What to Do When Copper Coin Grass Leaves Turn Yellow? Here's the Correct Way to Handle It

Copper coin grass (Hydrocotyle vulgaris) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Apiaceae family with a very strong spreading ability, making it an excellent groundcover plant. Many people like to grow it at home because it is cute and easy to keep, but the growing process is not always smooth sailing and unexpected problems always come up, such as copper coin grass leaves turning yellow. Let's take a look below at what to do when copper coin grass leaves turn yellow!

Causes of Copper Coin Grass Leaves Turning Yellow

1. Watering with a “half soak”, that is, watering is not thorough and no water seeps out from the bottom of the pot.

2. Exposure to cold in winter, the root system has already been frostbitten.

3. After overwintering, rushing to move it outdoors and placing it in a warm spot to sunbathe, so it cannot adapt for a time to the sudden change in climate.

4. The potting soil is too wet or too dry for a long time, without following the rule of watering as soon as the soil dries.

5. Being kept for a long time in an environment with poor ventilation.

6. The leaf surface is not sprayed with water for cleaning for a long time, dust accumulates, and photosynthesis is hindered.

How to Prevent Copper Coin Grass Leaves from Turning Yellow

1. Full hydroponics tends to lack nutrients, and the plant does not grow as well as in soil culture. Full soil culture often does not have enough water, so water it every day until water comes out of the bottom of the pot. Semi-hydroculture with semi-soil culture is best.

2. It needs plenty of sunlight. Even a little shade will prevent it from growing well.

3. The rhizomes grow extremely fast and will continuously coil up and pile up in the pot. Over time they absorb too many nutrients, and the leaves end up lacking nutrients instead. So after a period of time, such as two or three months, the roots should be cleaned and the pot changed. Discard the excess roots and keep just a small section. Copper coin grass is a tough plant that is very easy to keep alive. A small section of stem with a bit of root can grow into a large pot.

4. Applying a little fertilizer every month will make it grow better.

How to Grow Copper Coin Grass

1. Soil: Copper coin grass is not strict about soil. It can grow in yellow loam, red loam or black loam, and even in poor soil. However, its drought resistance is not strong, and it is most suitable for growing in fine, slightly acidic, moist loam with low fertility. It is suitable for fertile, loose soil with high water absorption and good water retention, and can also be cultivated in moist riverbanks, swamps, grasslands or fresh water with lower hardness. The growing medium can be prepared by mixing leaf mold, river mud and garden soil in a ratio of 5:2:2.

2. Light: Copper coin grass is shade-tolerant, and semi-sun or shaded places are best. It dislikes strong direct sunlight, and the more shaded the environment, the more likely the plant's leaves are to rot. Copper coin grass does not compete for light, but if it receives 4 to 6 hours of scattered light every day, or is given 8 to 10 hours of artificial light, it will grow even better.

3. Temperature: Copper coin grass likes a warm and humid environment but is not cold-tolerant. It grows well at temperatures of 10 to 25°C. When the summer temperature rises above 32°C, it stops growing, and in winter the temperature must not be lower than 5°C.

4. Fertilizing: Copper coin grass has a relatively high demand for fertilizer. During the vigorous growth stage, apply fertilizer once every 2 to 3 weeks. If planted in a pot or container, then only a small amount of fertilizer is needed, such as the quick-acting fertilizer Huabao No. 2, which can maintain its fertilizer effect in water for a relatively long time. Just ensure the water quality is slightly acidic or neutral.

5. Watering: Copper coin grass prefers a relatively moist growing environment. Because it has many leaves and a high transpiration rate, in summer it should be sprayed with water frequently to maintain relatively high air humidity, and the leaves should be kept clean to facilitate photosynthesis. In winter, the potting soil should preferably be on the dry side, and watering should follow the principle of preferring wet over dry, avoiding waterlogging, otherwise the roots are prone to rot. Tap water in the north should be exposed to the sun and left to stand for 1 to 2 days before use. During the growing period, water once every 2 to 3 days to keep the potting soil moist. For water culture, change the water once every 7 to 10 days in spring and summer, and once every half month in autumn and winter. If growing in water, be sure to change the water once a week and add a special nutrient solution for foliage plants. If using soil culture, then be sure to retain water for a long time. Water once every morning, but not too much, just until water flows out of the bottom holes and the potting soil is thoroughly wet.

6. Pests and diseases: Copper coin grass has very few pests and diseases. It has strong adaptability and needs no deliberate care. After being grown for a period of time, copper coin grass will fill the entire container. Frequently spray water on the leaf surface to clean the leaves and keep them green and glossy. After the growth becomes dense, attention should be paid to ventilation, otherwise the plant is prone to yellowing.