Peperomia Plant Care Tips & Tricks | Peperomia Houseplant Care!
Today I thought we would talk about the care of Peperomia houseplants. I know Peperomia are considered easy plants, but in my experience, they’re not as easy as everybody claims. I have killed quite a few in my day. Once you figure out each plant, it’s easy.
You know what I mean?
Table of Contents
Lighting
So first things first is the lighting, and the lighting is kind of important for these guys. They generally prefer bright indirect light. There are some that prefer a little bit more direct light, and some that prefer a little bit less light. So again, it just all comes down to getting to know your Peperomia variety.
Some of these I do keep on my shelf back, pulled about 10 feet from the south window. So it’s not too direct sun exposure, but they are still getting enough light. Some signs that your Peperomia are getting too much light are:
- Burnt leaves
- Crunchy leaves
- Discoloration of the leaves
Those are generally signs of too much light. If they’re getting too little light, you may notice their leaves turning lighter in color. You will also notice on more variegated varieties, their variegation is kind of dulling. So they’re reverting back to green. You may also notice more stunted growth, with new growth being smaller or occurring more slowly. If that’s the case, give it a little bit more light and it should be fine.
Watering
Now, the watering requirements are where I felt I was going really, really wrong in the beginning. The things I was reading about Peperomia stated that they liked the soil to remain moist. I have found that this is not the case at all. For my Peperomia plants, I have found that they are extremely susceptible to root rot. Their root systems are very fragile and thin compared to other root systems.
I allow the soil to dry about 50% before watering them. Some ways you can test the soil to see if it needs water: the most important is to get to know your plant. You need to know how it feels, how heavy it is weight-wise when it’s been thoroughly watered as opposed to when it’s getting too dry. That’ll just come with time as you get to know your plants. Or you can stick a skewer or orange wood stick into the soil; if it comes out dry, then it’s dry. If it comes out a little bit moist, then you’re probably good.
These plants will wilt when thirsty and I have found that bottom watering these guys is the best option. They’re very susceptible to root rot and also to stem rot. What I’ll do is fill a little bowl or saucer with water about halfway and then sit the plant in it to allow it to soak up the water. Once I notice the top of the soil is dampened, I’ll take the plant out. This has worked really well for me and helps prevent water from sitting on the top of the soil, leaves, or stems, which can cause stem or leaf rot. Another reason why I love bottom watering is that it allows the roots to suck up the moisture from the bottom of the pot all the way up so they’re not getting too much water and they’re getting what they need.
As far as fertilizing goes, I use an Espoma all-purpose fertilizer, dilute it to half strength, and give it to them about monthly.
Temperature & Humidity
Kind of along that same seasonal thing, they don’t like the temperatures to go below 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and prefer 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. So basically, if you’re comfortable, they’re comfortable. Most Peperomia do actually prefer humidity in the air, but they can also tolerate low humidity.
Soil Mix
For my Peperomia houseplants, I have found that they prefer well-draining soil. I use a succulent soil mix and mix in a little extra pumice and orchid bark to air it up a little bit. They like really loose soil because their root systems are extremely fragile, and less compact, dense soil will lead to fewer root rot issues.
Propagation
There are many ways to propagate a Peperomia houseplant. My favorite, of course, is water propagation. You can take cuttings from the plant itself. You can also take leaf cuttings and stick them in water. This is a great way to utilize those leaves that may fall off at some point. Just stick them in some water and bright indirect light and they will grow roots at some point. Just be patient. You can also take stem cuttings. You can cut the top of a plant off if you want and stick that in water and it will grow roots.
For propagation,
- You can cut off leaves
- You can cut off stems
- You can stick them in soil or water
If you stick them in soil, they generally need a little bit more humidity to grow a new plant. You can also take a cutting off of a leaf, dip it into rooting hormone, and then stick it in soil and it will grow new plants over time. Or, of course, you can just divide up the crowns of the plant.
So yeah, lots of ways to get more free plants.
I hope this article was helpful for you.
 *(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)
