Can Fittonia Be Grown in Water? A Detailed Guide to Fittonia Hydroponics

  Fittonia, just as its name suggests, is a plant whose green leaves are marked with regular white net-like veins, and the green and white set each other off, clearly visible and very beautiful, so many plant lovers like to grow it in pots at home to accent their home environment, and some even shape it into a bonsai for viewing.

  In yesterday's article, we introduced the soil cultivation and care methods for Fittonia, so perhaps someone may ask: can Fittonia be grown in water? In fact, besides being grown in soil, Fittonia can also be grown hydroponically. So how do you grow Fittonia hydroponically?

  Soil culture and hydroponics are two completely different concepts, and the most obvious difference lies in the growing medium used: soil culture lets the plant grow in soil, while hydroponics lets the plant grow in water. The main key points for Fittonia hydroponics are as follows:

  1. Moderate Light

  Hydroponic Fittonia is quite sensitive to strong direct light, and especially should avoid strong direct sunlight or sunscald in summer, yet it cannot lack light either, so it is generally best to receive scattered light. Normally, it is recommended to place the plant near a window, where it can receive scattered light through the window, and the light is easier to control well.

  2. Suitable Temperature

  Most hydroponic plants grow best in a temperature environment of 5-30°C, which is fairly close to how the human body feels about temperature. When the human body feels comfortable in a temperature environment, hydroponic plants are likewise fairly comfortable. Fittonia also has this characteristic, so we should adjust the temperature in good time.

  3. Change the Water in Good Time

  The most important and most frequently used means of growing hydroponic plants well is changing the water, and whether the water-changing operation is scientific and reasonable will directly affect the plant's growth state. So for hydroponic plants, changing the water is especially important. As for changing the water for hydroponic Fittonia, besides needing to change it frequently in the early stage of hydroponics, in general keep to changing the water once a week in spring and autumn, in summer the water-changing interval can be appropriately shortened, while in winter the water-changing interval generally needs to be lengthened. And the choice of water quality is also fairly strict; if tap water is used, it must be left to stand for a period of time before the water-changing operation.

  4. Keep It Clean

  Most hydroponic plants like clean water, so when changing the water we must use clean water, and we need to regularly clean out the sticky matter, dead branches and fallen leaves, rotted roots, etc. produced in the container, so as to avoid the water quality in the container being damaged and thereby easily breeding pathogens that infect the plant. But in the process of cleaning out the contaminants we should operate carefully to avoid injuring the plant, otherwise it will not only easily affect the plant's growth but also easily lead to pathogen infection.

  5. Supplement Nutrients

  Everyone knows that soil-grown plants generally need repotting or topdressing after growing in the original pot for too long, to ensure the plant can promptly get the nutrient supply needed for growth. Hydroponic plants are the same, and likewise need to be given enough nutrients at the right time to meet their growth needs. Fittonia is a good example; you can buy a special nutrient solution for hydroponic plants on the market, then strictly follow the instructions to use it, thus achieving the purpose of supplementing nutrients. (Author: Xiaoshu 2017-09-11 22:23)