How to Grow a Money Plant So Healthy, People Will Ask Is It Artificial?

Money plans are very forgiving plants with very little demands, provided you very well know what they like and what they don’t. Here we shall share the secrets of growing healthy money plants in simple steps.

1. Selecting the Right Cuttings for Propagation

   As you know already, money plants are propagated through cuttings. So it is important to select proper cuttings. Ensure that you select thick green branches for propagation that have new growth at their tips. Ensure to keep more than two nodes where new leaves or branches are emerging because that is where roots will develop eventually.

2. Developing Roots Before Potting

   Once you have enough and right type of cuttings, ensure to remove all leaves from the cuttings using scissors. Do not pluck the leaves by hand as it may damage the plant stem. Just leave one or two leaves and the leaf bud at the tip of the cutting. The length of the cutting should be adjusted to keep one or two nodes only. Then soak these cuttings in RO water, AC drain water or bottled water for best results. Tap water is not suitable at this stage as the water hardness could kill the tender plant that is already in shock.

3. Caring While Roots Develop

   Leave the soaked plants with their leaves and leaf buds above the water in a corner that gets enough indirect light (no direct sunlight at this time). Change the water every 2-3 days. You will notice that roots begin to develop after a few days. Do not hurry to pot them yet. Let the roots grow further and wait till about a fortnight from the day first sign of rooting appears.

4. Potting the Money Plant Shoots

   Now that your cuttings have develops at least 1-2 inches of roots and the plants look healthy, make preparations for potting them. Prepare the soil with a an equal mix of cocopeat, vermicompost and garden soil. You can also use store bought garden soil directly. Now whatever planters you are going to use, the proceedure is standard. Create drainage holes, place some pebbles over them and fill the planter upto one-third capacity with the soil. Once filled, place the cuttings, hold them straight and pourr rest of the soil around them to embed them completely in the soil and once done, press the soil gently to firm it up around the plants. Plant at least 3-4 cuttings in every pot for a bushier look later.
   Water the plants adequately, in fact flood the planters this first time and let the excess water drain from the drainage holes. This way the soil will further compact around the roots and support the plant.

5. Post Plantation Care

   Once all the excess water has drained, place the planter in their drip trays and keep the planters still in the same spot where you kept the cuttings initially. Do not expose them to direct sunlight yet as the plants are strong enough to tolerate direct sunlight. If you can provide some pure-white artificial light for a few hours, its good otherwise keep them in a generally well-lit spot. Nothing much is to be done from now on and water every 2-3 days, ensuring to cover the entire top soild and some extra. Ensure the planters are drained well and the water does not stagnate under the planters.

6. Watching New Growth

   You will notice that in about fifteen days or so, there are new leaves or leaf buds appearing at the tips of your news plants. Congratulations! This is the sign that the new plants have settled down and have adapted well to their new home. Now you can simply keep watering them as and when required and also relocation them whereever you want, taking care not to place them in harsh sunlight for extended periods of time. Money plants do not tolerate prolonged exporosure to sunlight well.

7. Regular Care and Maintenance

   Once the plants start to grow rapidly, you must apply nturients at regular intervals of, lets say, each month. These plants do not require too much care except adequate (not excess) watering, a well-lit corner and occaisional fertilzing. For this, you can use vermicompost, liquid fish fertilizer or any other organic fertilizer. Another option is to fertilize with used tea leaves. Once you have finished making tea, do not throw away the tea leaves. Rinse them thoroughly and let them dry completely in the sun for 2-3 days. Once dry, you can use these tea leaves as a fertilizer for your money plants. The quantity depends on the number of plants that are there in each pot. Rough use teaspoon of dried tea leaves per plant. Water immediately after applying any kind of fertilizer.
   Once your plants are growing health and green, reduce watering to once, or at the most, twice a week, depending upon the weather conditions in your area. Also at this stage, do not use excess water, just enough to cover the entire planter surface and little more. The more you water, the more it will drain from below, carrying it valuable nutrients from the soil.

8. Pruning and Training

   Once the plans start growing rapidly, they shoot branches in all directions and if not pruned properly, the plants start to look untidy and wild. Prune any excess growth and keep the plants in size and shape desired by you. If you don’t prune them regularly, they start growing lengthwise. Some people prefer them that way, but if want your money plants to look robust and bushy with a lot of dense foliage, you must keep them pruned.

9. Make The Look Healthy

   Make sure to give then a water bath every fortnight or so to make them look green and fresh for your Instagram reels and photos. To give them a bath you can either spray them thoroughly with fresh water or mix a good plant shampoo and spray. That way, the leaves of your plants will look fresh, healthy, and photogenic.