Detailed Guide to the 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 Acanthaceae family. It has a graceful posture and a small, delicate stature. 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 display. It is deeply loved by people. Let us take a look at the cultivation methods and precautions for nerve plant!

Growth Habits of Nerve Plant

Nerve plant likes a hot, humid and semi-shaded environment. It is a high-temperature plant and is particularly sensitive to temperature. The suitable growth temperature is 18-24°C. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than 13°C, and 13-16°C 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. Scattered light is best, and direct light should be avoided. Sandy loam rich in humus is suitable.

Propagation Methods for 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 results. Cut cuttings from the creeping stems growing out of the pot surface, about 10 cm long, generally requiring 3-4 stem nodes. Remove the lower leaves, let them dry slightly, and insert them into a sand bed. They can take root 7-14 days after insertion, and generally 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, they can be cut off with roots and directly potted. After recovering in semi-shade 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. After cutting the clustered shoots, they are transferred to 1/2 MS medium supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid 0.1 mg/L. In about 1-2 weeks, adventitious roots grow and a complete plant is formed.

Cultivation Methods for Nerve Plant

1. Light: Nerve plant likes medium-intensity light and avoids direct sunlight, but it also has strong shade tolerance. 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: 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. The root system of nerve plant is also relatively shallow, so water again when the surface soil is dry, and the amount of water should be slightly controlled. It is best to keep the growing medium slightly moist.

4. Fertilizing: During the cultivation of nerve plant, for vigorously growing plants, apply a nitrogen-based compound fertilizer at half the normal concentration 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 and helps the roots remain moist for long periods.

Precautions for Cultivating Nerve Plant

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

2. Pests of nerve plant include scale insects, red spiders and snails. For scale insects and red spiders, spray 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution to kill them. Snails can be caught by hand or trapped with molluscicide.

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 semi-shade or provide 50% shading, and mist 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 in 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 fertilizers that are 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 damage.