The brown leaves really soured me on the Nanouk. After several months I got sick of it and moved it from the South window prime location to a shady north facing window--hoping it would die, basically. But it seems the lower sun has agreed with it and the brown spots are gone! Still going to give it away because I can't deal with this drama.
Great video. So much info love it!!! I throw out my Poor Nanouk last month after a year of fighting brown spots and disease. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Learned a lot !! Rest In peace and now I gotta try again because I just love This plant family.
Thanks Carolyn that really mean a lot to me! I just wonder whether in certain conditions 'one' might be better growing Nanouk as young cuttings only. As soon as it starts to head south start again with another bunch of propagations. In the meantime I'll keep searching for answers!
Mine was thriving from July until December and still looking gorgeous when I moved and gave it away. I had it in my south facing balcony, sharing a coconut coir basket with pink syngonium and purple oxalis. All of them enjoy heavy top watering and really good drainage. From what I observe, they don't like direct sunlight; it crisps the leaves and bleached the colors of their co-tenants. However, bright shade is a must to keep their vibrant colors. I live in Northern Alberta, Canada, so it's very dry (thanks to strong winds) and cooler in the summer. Succulent-like plants certainly grow well here. For my basket, I needed to water every other day. In the winter, I separated them and put each plants in their respective pot. Once inside, they received water once a week.
Thanks for those tips, Thao - very helpful. I also have great success with Nanouk for many months...until it starts to deteriorate - which to be honest, I think is inevitable, even if you've got it in perfect conditions. My latest video on their care explains exactly what I mean by that which is here: ua-cam.com/video/Xe57mU8EWUc/v-deo.html
Yep. Same problem here with all three versions of tradescantia. I was told it was a humidity problem because they were fine all year round till it got to winter. Now we are in Spring here in Turkey, the brown leaves are getting less.
Temperatures certainly do seem to solve a lot of problems don't they? Not surprising really. I'll keep working on solutions. Good luck with yours Natalie.
I will add my comment, however it can confuse you even more haha. I have my Nanouk for over 2 years and it’s growing super fast. I also have some issues with brown spots but I don’t mind them too much. Usually I can see them on older leaves. My plant is on the southern side and has direct sun from 7am until 3pm. I water it with boiled water (I use only boiled water for my plants) once I can see it’s getting dried out. My plant doesn’t like to dry out completely and prefers to have moist soil (not wet!). And I’m not too careful - if any water gets on the leaves it will evaporate (and funny enough those leaves that are in direct contact with water are not getting brown). Mother plant has big leaves as I cut it regularly. If I cut it, it will grow a new stem from a knot before the cut. Now is the perfect time to do so! I do not use a humidifier but my Nanouk is on a plant stand with two other Tradescantias, so maybe they create some kind of microclimate themselves. Those brown spots are still a mystery for me haha.
Thanks for sharing that, Justyna, it's really helpful. I'm still in the dark with them to be honest. I get the browning practically anywhere, young and old leaves. I've tried growing them in bright sun, slight shade, heavy shade; with higher humidity, with lower humidity; bottom watering, top watering, tap water, rain water, RO water; dry media, moist media...you name it, I've tried it. I get the same browning in all conditions. I'm beginning to think that it's a combination of all the conditions, and if you don't just happen to hit on what it likes, you get the browning. I'm still open to suggestions though...🤣
Well, mine I bought as 2 three inch cuttings. I put them in one pot and like Topsy they just grew and grew! After 12 months of moving it into the sink to water from the bottom, as I have arthritic shoulders I dropped it on the bathroom floor tiles! Smashed pot. Quite a few broken stems. So re-potted it. But, the broken stems haven’t sent out new growth, which the plant itself never did anyway when I nipped off the tops to make it ‘bushy’ I’d hoped, and gave the nipped-off away, but kept 3 and put in smaller pot. That smaller pot is now very pretty, with one stem drooping nicely. The original I dropped, is also doing fine, apart from not sprouting where nipped off, the stems grow very well. But have to remove ugly browning leaves, I cannot bear to see or leave them! It has very pretty pink flowers but not on every stem, only a few. So - conditions: I did move the original out of the humid bathroom while I had a shower. But can no longer do that with my original plant as it’s heavy still. So it has to stay in some humidity. It’s, they, are both on the bathroom tiled window sill, and it faces West, with slanting sun on left part of the plant at the end of the day. The leaves don’t go brown in the ‘heat’ hit with the last of the sun, as I think you warned they don’t like direct sun. I like my bathroom always hot, so it is always 20 to 23 degrees. That cold window sill (cill?) in winter it drops to 10 degrees. And, I now DO have to water the big one from the top, it’s too heavy to lift down. But ALWAYS make sure that no droplets get onto any of the leaves. If the do, I use a tissue, or rather a piece of toilet roll! to mop them up.
