Eucalyptus Plant Care | Everything You Need To Know
There are many species of eucalyptus. In fact, over 700 are known.
Usually the eucalyptus gunnii, is the one that is more suitable for indoor growing. This is because this type of eucalyptus actually doesn’t grow more than 12 to 18 inches a year if it is in a pot. So it remains at a reasonable size for several years.
This is actually important for the eucalyptus because this plant actually grows really big, really quick. The baby leaves of this beautiful plant tend to encircle the main stem. They actually look like hearts.
The color of the leaves is beautiful too. It is more or less gray and greenish with a tint of blue, and it is heavily sprinkled with white powder. If the plant is at direct sunlight, the baby leaves can have a little bit of pink color.
Table of Contents
The Container
For the perfect container, it is good to remember that your eucalyptus needs very good drainage. The plant will be better when drying out than actually standing in wet soil. So make sure that the container or the pot that you’re using to put your eucalyptus has drainage holes.
This way the water can actually drain out.
Environment & temperature
The eucalyptus will be okay in warm or cool temperatures. Just make sure that it is not in a place below 10 degrees Celsius.
If you have your eucalyptus outside and the weather is starting to get colder and you know that it’s going to be below 10 degrees Celsius, it is recommended that you bring it inside.
Sunlight
In terms of sunlight, the eucalyptus loves full sunlight. So you should have your plant in a room that is going to get at least six hours of full sunlight.
So a south-facing window would be perfect for her. The way that I water my eucalyptus is actually in a moderate way.
Water
So the way that I check if my eucalyptus needs water is with my finger.
I put my finger inside the soil until the second knuckle. Once I feel that the soil is dry, then I water. So make sure to let the soil dry in between waterings.
This is very important, especially with this beautiful plant. And the method that I use to water my plant is actually the bottom watering method. I really love this method for my eucalyptus because the water actually gets into the roots from the bottom.
Most importantly though, you make sure that once you’re done watering your plant from the bottom, the water drains down. Remember, drainage is very important for this plant and you don’t want to let her sitting in wet soil. So I really think that this method is the best method to water your plant.
Fertilization
When grown outdoors, eucalyptus don’t need so much fertilizer. But when you have your plant in a pot, actually it needs nutrients to come in. The best time to fertilize your potted plant is actually in the beginning of the spring.
This is because spring and summer is the growing season for the eucalyptus.
Repotting
Generally, you should repot your plant once a year. Remember, eucalyptus grow really quickly, so they will need space to grow.
Make sure that when you’re repotting your eucalyptus, you use a pot that is one size or maximum two size bigger. This will prevent you from over watering your plant.
Potting Mix
In terms of soil, good drainage again is very important.
The key with the eucalyptus is having a loose porous mix that will support the roots and retain some moisture without holding a lot of water. If you want to make your own homemade mix, I recommend putting one part of loam, one part of peat moss, and two parts of clean garden sand. This will make sure that you have the right drainage for your plant.
Extra Tip
For an extra love tip, spring is the time to prune your eucalyptus. This will help you control the size, maintain the desired shape that you want for your plant, and remove any dead or broken branches. This will also give your plant more space to grow and be more healthy.
 *(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)
