Goldfish Plant Water Propagation and Rooting Methods, and How to Deal with Root Rot

The goldfish plant (Nematanthus gregarius) has recently become very popular among potted plants, but lately there has been a lot of debate about it. Some people say that besides soil culture, it can actually also be grown in water. So below, the editor will introduce the hydroponic method, and we will test it ourselves to see whether it can really grow in water and whether hydroponic cultivation can really succeed.

Goldfish Plant Water Propagation and Rooting Method

1. Choosing a container: Generally, the vase should be chosen according to the size of the hydroponic golden-center spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum 'Variegatum'). It is best to choose one with a neck at the 1/3 point, which may be fixed or not fixed.

2. Choosing hydroponic seedlings: You can choose small new seedlings on the runners, preferably with aerial roots; you can also rinse the soil off a soil-cultured spider plant and then grow it hydroponically. Note that it must be disinfected before hydroponic cultivation.

3. Carrying out hydroponic cultivation: Choose a good vase according to the size of the golden-center spider plant. When growing hydroponically, do not add too much water; just enough to cover 1/3 to 1/2 of the root system.

4. Care and management: Change the water once every 2 to 3 days. For those changed from soil culture to hydroponic culture, some roots will rot at the beginning, and these need to be cut off when changing the water, and disinfection is best. When the new water roots are 3 to 5 cm long, nutrient solution needs to be added to the water; the amount does not need to be large. The best care environment for hydroponic golden-center spider plants is scattered light; it should not be too shady or exposed to the sun. If any leaf tips dry up, prune them promptly. Fertilizer should mainly be nitrogen fertilizer, but for golden-center and golden-edge varieties, nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied excessively, otherwise the linear markings on the leaves will become less obvious.

5. Precautions: The golden-center spider plant likes a semi-shady environment. If the placement location has too strong or insufficient light, the leaves will easily turn pale green or yellow-green, lose their vitality, and lose their proper ornamental value, or even dry up and die; if exposed to direct sunlight and dry air, the golden-center spider plant is most likely to scorch, so it should be placed in a cool and ventilated place, and attention should be paid to maintaining environmental humidity.

What to Do If the Goldfish Plant Has Root Rot

After discovering root rot, the first thing to do is reduce the watering frequency. Do not water repeatedly; watering once in the morning and once in the evening is enough. After the situation improves, switch to watering once every other day or every two days. This not only ensures the water supply but also prevents the soil from becoming too moist. After some time, the rotted roots will gradually improve. Next, it needs to be moved outdoors to receive more light. Winter sunlight is relatively mild, so there will be no sunburn and no yellow leaves. When the plant receives sufficient sunlight, the roots will naturally improve. If there are many rotted parts of the roots and reducing watering and increasing light cannot save it, then at this time consider using nutrient solution. Note that when spraying nutrient solution, it must not be sprayed directly into the soil or onto the roots. Direct contact with the roots is very likely to cause root burn, so try to spray it on the leaf surface for better absorption.

If the root rot is relatively severe, the rotted parts must be cut off directly. Before cutting, the knife must be disinfected so that bacteria do not come into contact with the already fragile roots. The cut-off roots can be thrown away directly. Apply some rooting agent to the cut surface to ensure that it can take root and recover as soon as possible. Although the goldfish plant likes a humid growing environment, it hates waterlogging. If water accumulation is found in the pot soil, it should be dealt with promptly, and the soil should be replaced if necessary to avoid root rot caused by soaking in water. If the root rot is very severe, it cannot be saved, so measures should be taken in advance to prevent root rot from happening.

How to Pinch the Goldfish Plant

1. Choice of time: Generally, it is done from May to June, but individual cases should still be determined according to growth conditions.

2. Pinching location: The very top of each branch of the goldfish plant.

3. Pinching method: Use scissors, preferably flower scissors specially used for pruning plants, to cut off the top 1/3 of each new branch. After cutting, promptly deal with the leaves at the cut. They can be cleaned up directly, which benefits the growth of new buds. But when pinching, do not cut its main trunk. After pinching, it must not be placed in the sun to dry; move it to a place that is both cool and ventilated. Wait until no liquid is flowing from the cut, then move it into the sunlight. Watering and fertilizing should also be done only after the cut has dried.

Benefits of the Goldfish Plant

1. Ornamental value

The goldfish plant has a beautiful shape, and its leaves look like goldfish. Its flowers are bright. During the peak flowering period, a larger plant can bloom more than a hundred flowers at the same time, and the flowers are large and brightly colored, very spectacular, with great ornamental value. So placing a pot of goldfish plant at home, or planting goldfish plant in the courtyard, not only allows you to enjoy it but also adds indoor beauty to the room. Isn't that nice? Then hurry and get a few pots!

2. Purifying the air

The goldfish plant is a green plant. Grown as a potted plant indoors, it is both beautiful and elegant, pleasing to body and mind. Moreover, the goldfish plant absorbs harmful substances such as carbon dioxide from the air, playing a role in purifying the air. Not only that, it can also increase indoor humidity. This kind of purifying effect is really both economical and ornamental compared with purifying machines, killing two birds with one stone.

So the goldfish plant can indeed be grown hydroponically, and the effect after growing is as good as with soil culture. In addition, we have also learned that besides having good ornamental value, the goldfish plant is also a little expert at purifying the air, with an effect even better than that of an air purifier. It is truly a good product for the home that serves multiple purposes at once.