It sounds like your conditions aren't really that different to mine - maybe warmer during the day over winter. But it looks like you're getting the same issues. I'd still really love to see a plant that isn't just a pot full of cuttings that's over a year old without brown leaves. I'm not sure it's possible!🤷♂️
Your last sentence 13 hours ago! To Michael McCarthey. That’s me you’re waiting to hear from with a good Nanouk over 12 months! My Nanouk plant is from the two 3 inch rooted cuttings I had end of Jan last year 2021. So my big plant is 15 months old! With only the very occasionally brown leaves. The longer growing stems with a few bare bit of inches is where I removed leaves with even a touch of brown! And these long stems hang below the windowsill they’re on and reach for the light, so are tip-tilted upwards. Near those tips, I am getting new shoots, but as I say in my first message here, the ‘nipped-for-cuttings’ stems left in the middle of the pot (from when it was about 5-6 months old), will not send out new shoots, so the top of the pot growth is a bit flat stemmed. I now, for about 6 weeks, have to water from the top but do not allow drops on the leaves. I’ve never fertilised it. It, they, are on a bathroom tiled windowsill face West, with the late afternoon sun slanting in on its left part of it every day. Half this winter I moved it off the windowsill just onto the floor overnight because of the cold. Since I dropped the darn thing, see other post of mine, I cannot do that. So it sits permanently next to the night time cold window. And, has to be watered from the top, (every 2 weeks, and never fertilise - should I, now spring is here??) until the water just starts to show itself in the saucer it’s standing on. But never too much so that it would suck up spare water. No harm done at all! from either cold, nor water, nor humidity now I cannot move it out of the bathroom for an hour is so when I’ve showered. I’ll TRY and take a photo to email you, tho it’s very light in the bathroom, photos don’t come out that well. Do feel free to show the photo on tv Geoff. Oooops. My mistake. I’ve have just removed from all the stems 19, yes nineteen, leaves with brown on them!! So some of what I said of conditions, have altered. Maybe it’s because of spring and the heat from even the West window, is too much with my day time heating up to at least 21-22 degrees. But as you Geoff still yourself have brown leaves with all your experience ….. what hope have I ! At least, I do have an excuse - I’ve been very ill with acute Asthma for 7 solid weeks since 3rd March. I’m a ‘Vulnerable’ person in the pandemic these last 2 years, and I am 83 years old now. Today has been very bad - unable to breath and the inhaler puffers not helping. I’m just on my 3rd course of steroids and antibiotics, each taken together for 5 days, so 4 to days to go, and I’m hoping this lot at last will work for me and get me better. I am sick of sleeping propped up on pillows as you cannot breath lying down. And those 7 weeks I’ve only watered the Nanouk every 2 weeks but otherwise haven’t examined them at all….hence the browning leaves have appeared. Sorry to have mislead you on that. I know it’s 19 leaves as I counted them as I stripped them off their various stems!
