Thursday, February 25, 2021

On Fittonias

Way before everyone started buying (or hoarding) plants, I had a mild interest in growing plants. We have a terrace which gets adequate morning sun so I dabbled in buying plants. However, most plants used to die on me. I managed to kill cacti and euphorbia plants (which are basically cacti also). 

When the pandemic started, my MIL was with us. She has a great green thumb and had a vast garden in the province. I knew she was bored in our tiny unit so I started buying plants, pots, seeds, and soil so she could start sprucing up our balcony. And she did! 

This was our balcony in June 2020:




 Of the (numerous) plants I bought, I was drawn to fittonias because I read they were diva-like: they hate the direct sun, they wilt when thirsty, and perk up when watered. They also have dark green leaves that have white, pink or red veins running through them. I was curious, and I was challenged to keep them alive.

 This was the very first fittonia I bought. I think it was around P650.00. 

 

 I left it out in the balcony and it promptly dried up. I panicked and messaged the seller who told me it hated direct sun.

So I watered it and kept it inside our windowless bathroom.
 

It eventually died on me when I kept watering it LOL. But I was not discouraged and bought more...





The first one above initially died on me as the leaves wilted one by one. However, I still kept the pot because I felt the stem was still intact. It eventually resurrected into this:


The two latter pots were so lush I was emboldened to try propagating cuttings. This was one of the first I successfully rooted in water:


And I currently have three pots of thriving cuttings (the one on the left is the resurrected one).


I am tempted to propagate and sell but I am so afraid that the ones I sell will die immediately and I will have to contend with an irate plantita. LOL. #


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