Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with these plants called Tradescantias. You know, those plants with the kinda funky, colorful leaves? I wanted to find out what kind of soil they like best. Started with reading some tips online and then I decided to just try some things out and see what happened.
First off, I grabbed a few different types of soil. I had some regular potting mix, the kind you get at any store, nothing fancy. I also got some cactus mix, which is supposed to be good for drainage, ’cause it’s got more sandy stuff in it. Then, just for kicks, I made my own mix. I took some of the regular potting mix and threw in some perlite. Perlite’s those little white things that look like tiny Styrofoam balls. They help keep the soil loose and airy.
Experiment Time
I got some Tradescantia cuttings and planted them in these different soils. I made sure each pot had good drainage holes at the bottom, because these plants don’t like sitting in water. I put them all in a spot that gets bright, indirect sunlight. Tradescantias like light, but not too much direct sun, or their leaves can get burnt.
- Regular Potting Mix: I watered these ones whenever the top inch of soil felt dry. Seemed to work okay, but I was careful not to overwater.
- Cactus Mix: These guys needed watering less often, ’cause the soil dried out quicker. I just kind of poked my finger in the soil every few days to check.
- Homemade Mix: This one was interesting. It seemed to hold moisture pretty well, but also drained nicely. I watered these about the same as the regular potting mix ones.
Watching and Waiting
I kept an eye on these plants for a few weeks, watering them as needed, and I noticed some differences. The ones in the regular potting mix grew okay, but they seemed a bit more prone to getting droopy if I forgot to water them for a day or two. The cactus mix ones were tougher, but they didn’t grow as fast. The plants in my homemade mix, though? They seemed the happiest. They were growing faster, and the leaves looked really vibrant and healthy. I just pulled out the new growth to make them fuller.
I also gave them some liquid fertilizer, the 20-5-10 kind, every couple of months during spring and summer. I didn’t do it in the winter ’cause they’re not really growing then. Oh, and I noticed that they grew like crazy when it was warm, like an inch a week! Pretty cool, huh?
What I Learned
So, what did I figure out from all this? Well, it seems like Tradescantias are pretty chill about soil, but they definitely prefer something that drains well. My homemade mix with the perlite was the winner. It kept the soil moist but not soggy, and the plants just loved it. I guess the takeaway is, don’t let these plants sit in wet soil, and give them some extra drainage if you can. They’ll thank you for it with lots of colorful, happy growth!
This whole thing was kind of fun. It’s cool to see how plants react to different stuff. I might try messing around with other kinds of soil mixes in the future, just to see what happens. Gardening’s all about experimenting, right? It is a long journey but full of happiness.
