My First Tradescantia Nanouk
Hello guys! Today, I picked up my First Trandescantia Nanouk (or Wandering Dude) plant, and I was wondering if anyone had any tips for caring for her. When I got her, she had a few brown spots and marks, so I was wondering what I could do to prevent any further browning and damage to her leaves. I read that Tradescantia plants have sensitive leaves. Thank you in advance!
Last watered 5 days ago
3
Best Answer
Nanouks in particular are very prone to getting brown spots on their leaves, more than any other variety of tradescantia. It's virtually impossible to prevent, so don't feel bad if you do everything right yet still have some brown spots! 😛 As for the basics, they like plenty of very bright light (an east or north-facing window is perfect) and their soil should completely dry out between waterings. This is the most important thing, because overwatering is the number one reason these plants meet their doom. They're extremely drought tolerant, just like any succulent. Their leaves store a lot of water, allowing them to go a considerable amount of time without water. It also means they're very susceptible to rotting if left sitting in damp soil for too long. When in doubt, it's always better to underwater than overwater! An underwatered plant is an easy fix, but an overwatered plant...not so much.
Aside from meeting their basic care needs, the most important way you can avoid brown spots on the leaves is to not get them wet when you water. The reason indoor-grown Nanouks get brown spots while outdoor grown Nanouks can get wet from rain and be fine is all about airflow. It's hard to achieve adequate airflow indoors, but setting up a few small fans around your plants can really help. Also, when leaves get wet while watering, dry them off as best you can by dabbing with a soft, clean cloth.
Good luck! Tradescantia are my favorite plants, so if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask! 💜
Aside from meeting their basic care needs, the most important way you can avoid brown spots on the leaves is to not get them wet when you water. The reason indoor-grown Nanouks get brown spots while outdoor grown Nanouks can get wet from rain and be fine is all about airflow. It's hard to achieve adequate airflow indoors, but setting up a few small fans around your plants can really help. Also, when leaves get wet while watering, dry them off as best you can by dabbing with a soft, clean cloth.
Good luck! Tradescantia are my favorite plants, so if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask! 💜
@stephonicle Oh my goodness, thank you so much! This is such amazing information! I'm excited to see how I do. Also, thank you for the name tip, I definitely like Wandering Dude better, haha. I will definitely keep the watering in check. 💜