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I recently acquired a money plant (Pilea Peperomioides) and have placed it indoors at the top of a stairway in a non-draining pot. The plant seems to be growing very well. I have two specific questions:

  1. I have branched one part of it on the staircase in a downward direction. I heard from someone it will not grow in a downward direction but I'm not sure and would like to check whether it will work or not.
  2. How much should I water the plant? It would be super if someone can be specific in terms of quantity and timing.
csk
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Aziz
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  • Money Plant is non specific, and applied to at least 5 different species of plants. Commonest use of the term, though is for either Crassula ovata, or Pachira aquatica. Can you clarify which you have. – Bamboo Jul 08 '12 at 13:01
  • @Bamboo it is Pilea Peperomioides. I specified it in the hyper link in my original question but probably should have been more clear. Thanks for pointing out. – Aziz Jul 09 '12 at 08:16

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Thanks for confirming the plant name. This one likes well drained soil, so the first thing I'd say is that it shouldn't be in a non draining pot - being waterlogged will cause it problems. If you can transfer it to something which drains, with an outer container which doesn't, water with tepid water when the surface of the compost is dry to the touch, but not shrunken from the sides of the pot. Reduce watering in winter. Empty any water left in an outer pot after 30 minutes. Mist frequently, it likes high humidity, although where you are, high humidity might be the norm anyway, I'm not sure. As for the direction of growth, this one has fairly lax, drooping stems and leaves spilling out and down over the pot, which is its natural habit, but growth will always aim for where the light is brightest. You may find it becomes leggy and unattractive over time - cutting back hard in spring helps, but its advisable to root cuttings for replacement plants at the same time, in case the parent plant continues to look unattractive. Repot in Spring if necessary. Note that watering is not an exact science in home conditions - how much the plant needs is dependent on its local environment, how large the plant is, the ratio of compost to root within the pot, heat, and speed of growth, which varies according to the time of year.

Bamboo
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  • Perfect. I will move it to a draining pot with a nondraining outer plate. Thanks for the other details - I will start following your advice and report back if I face any issues. – Aziz Jul 09 '12 at 14:50