I'd love to see your plant, Margaret. Please email pics or a video to tropicalsat53@gmail.com. I'm really sorry to hear of your health problems - it comes to us all eventually I guess. I've had covid for the past 10 days - and still testing positive. Nothing major - but I'm thinking my 'suppressed' immune system is why I've caught it twice now. We all just have to move forward and take please in the little things - like our plants! I really hope you're feeling better very soon.😀
I have a tradescantia cerinthoides and I had some issues with leaf spots that were most definitely water marks, some of it from water sitting on it, some from leaves growing in moist soil. It's confusing because I've propagated a few shoots in water for too long and there were BEAUTIFUL leaves growing underwater haha. Now I make sure to bottom water it. It actually grows Very Fast in the summer here, when it's like 25% humidity and over 15°C at all times - if it gets colder than that inside the leafs grow smaller and wonky, but will only go brown if I overwater it. Even in the winter though, it usually stays around 50% humidity here, except for sporadic rainy days. I wanted it to grow faster last summer so I could have enough cuttings for a wide pot by the end of it, so I just left them outside in an East facing balcony where they got direct sunlight for 3 hours or so - they all got huge, beautiful and grew lots of flowers - the very tip of the older leaves were a bit crunchy from the sun, but not even near the browning that happens from water. I've been watching Nanouk videos to see if I want to get one, but it seems to be a bit garder to keep and probably needs more light so hmm. I do eventually want a tradescantia collection so I might as well get one right now since it's spring in the southern hemisphere :)
As you've pointed out, these plants have many quirks and it's impossible to say 'how it should be grown' - there are just too many factors at work. I've found that just keeping the temperature up (over 20°C) is enough for good growth - but once I start to get fluctuations and lower temps then it starts with all the issues. I've found humidity doesn't really make much of difference in my situation. They're not expensive so you might as well give one a try!🤷♂️😁 I really think I might try growing it like this: ua-cam.com/video/O2IwlfoatcY/v-deo.html
Fantastic tips!! First..I hope for today you are very well. I love that plant very much.. But, is super special.. Thanks again for your wonderful experience with Tradescantia Nanouk..
Sorry about your Covid! My husband had it two weeks ago. Prima Donna is right! PIA too! I have a Nanouk that is a year old and smaller that when I got it. I chop and prop, move it to different light in my kitchen which is quite a humid room. Water propped the cuttings for the second or third time and in a 4" pot. Looks nice right now but already starting to brown on some of the leaves.. We'll see!
I'm fine - still testing positive after a week of it but feel totally 'normal' again. 2nd time for me. It's bizarre as I never actually go near anyone.🤷♂️ Like you're doing I think maybe the answer for many people is to just keep chopping and propping when the main plant starts to drop off again. There must be someone somewhere with a healthy specimen that's more than a few months old - but I'm yet to find them...🤷♂️🤣
Hi, Having been led here due to similar issues with browning; which has led to some head-scratching, I'm still no wiser. Mine is pretty big, it's about half a meter long, training downwards from a pedestal stand, and long stems in all directions - a beauty. It never looked liked that and he always been in a SW facing area of bright light and some direct light, always showing good vigorous growth - then the brown spots appeared more and more. Looking at your video, I see you have the pellet "miracle grow" slow release fertilizer - this is my one overarching hypothesis causing the browning - not one i've cared to change as yet. Secondly, the water; i get browning on my large Maranta (Prayer Plant) when watering with normal tap water - distilled or rain water changes this massively. Again, i've not tried switching water for the Nanouk Thirdly, my Nanouk pot is in a decorative vase-type pot, quiet snug-fitting, I would say the only airflow to it would be on top, and nothing "through" the bottom of the plant - much like Orchids require airflow. I wonder if this could be a factor too. Hesitant to play around too much with it - but my next port-of-call will be a repotting and removing fertilizer.
I’m beginning to think the issue is similar to what happens with Tradescantia zebrina. It’s a scrambling plant that roots the nodes as it travels along the ground. After a while if prevented from doing this it gets dead leaves further back the stem. The stems kind of run out of steam. They’re not designed to grow from a single rooting point. Tradescantia nanouk is a hybrid from trad. cerinthoides, a species that, surprise surprise, roots at the nodes as it scrambles along the ground. This, I think, is the reason behind brown leaves and dead leaves. I might be wrong. I’m going to test it. 🤷♂️ (I also think clay pots for me have so far proved to be a better option for to the reasons you’ve stated). We’ll nail it between us! 🙏🤣
I’ve had my nanouk from a cutting about a year ago and was shocked it grew a couple of feet in height but since I started with only one piece it was just three extremely lanky shoots. I’d heard to make sure the leaves didn’t get wet and they did stay perfect. Indoors in a very bright sun room, biobizz light mix. Watered with fish tank water, only when dry and fertilised without any real consideration, tomato fert and liquid seaweed. I took photos I could share luckily but last week a chopped it all up into one leaf props to see if I could fill a pot this year. The droplets on trad leaves, I get them when they have been watered and the temperature drops more than usual over night. I guess they are safeguarding against root rot or something because it seems very deliberate. I didn’t know they did so until all the babies I gathered the first summer I started collecting… had their first winter with me. Hope that makes sense. I did panic when my nanouk turned up with guttation drops one morning and I blew them dry like a crazy person haha. Another thing ive noticed now is that my trad cuttings always have big leaves compared with their mother plant -just like yours. I think it’s because they have plenty of room for roots while the mother has filled her pot? What do you think?
