How To Grow And Care For Aglaonema Plants
In this article we are going to discuss Aglaonema, also known as Chinese Evergreens. I will provide a quick general background on the plant, and then, of course, the general care tips for this genus. Let’s jump into it.
Aglaonema is a part of the Araceae family, which means that it does flower. These plants are native to tropical, humid, shady forest environments. You will definitely understand how their habitat influences their care tips once we get to that section of the article.
So, these plants are pretty popular as houseplants because not only are they easy to care for and tolerant of low light, which is a big plus, but they also have beautiful foliage and come in a huge array of varieties, all with striking patterns and a bunch of different colors, depending on what you’re looking for. So there you go.
These care tips will vary a little bit depending on what variety you have in your home and what your environment is like.
Table of Contents
Light
As I’ve said, these plants typically grow on forest floors and are therefore very comfortable in low light. You absolutely want to make sure this plant is not getting direct light. So, indirect or diffused light is going to be perfect.
Generally, varieties with dark green foliage will need less light than varieties with lighter green foliage or foliage with bright variegation, like the pink variations on the leaves. This is a plant that would definitely benefit from regular rotating so that it is growing full and even on all sides.
And lastly, this plant will definitely benefit from regular, gentle cleanings. Not only is its size pretty large, but also, the glossy texture of the leaves is incredible at collecting dust.
Water
This plant is definitely prone to root rot, so just be careful with watering. The watering needs for this plant will vary based on the lighting situation that you are providing it.
In general, Aglaonema does like moist soil conditions, but if it’s in extremely low light, you’re going to want to keep it on the drier side to avoid root rot. Remember that with this plant, it is better to underwater than overwater.
So, if you’re unsure, probably don’t water it yet.
Humidity and Temperature
These plants do like humidity, but it’s not a huge necessity. Normal humidity is fine, but they will definitely thrive with high humidity.
So, if you have a good spot for this plant next to a humidifier, that’s probably ideal, but it’s not really necessary to do things like the DIY pebble and tray trick for this plant because mine is definitely not near a good source of humidity, but I don’t really have crispy tips or anything.
Now, for temperature, this plant will do pretty well in normal home temperatures. However, this plant is absolutely sensitive to temperatures below like 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. So, while it will probably do well in your average home temperature, unless you really like it cold, the plant will be fine.
Just make sure that it’s not next to any drafty doors or vents or cold windows.
Soil & Fertilizer
You just want to make sure that the soil mixture is well-draining, and this plant definitely does not need to be repotted unless it’s absolutely necessary. So, just let it get root-bound, let it live in its home pot for as long as you can.
Don’t fertilize this plant in the winter time, especially if growth is very slow. And in the summer, I fertilize these plants probably every two weeks.
Propagation
This plant is kind of hard to propagate within a home setting, especially if you don’t have the ideal conditions for this plant, but I’m going to recommend definitely root dividing this plant if you’re looking to split up your plant a little bit and propagate the babies.
For example, I have 2 plants in a pot. So if I wanted to create more Aglaonema, I could definitely separate them into two separate plants.
I hope you now have a better understanding of caring for Aglaonema. If you want to have an Aglaonema, these tips will help you though.
 *(Include an image of droopy leaves)* Some plants, such as calatheas, prefer moist soil at all times; otherwise, they develop that signature brown tissue damage on the leaves. The annoying thing here is that the damage cannot be reversed and can only be cut away, leaving you with a damaged plant. If the soil of your plant is bone dry, you'll notice that it's pulling away from the sides of the pot. This is because the soil has shrunk due to a lack of moisture, so make sure you are not letting this happen by watering a little more frequently. #### Signs Your Plant is Overwatered (darkgreen) Overwatering plants is a really common way that people kill their plants. Beginner plant enthusiasts often have a common misconception that houseplants need lots of water, but the reality is that these plants are native to hot climates where they may get periods of drought followed by large rain which rehydrates them. **Yellowing leaves** (red) can indicate an overwatering problem as well as an underwatering problem. If you are watering your plant too often and the soil is always wet, this can lead to root rot, which will begin to affect the leaves of your plant. **Limp and mushy leaves** (red) also indicate that you are overwatering your plant. This is particularly true with succulents such as Echeverias. Echeverias store water in their thick leaves and have difficulty storing excess water if you are watering your plant too often. This leads to mushy plants that eventually fall off.  *(Include an image of yellowing leaves)* Philodendron and Pothos plants tend to get mushy leaves that fall off if the soil is consistently soggy. My Philodendron Birkin recently developed some new brown leaves that fell off because I was overwatering it. Whereas crispy brown edges on leaves indicate an underwatering problem, if the whole leaves are turning brown, this tends to mean that the plant tissue is rotting due to too much water. You may also notice some water droplets on the ends of the leaves of some of your plants. This is the plant perspiring excess water through its leaves and can indicate that you are giving the plant too much water. Now, this tends to happen on plants that prefer drier soil, and I notice it quite often on my Philodendron Birkin and my Tradescantia Nanook. **Increased presence of fungus gnats** (red) can also be a sign that your plant is too moist. Fungus gnats like a moist top two inches of soil to breed and lay their eggs, so if your soil is wet, it creates a breeding ground for gnats. If you see lots of flea-like flies jumping around the top of your soil, I would just dial back on the watering and let the top two inches of the soil dry out before watering again. #### Watering Tips (darkgreen) It is important to allow the soil of your houseplant to dry out between waterings. This prevents the possibility of over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons people kill their plants. **Check the soil moisture** (red) before watering your plant by sticking your finger two inches into the soil. If it feels wet, leave it a few days and then check again. An even better way to check the soil moisture is to invest in a moisture meter. This device needs no batteries and tells you exactly how much moisture is in the soil, giving you control over watering your plants.  *(Include an image of a moisture meter)* When you identify that your plant needs water, make sure you give it a thorough soaking. Take your plant to a sink area and soak the soil four or five times until water drains out of the bottom each time. This ensures that all the soil in the pot gets moistened and there are no dry patches. **Bottom watering** (teal) is a method that has changed the health of my plants since I implemented it a couple of years ago. Place your plant in a container of water and let it absorb moisture from the bottom up. This method prevents water from getting on the leaves, which can cause leaf tissue damage. I hope this article was helpful. Now you know when to water your plants and when not to. Apply this knowledge to your plants and see the growth. Happy gardening! --- Incorporating these visual and formatting enhancements will make your article more attractive and engaging for your readers.](https://growinggaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pexels-artempodrez-7242495-scaled.jpg)
