PILEA CARE
PILEA CARE:
(PIE-LAY-UH)
Pilea are popular houseplants, kept for their easy maintenance, unique foliage and beautiful colors. They tend to do very well in just about any household setting. Pilea is a genus of flower plants, with over 700 unique species, while less than 50 varieties are found in the houseplant world. They are easy to take care of, come in a wide range of colors, textures and sizes and those that find their love for Pilea continuously look to add to their collection.
Pilea do best is bright, indirect sun, out of the way of harsh sun rays. They are also well equipped for low light applications and full shade, making them wonderful little plants to have all over your home or office.
While Pilea like their water, they do not like to be soggy. If allowed to dry out for too long, they will wilt and lose leaves. Generally speaking, watering your Pilea once a week is good. Check your Pilea every 3-5 days until you have a schedule set to make sure it hasn't gone too dry.
While it is not completely necessary, you can use a general purpose, high quality fertilizer from Spring through Fall. We recommend diluting the fertilizer to about 50% strength. Fish Head Farms soil conditioner is a great option to use year round to provide essential nutrients and promote strong, healthy growth.
Pilea can grow happily in just about any soil mixture. A high quality, general purpose, commercial blend will do just fine.
Most Pilea do not get very large, and therefore do not typically need a large pot. Our Pilea are in pots appropriate for them, at the time of purchase, for quite a while. We recommend repotting every 1-2 years, and even then, you only want to move up 2" or so in pot sizes to reduce stress. This should be done in the Spring or early Summer months. If you have just recently purchased your plant, do not repot it for at least 6 months.
The most common pest issues for Pilea Mealy Bugs and Red Spider Mites, however, even Scale Bugs can cause issues. It is always best practice to isolate any new plants you bring in to your home for a few weeks to watch for little pests. For help and tips on prevention and treatment of pests, see our At Home Pest Recipes here!
If you have any more questions, or need further assistance, please feel free to give us a call or shoot us an email!