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Nadimah - it's very helpful. Clones of plants are very often different form the parent due to mutations (see here: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110804212931.htm). I find the same thing happens with Tradescantia tricolor. I think the water droplets after a cold spell are more likely to be just due to condensation and all plants will get that - probably just a bit more noticeable on nanouk because we're studying the leaves so much - just waiting for the inevitable browning! In my case I'm pretty sure it isn't guttation - which I believe would be in a pattern or a row, and not necessarily after a cold spell - these drops appear to be just random. It's all guesswork of course - in my case. I'll certainly pay more attention next time I see the droplets. Thanks again for your insights - it's given me lots to ponder on.
My nanouk ist hanging in the right corner of the window, left is east right is south, propergated her in autum, she's pretty lush now (fingers crossed) and mine needs to have bone dry soil - no browning leafs at all.. (I wonder pretty much it's the window I keep my desert cacti on the sill, very sunny). . Currently 28,5 celcius in this Austrian flat... And if I water then just a sipp, never thoroughly A strange diva indeed the nanouk 🍀
Hey there my friend, I absolutely like this video! The dark burgundy plant with the emerald green leaf margins is gorgeous! I just finished up with my garden, I also put every one of my plants outside for the season, So far, So good 👍 I'm hoping that the plant I have that looks like a tradescantia starts to put on new growth because I just transplanted it a month ago and since then it hasn't looked like it's been growing 🤔 IDK The plant I'm referring to looks like a tradescantia but the whole thing is purple and it produces pink flowers, I got told it's a purple heart 💜 plant or something like that. It has the same growth patterns as your tradescantia plants have 🤔 Like I said I don't know what kind of plant it is 😂 Hey have a great day my friend 💚🌱
Thanks Joey - yeah the Gibasis is really nice close up. Your Trad. pallida pupurea should do really well for you - they're very easy to grow and drought tolerant too.
Yeah it's a real pain isn't it? It would such a brilliant looking plant otherwise. We'll get to the bottom of it between us! But I suspect in the meantime it's best treated as a short-term bunch of cuttings - then when it starts to brown off you start again with a new set of cuttings from the older bunch.🤷♂️
Stupid question, what are you using to fertilize? Apparently Tradescantia can be sensitive to excess fertilizer, especially if it is a urea formula. Perhaps try feeding the Nanouk with the same water you give the orchids and see if it doesn't start looking better.
Good idea! Someone else mentioned fertiliser previously although I haven't purposely tested it yet. I've been using general purpose slow release pellets on the greenhouse plants - but so far the houseplants haven't had anything so I'll make sure to try the orchid feed next time. It's definitely worth a try. Funny thing though I'm yet to see or hear from a single person with an 'older' Nanouk that's still growing well without the brown leaves.
I'm beginning to think the only way to treat them is by continually taking cuttings and growing them as a bunch in a separate pot. That way you've always got the new growth - before they start to turn...🤷♂️ Why not try the alternatives I showed you in this video instead? Much less problematic, and you still get the pink.
The brown leaves really soured me on the Nanouk. After several months I got sick of it and moved it from the South window prime location to a shady north facing window--hoping it would die, basically. But it seems the lower sun has agreed with it and the brown spots are gone! Still going to give it away because I can't deal with this drama.
Yeah I know what you mean - it's just a prima donna.🤣
Great video. So much info love it!!!
I throw out my Poor Nanouk last month after a year of fighting brown spots and disease. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Learned a lot !! Rest In peace and now I gotta try again because I just love This plant family.
Thanks Carolyn that really mean a lot to me! I just wonder whether in certain conditions 'one' might be better growing Nanouk as young cuttings only. As soon as it starts to head south start again with another bunch of propagations. In the meantime I'll keep searching for answers!
Mine was thriving from July until December and still looking gorgeous when I moved and gave it away.
