Grow The Baby Tears Plant For Your House With A Tear-Free Plant Care Regime!

We are going to discuss the very versatile baby tears plant that can play different types of roles in boosting the beauty of any space, be it an indoor living area or an outdoor garden. This plant is not just a beautifier but also improves the air quality in its surroundings. If you want to have this plant for your garden, you just need to read the guide that we are going to give in this article and abide by the instructions.

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About the baby tears plant

Commonly known by the name of baby tears, this is one plant that looks extremely delicate and dainty no matter where you keep it. The list of the names given to this plant is very long and includes names like angel’s tears, mother of thousands, friendship plant, bread and cheese, Corsican creeper, bits and pieces, Corsican curse, Pollyanna vine, Paddy’s wig, and many others.

The botanical name of this plant is Soleirolia soleirolii and belongs to the plant family called Nettle. This plant belongs to the plant genus called Soleirolia which is monotypic and has only one member which is the S. soleirolii itself.

The Mediterranean regions of Sardinia and Corsica have been the native growth lands of this plant from where it traveled a long way in all the directions to rise in popularity as the famous and favorite houseplant of a lot of households. It has also been found in other regions like Italy and islands around, Ireland counties of Down and Antrim too. The plant has found its way into worldwide cultivation on a commercial scale for decorative and common purposes alike.

The plant can grow in a variety of places like houses, gardens, amphibian habitats, swamps, deep water, etc. There are many cultivars of this plant that give white, yellow, and even golden foliage.

Major physical characteristics of the Soleirolia plant

The names of this plant indicate the delicateness that it carries and the morphological features are the reasons behind it. Let’s see all the defining features of this plant:

The foliage of the plant attracts all the eyes due to its uniquely dense and delicate appearance as they appear in hues of yellow or bright green. The leaves are very tiny in size and carry the shape of small round beans. They also look juicy because of their thick and popping structure as if there is a liquid filling inside them.
The stems of this plant are very thin and fragile. They get visible very rarely and remain overcrowded by the leaves mostly.
The flowers that appear in this plant are very minute too just like the leaves. They are mostly white and grow in bunches that makes the look of the plant even fuller.
The plant doesn’t grow much and remains closer to the ground only by growing only up to 4 inches. Thus, it appears like a mat covering the surface.
Seeds of the plant grow in the flowers where they exist in the central portion. These are very tiny and oval.
This plant is a creeper that spreads very fast even to the extent of becoming an intruder.

Growing the baby’s tears plant

The dense looks of this plant make it an ideal choice for having ground covers in various places like terrariums, conservatories, indoor decorative spaces, gardens, etc. This plant, thus, works great as a filler plant and can be used to fill the empty garden spaces that have moisture-loving plants growing in them already. You can grow it both outdoors and indoors depending upon your capability at providing the right care to them.

However, growing the Soleirolia soleirolii plant isn’t an easy task for beginners since you need to give it the perfect care but the results will be worthy enough if you put in the right and careful efforts.

Basic requirements of the plant

Growing this plant needs a well-prepared strategy and you will need to arrange these things:

Choose a location where this plant can be under bright but indirect light exposure as direct sunlight can burn the leaves.
The humidity requirements of this plant must be met at all costs where you will need to maintain moderate to high levels of humidity. You can do so by starting them in terrariums where they can retain moisture for longer. The plant is resilient to high humidity and sunlight in summers but you shouldn’t leave them like that.
The ideal temperature range for this plant is 50-70 degrees F when being grown outside.
The soil medium for this plant can be any standard potting mix amended with organic matter, compost, perlite, or peat moss to increase the nutritional value. Make sure that the soil drains well as well as retains moisture.

Method of propagating the plant

The best way to start this plant is with small stem cuttings taken from a mature plant. Go ahead with inserting them right away in the prepared pot with soil. Water the soil immediately and roots will emerge soon within a few weeks only.

You can use plant offshoots for this purpose too where you will need a container with some damp cotton wool placed in the center. Drape the offshoot around this wool and wait till the roots emerge.

Caring for the baby tears plant

Here are the important baby tears care tips that you must carefully follow:

For transplantation, choose a big enough pot that can accommodate the plant rightly at its maturity to avoid multiple transplantations.
These plants need consistent watering as the growth largely depends on the moisture levels. Pour water over the soil bed and let it seep down till the roots. Water them more frequently and generously during the warmer months so that the soil never gets dry.
Also, make sure that the excess water gets drained out for preventing soil sogginess. Keep checking the soil and make sure that it remains moist enough all the time.
The plant can be fed with any standard liquid fertilizer by diluting it to half the strength in spring and summer. Stop the fertilization once winter sets in and the plant go dormant. Water the plants thoroughly after fertilization to prevent plant burn.
The plant must be saved from frost as they are very sensitive to chilly climates. If the temperature goes down, bring the plant inside to not have them turned into mere mush.
Transplantation is not a good idea with this plant as that can affect the thin roots. It is better to propagate new ones by cutting some offshoots and that is how you will have more baby tears plants.
The plant must be regularly pruned to prevent it from taking over the whole space or affecting the other plants. Trim the new shoots for managing the plant growth or giving it a particular direction for growth. Remove the withered and yellowed leaves too for allowing the plant to regenerate new foliage itself.

Conclusion

The baby tears plant is one great plant that you can grow for your house if you manage to take care of it rightly. You might have gotten wary of the efforts that the plant demands but with the right care assured, you will get the best results that will be very delightful.

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