoors or indoors, in water, or in soil, it is very important that it is pruned on a regular basis. This is because removing overgrown branches or drying leaves promotes the growth of the money plant as the nutrients absorbed by the plant are no longer being used to keep dying leaves alive.
Water
When growing money plants in water, it is advised to change the water every week as the roots require oxygen to grow properly and the oxygen level of water starts to decrease over time. Also, during summer the water level of the pot will decrease significantly, therefore, you must maintain the levels by adding water regularly.
First published on: 21 Feb 2023, 11:27 IST