I had it in my south facing balcony, sharing a coconut coir basket with pink syngonium and purple oxalis. All of them enjoy heavy top watering and really good drainage. From what I observe, they don't like direct sunlight; it crisps the leaves and bleached the colors of their co-tenants. However, bright shade is a must to keep their vibrant colors. I live in Northern Alberta, Canada, so it's very dry (thanks to strong winds) and cooler in the summer. Succulent-like plants certainly grow well here. For my basket, I needed to water every other day. In the winter, I separated them and put each plants in their respective pot. Once inside, they received water once a week.
Thanks for those tips, Thao - very helpful. I also have great success with Nanouk for many months...until it starts to deteriorate - which to be honest, I think is inevitable, even if you've got it in perfect conditions. My latest video on their care explains exactly what I mean by that which is here: ua-cam.com/video/Xe57mU8EWUc/v-deo.html
Yep. Same problem here with all three versions of tradescantia. I was told it was a humidity problem because they were fine all year round till it got to winter. Now we are in Spring here in Turkey, the brown leaves are getting less.
Temperatures certainly do seem to solve a lot of problems don't they? Not surprising really. I'll keep working on solutions. Good luck with yours Natalie.
I will add my comment, however it can confuse you even more haha. I have my Nanouk for over 2 years and it’s growing super fast. I also have some issues with brown spots but I don’t mind them too much. Usually I can see them on older leaves. My plant is on the southern side and has direct sun from 7am until 3pm. I water it with boiled water (I use only boiled water for my plants) once I can see it’s getting dried out. My plant doesn’t like to dry out completely and prefers to have moist soil (not wet!). And I’m not too careful - if any water gets on the leaves it will evaporate (and funny enough those leaves that are in direct contact with water are not getting brown). Mother plant has big leaves as I cut it regularly. If I cut it, it will grow a new stem from a knot before the cut. Now is the perfect time to do so! I do not use a humidifier but my Nanouk is on a plant stand with two other Tradescantias, so maybe they create some kind of microclimate themselves. Those brown spots are still a mystery for me haha.
Thanks for sharing that, Justyna, it's really helpful. I'm still in the dark with them to be honest. I get the browning practically anywhere, young and old leaves. I've tried growing them in bright sun, slight shade, heavy shade; with higher humidity, with lower humidity; bottom watering, top watering, tap water, rain water, RO water; dry media, moist media...you name it, I've tried it. I get the same browning in all conditions. I'm beginning to think that it's a combination of all the conditions, and if you don't just happen to hit on what it likes, you get the browning. I'm still open to suggestions though...🤣
Well, mine I bought as 2 three inch cuttings. I put them in one pot and like Topsy they just grew and grew! After 12 months of moving it into the sink to water from the bottom, as I have arthritic shoulders I dropped it on the bathroom floor tiles! Smashed pot.
Quite a few broken stems. So re-potted it. But, the broken stems haven’t sent out new growth, which the plant itself never did anyway when I nipped off the tops to make it ‘bushy’ I’d hoped, and gave the nipped-off away, but kept 3 and put in smaller pot.
That smaller pot is now very pretty, with one stem drooping nicely. The original I dropped, is also doing fine, apart from not sprouting where nipped off, the stems grow very well. But have to remove ugly browning leaves, I cannot bear to see or leave them! It has very pretty pink flowers but not on every stem, only a few.
So - conditions: I did move the original out of the humid bathroom while I had a shower. But can no longer do that with my original plant as it’s heavy still. So it has to stay in some humidity. It’s, they, are both on the bathroom tiled window sill, and it faces West, with slanting sun on left part of the plant at the end of the day. The leaves don’t go brown in the ‘heat’ hit with the last of the sun, as I think you warned they don’t like direct sun. I like my bathroom always hot, so it is always 20 to 23 degrees. That cold window sill (cill?) in winter it drops to 10 degrees. And, I now DO have to water the big one from the top, it’s too heavy to lift down. But ALWAYS make sure that no droplets get onto any of the leaves. If the do, I use a tissue, or rather a piece of toilet roll! to mop them up.
It sounds like your conditions aren't really that different to mine - maybe warmer during the day over winter. But it looks like you're getting the same issues. I'd still really love to see a plant that isn't just a pot full of cuttings that's over a year old without brown leaves. I'm not sure it's possible!🤷♂️
Thanks Geoff. Hope your throat is feeling better!
Back to full fitness again Ruth!😁
Your last sentence 13 hours ago! To Michael McCarthey. That’s me you’re waiting to hear from with a good Nanouk over 12 months!
