The Latest Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Nerve Plant

Nerve plant, also known as Fittonia and silver net plant, is a perennial evergreen herb of the genus Fittonia in the family Acanthaceae. It has a light and graceful form and a small, delicate plant body. Among foliage plants, it is a small potted plant. It is already very common on windowsills, balconies and in rooms in Europe and America, and is especially suitable for potted viewing. It is deeply loved by people. Now let us take a look at the cultivation methods and precautions for nerve plant!

Growth Habits of Nerve Plant

Nerve plant likes high temperature, high humidity and a semi-shaded environment. It is a high-temperature plant and is especially sensitive to temperature. The suitable growth temperature is 18-24°C. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than 13°C; at 13-16°C it can maintain normal growth. Below 13°C growth stops and some leaves begin to fall off, but the stems will not be frozen. If the room temperature rises back above 18°C, it can continue to sprout new leaves. If the temperature is below 8°C, the plant will freeze and die. During the growing period it needs relatively high air humidity, and scattered light is best. Direct sunlight should be avoided. Sandy loam rich in humus is suitable.

Propagation Methods of Nerve Plant

1. Cuttings: Under suitable temperature conditions, nerve plant can be propagated by cuttings throughout the year. Cuttings taken from May to September, when the temperature is slightly higher, have the best effect. Cut cuttings about 10 cm long from the creeping stems growing out of the pot surface. Generally they need 3-4 stem nodes. Remove the lower leaves, let them dry slightly, and insert them into a sand bed. Roots can form 7-14 days after insertion, and generally they can be transplanted into pots 1 month after insertion.

2. Division: For plants with relatively dense stem and leaf growth, many creeping stem nodes have already grown adventitious roots. As long as the creeping stems are more than 10 cm long and are cut off with roots, they can all be potted directly. After recovering in a semi-shaded place for 1-2 weeks, they can be transferred to normal care.

3. Tissue culture: Leaves and stem tips are commonly used as explants for nerve plant. After disinfection and sterilization, the leaves are cut into 8-10 mm lengths and inoculated onto MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine 2 mg/L, naphthaleneacetic acid 2 mg/L and 2,4-D 1 mg/L. After 30 days the leaves bend, and after another 20 days clustered shoots grow out. After the clustered shoots are cut and transferred to 1/2 MS medium supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid 0.1 mg/L, adventitious roots grow out in about 1-2 weeks, forming complete plants.

Cultivation Methods for Nerve Plant

1. Light: Nerve plant likes medium-intensity light and avoids direct sunlight, but its shade tolerance is also relatively strong. Indoors, it is best placed by a bright window.

2. Temperature: Nerve plant likes warmth, and the suitable growth temperature is 18—25°C. Nerve plant has poor cold resistance. When the temperature is below 12°C, the leaves will suffer cold damage, and at about 8°C the plant may die.

3. Watering: Great care must be taken when watering nerve plant. If the potting soil is allowed to dry out completely, the leaves will curl up and fall off. If it is too wet, the stems are prone to rot. Nerve plant also has relatively shallow roots, so water again when the surface soil is dry, and the amount of water should be controlled slightly. It is best to keep the growing medium only slightly moist.

4. Fertilizing: During cultivation of nerve plant, for vigorously growing plants, a nitrogen-based compound fertilizer at half the normal concentration can be applied once every half month.

5. Potting soil: For nerve plant, sandy loam rich in organic matter, air-permeable and water-retentive is best. Growing it in peat is also very good, as it helps the roots remain moist often.

Precautions for Cultivating Nerve Plant

1. Common diseases of nerve plant include leaf rot and root rot. For leaf rot, spray with 25% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution for prevention and control. For root rot, soak the roots with streptomycin at 1000 times dilution to sterilize.

2. Pests of nerve plant include scale insects, red spider mites and snails. For scale insects and red spider mites, spray with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution. Snails can be caught manually or trapped with methaldehyde.

3. In summer, nerve plant needs enhanced air circulation so that the heat inside the plant can be released. It is recommended to place it in a semi-shaded place or give it 50% shade, and spray it appropriately 2-3 times a day.

4. In winter, nerve plant needs to be moved indoors to a bright place for care. If it is kept outdoors, it can be wrapped with plastic film to overwinter, but every two days at noon when the temperature is relatively high, the plastic film should be opened to let it breathe.

5. When applying fertilizer that is not absorbed through the leaves to nerve plant, it is advisable to carefully lift the leaves to avoid fertilizer contacting the leaves and causing fertilizer burn.