Am I Taking Good Care Of My Basket Plant?

Did you placed your basket plant in a bright spot, with lots of direct sunlight?

Did you planted your basket plant in the well-drained soil mix, rich in organic matter?

Did you provide a warm environment for your plant?

Are you making sure that the soil is evenly moist, and that the young plants are never without moisture?

Do you feed your basket plants with balanced, low-potency fertilizer during a growing period?

Do you repot your plant annually?

Do you keep your basket plant free of pests and diseases?

Bright light is essential to this plant. This is doubly true if you want to encourage purple coloration on the leaves. Be sure your plant gets at least 3-4 hours of direct sunlight per day, as well as lots of bright but indirect light. Ideally, it’ll receive 8-10 hours of light per day and even more in the summer.

Gritty loam is ideal for the basket plant. You’ll want a soft soil which is easy to squeeze into a ball when wet, but which breaks apart easily. It should contain some sand and feel gritty to the touch, but not run through your fingers as pure sand would. Working some compost through it can improve the richness of the soil as well.

Subtropical species like this prefer warmer climates, and this plant’s no different. They thrive indoors in warm rooms, preferably at temperatures of 70 and above. In the winter, the temperature range should drop to between 50-60 degrees for a short period (a month or two). This enables the plant to have a more natural winter “rest” period.

Even moisture is perfect for growing your basket plant. While an established plant can tolerate extended drought, young plants need a bit more water than older ones. When you water, be sure you thoroughly moisten all the soil in the pot but ensure it’s not left in standing water. Once excess moisture has drained out, allow the soil to dry out most of the way before watering again.

A liquid fertilizer is the easiest way to fertilize these when grown indoors. You can use a balanced but low-potency fertilizer like a 3-3-3. Alternately, select one that’s oriented towards flowering plants. Avoid going high-nitrogen, as that will spur tons of growth but little flowering.

An annual repotting is a good idea for your callisia plants. While the main plant rarely grows large enough to require more than a 5-6 inches pot, it does spread quite rapidly. Freshening up the potting soil is more important than worrying about the pot size. But if you do want to increase the size of the pot, go up by no more than one inch in width.

Good job! You are taking good care of your basket plant.

Most diseases are not a problem for your plant. But overwatering can create conditions that will lead to root rot. Avoid leaving your plant in standing water, such as a plant saucer. The only pests you’re likely to see are mealybugs. On very rare occasions scale insects can appear. For both, start with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Touch the dampened tip of the swab to the pest. It’ll usually come right off the plant.