My Nanouk plant is from the two 3 inch rooted cuttings I had end of Jan last year 2021. So my big plant is 15 months old!
With only the very occasionally brown leaves. The longer growing stems with a few bare bit of inches is where I removed leaves with even a touch of brown! And these long stems hang below the windowsill they’re on and reach for the light, so are tip-tilted upwards. Near those tips, I am getting new shoots, but as I say in my first message here, the ‘nipped-for-cuttings’ stems left in the middle of the pot (from when it was about 5-6 months old), will not send out new shoots, so the top of the pot growth is a bit flat stemmed. I now, for about 6 weeks, have to water from the top but do not allow drops on the leaves. I’ve never fertilised it.
It, they, are on a bathroom tiled windowsill face West, with the late afternoon sun slanting in on its left part of it every day. Half this winter I moved it off the windowsill just onto the floor overnight because of the cold. Since I dropped the darn thing, see other post of mine, I cannot do that. So it sits permanently next to the night time cold window. And, has to be watered from the top, (every 2 weeks, and never fertilise - should I, now spring is here??) until the water just starts to show itself in the saucer it’s standing on. But never too much so that it would suck up spare water. No harm done at all! from either cold, nor water, nor humidity now I cannot move it out of the bathroom for an hour is so when I’ve showered.
I’ll TRY and take a photo to email you, tho it’s very light in the bathroom, photos don’t come out that well. Do feel free to show the photo on tv Geoff.
Oooops. My mistake. I’ve have just removed from all the stems 19, yes nineteen, leaves with brown on them!! So some of what I said of conditions, have altered. Maybe it’s because of spring and the heat from even the West window, is too much with my day time heating up to at least 21-22 degrees.
But as you Geoff still yourself have brown leaves with all your experience ….. what hope have I ! At least, I do have an excuse - I’ve been very ill with acute Asthma for 7 solid weeks since 3rd March. I’m a ‘Vulnerable’ person in the pandemic these last 2 years, and I am 83 years old now. Today has been very bad - unable to breath and the inhaler puffers not helping. I’m just on my 3rd course of steroids and antibiotics, each taken together for 5 days, so 4 to days to go, and I’m hoping this lot at last will work for me and get me better. I am sick of sleeping propped up on pillows as you cannot breath lying down. And those 7 weeks I’ve only watered the Nanouk every 2 weeks but otherwise haven’t examined them at all….hence the browning leaves have appeared. Sorry to have mislead you on that. I know it’s 19 leaves as I counted them as I stripped them off their various stems!
I'd love to see your plant, Margaret. Please email pics or a video to tropicalsat53@gmail.com. I'm really sorry to hear of your health problems - it comes to us all eventually I guess. I've had covid for the past 10 days - and still testing positive. Nothing major - but I'm thinking my 'suppressed' immune system is why I've caught it twice now. We all just have to move forward and take please in the little things - like our plants! I really hope you're feeling better very soon.😀
I have a tradescantia cerinthoides and I had some issues with leaf spots that were most definitely water marks, some of it from water sitting on it, some from leaves growing in moist soil. It's confusing because I've propagated a few shoots in water for too long and there were BEAUTIFUL leaves growing underwater haha. Now I make sure to bottom water it.
It actually grows Very Fast in the summer here, when it's like 25% humidity and over 15°C at all times - if it gets colder than that inside the leafs grow smaller and wonky, but will only go brown if I overwater it. Even in the winter though, it usually stays around 50% humidity here, except for sporadic rainy days.
I wanted it to grow faster last summer so I could have enough cuttings for a wide pot by the end of it, so I just left them outside in an East facing balcony where they got direct sunlight for 3 hours or so - they all got huge, beautiful and grew lots of flowers - the very tip of the older leaves were a bit crunchy from the sun, but not even near the browning that happens from water.
I've been watching Nanouk videos to see if I want to get one, but it seems to be a bit garder to keep and probably needs more light so hmm. I do eventually want a tradescantia collection so I might as well get one right now since it's spring in the southern hemisphere :)
As you've pointed out, these plants have many quirks and it's impossible to say 'how it should be grown' - there are just too many factors at work. I've found that just keeping the temperature up (over 20°C) is enough for good growth - but once I start to get fluctuations and lower temps then it starts with all the issues. I've found humidity doesn't really make much of difference in my situation. They're not expensive so you might as well give one a try!🤷♂️😁 I really think I might try growing it like this: ua-cam.com/video/O2IwlfoatcY/v-deo.html
Fantastic tips!!
First..I hope for today you are very well.
I love that plant very much..
But, is super special..
Thanks again for your wonderful experience with Tradescantia Nanouk..
Thanks Maria I appreciate that! We won't get into my current state of health 😫 other than to say things were looking a whole lot worse a week ago...
Just ordered some cuttings of “Jose”.
I have several tradescantias but have never seen this variety.
Thanks!!!
Excellent! You should take a look at it now - it's huge! You can see it here - first plant I show: ua-cam.com/video/Gmmqc9gzNS8/v-deo.html
Sorry about your Covid! My husband had it two weeks ago. Prima Donna is right! PIA too! I have a Nanouk that is a year old and smaller that when I got it. I chop and prop, move it to different light in my kitchen which is quite a humid room. Water propped the cuttings for the second or third time and in a 4" pot. Looks nice right now but already starting to brown on some of the leaves.. We'll see!
I'm fine - still testing positive after a week of it but feel totally 'normal' again. 2nd time for me. It's bizarre as I never actually go near anyone.🤷♂️ Like you're doing I think maybe the answer for many people is to just keep chopping and propping when the main plant starts to drop off again. There must be someone somewhere with a healthy specimen that's more than a few months old - but I'm yet to find them...🤷♂️🤣
Hi,
Having been led here due to similar issues with browning; which has led to some head-scratching, I'm still no wiser. Mine is pretty big, it's about half a meter long, training downwards from a pedestal stand, and long stems in all directions - a beauty. It never looked liked that and he always been in a SW facing area of bright light and some direct light, always showing good vigorous growth - then the brown spots appeared more and more. Looking at your video, I see you have the pellet "miracle grow" slow release fertilizer - this is my one overarching hypothesis causing the browning - not one i've cared to change as yet.
Secondly, the water; i get browning on my large Maranta (Prayer Plant) when watering with normal tap water - distilled or rain water changes this massively. Again, i've not tried switching water for the Nanouk
Thirdly, my Nanouk pot is in a decorative vase-type pot, quiet snug-fitting, I would say the only airflow to it would be on top, and nothing "through" the bottom of the plant - much like Orchids require airflow. I wonder if this could be a factor too.
Hesitant to play around too much with it - but my next port-of-call will be a repotting and removing fertilizer.
I’m beginning to think the issue is similar to what happens with Tradescantia zebrina. It’s a scrambling plant that roots the nodes as it travels along the ground. After a while if prevented from doing this it gets dead leaves further back the stem. The stems kind of run out of steam. They’re not designed to grow from a single rooting point. Tradescantia nanouk is a hybrid from trad. cerinthoides, a species that, surprise surprise, roots at the nodes as it scrambles along the ground. This, I think, is the reason behind brown leaves and dead leaves. I might be wrong. I’m going to test it. 🤷♂️ (I also think clay pots for me have so far proved to be a better option for to the reasons you’ve stated). We’ll nail it between us! 🙏🤣
I’ve had my nanouk from a cutting about a year ago and was shocked it grew a couple of feet in height but since I started with only one piece it was just three extremely lanky shoots. I’d heard to make sure the leaves didn’t get wet and they did stay perfect. Indoors in a very bright sun room, biobizz light mix. Watered with fish tank water, only when dry and fertilised without any real consideration, tomato fert and liquid seaweed. I took photos I could share luckily but last week a chopped it all up into one leaf props to see if I could fill a pot this year. The droplets on trad leaves, I get them when they have been watered and the temperature drops more than usual over night. I guess they are safeguarding against root rot or something because it seems very deliberate. I didn’t know they did so until all the babies I gathered the first summer I started collecting… had their first winter with me. Hope that makes sense. I did panic when my nanouk turned up with guttation drops one morning and I blew them dry like a crazy person haha. Another thing ive noticed now is that my trad cuttings always have big leaves compared with their mother plant -just like yours. I think it’s because they have plenty of room for roots while the mother has filled her pot? What do you think?
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Nadimah - it's very helpful. Clones of plants are very often different form the parent due to mutations (see here: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110804212931.htm). I find the same thing happens with Tradescantia tricolor. I think the water droplets after a cold spell are more likely to be just due to condensation and all plants will get that - probably just a bit more noticeable on nanouk because we're studying the leaves so much - just waiting for the inevitable browning! In my case I'm pretty sure it isn't guttation - which I believe would be in a pattern or a row, and not necessarily after a cold spell - these drops appear to be just random. It's all guesswork of course - in my case. I'll certainly pay more attention next time I see the droplets. Thanks again for your insights - it's given me lots to ponder on.
Sorry didn’t say humidity but right now it’s 59%
My nanouk ist hanging in the right corner of the window, left is east right is south, propergated her in autum, she's pretty lush now (fingers crossed) and mine needs to have bone dry soil - no browning leafs at all.. (I wonder pretty much it's the window I keep my desert cacti on the sill, very sunny). . Currently 28,5 celcius in this Austrian flat... And if I water then just a sipp, never thoroughly
A strange diva indeed the nanouk 🍀
Thanks for sharing that, Christina. I certainly can't replicate those conditions - maybe they just love the sun? They are semi-succulent after all.
Hello today. I am wondering, before I get any, may I cut off flowers of tradescantia as I have fragrance allergies. Hope it doesn’t bother the plant!?
Yeah you can cut them off - it'll just keep growing regardless.
Καλή Ανάρρωση να έχετε!!! Από Ελλάδα!!!💞
Θα κάνω το καλύτερό μου! Χαιρετίσματα σε όλους τους Έλληνες!
Hope you feel better soon
Thanks I'm pretty fit now!😁
Hey there my friend,
I absolutely like this video!
The dark burgundy plant with the emerald green leaf margins is gorgeous!
I just finished up with my garden, I also put every one of my plants outside for the season, So far, So good 👍
I'm hoping that the plant I have that looks like a tradescantia starts to put on new growth because I just transplanted it a month ago and since then it hasn't looked like it's been growing 🤔 IDK
The plant I'm referring to looks like a tradescantia but the whole thing is purple and it produces pink flowers, I got told it's a purple heart 💜 plant or something like that.
It has the same growth patterns as your tradescantia plants have 🤔
Like I said I don't know what kind of plant it is 😂
Hey have a great day my friend 💚🌱
Thanks Joey - yeah the Gibasis is really nice close up. Your Trad. pallida pupurea should do really well for you - they're very easy to grow and drought tolerant too.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Thank you 😊 I just put it outside for the season.
Should I put it in direct sunlight or shade?
@@Joey-vw1id They thrive in full sun - but will also take shade. Sun will give you the best colour.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Thank you 😊💚🌱
I’ve had mine for idk 6 months and suddenly it’s doing this.
Love that gibasis Jose puig
Yeah it's a real pain isn't it? It would such a brilliant looking plant otherwise. We'll get to the bottom of it between us! But I suspect in the meantime it's best treated as a short-term bunch of cuttings - then when it starts to brown off you start again with a new set of cuttings from the older bunch.🤷♂️
What a tradescantish T-shirt! 👍😃
Thanks! I chose it specifically to match the nanouk...🤣
Stupid question, what are you using to fertilize? Apparently Tradescantia can be sensitive to excess fertilizer, especially if it is a urea formula. Perhaps try feeding the Nanouk with the same water you give the orchids and see if it doesn't start looking better.
Good idea! Someone else mentioned fertiliser previously although I haven't purposely tested it yet. I've been using general purpose slow release pellets on the greenhouse plants - but so far the houseplants haven't had anything so I'll make sure to try the orchid feed next time. It's definitely worth a try. Funny thing though I'm yet to see or hear from a single person with an 'older' Nanouk that's still growing well without the brown leaves.
Cool, Your shirt is almost Nanouk colors..lol
Deliberate.🤷♂️🤣
Mine is always leggy no matter where it sits I just dont know what else to do 💔
I'm beginning to think the only way to treat them is by continually taking cuttings and growing them as a bunch in a separate pot. That way you've always got the new growth - before they start to turn...🤷♂️ Why not try the alternatives I showed you in this video instead? Much less problematic, and you still get the pink.
I love trades Antin
Can't say I've ever heard of that one - is it new? 🤣
I have found out its a pretty plant but i will never buy another one
COVID again? So sorry
It's all your fault...🤣😉
@@Grow_Up_Man55 you are a mess
I will never buy another hindi rope plant again either