Pilea "Moon Valley"

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Addicted2 Georgetown, AL(Zone 9a) Jun 12, 2013

That's it!! Thanks to the Plant ID forum!

I kept it on my patio for a while and any real sunlight would burn the leaves.
I brought it in the house and put it under a grow light (6-8 hours per day) where it seems much happier.

I am planning to pot up slightly and adding some cuttings that I rooted. It is currently still in the purchased pot and I believe the soil to be too water retentive. I want to put it in a cactus/succulent style potting medium due to it's well draining properties. I actually like to use this medium with many plants even if the don't "call for it". I would prefer to have to water more often than my soil serve as a sponge.

Do you think I should completely clean the roots of all current soil before the change?

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Machikoneko Hometown, IL(Zone 5a) Jun 12, 2013

Good move getting it out of the sunlight- it's usually too intense for them. I'm just curious- what type of grow light do you have it under?

As for the soil, just knock the plant out of the pot, use your fingers to remove what soil you can, and repot in your new mix. Be sure to watch it for a few weeks to see what its new watering schedule will be with less water retentive soil.

If you're really worried about too much moisture, use a plain terra cotta pot. They aren't the prettiest, but they help get rid of excess water.

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Addicted2 Georgetown, AL(Zone 9a) Jun 12, 2013

Oh! It is not a real grow light. It's a florouscent light. I realized that somehow typing on my phone I somehow typed 6-8 hours.. I meant 3-4 hours per day.

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jasminesmom Saugerties, NY(Zone 5a) Jun 13, 2013

It's a beauty !!!

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Machikoneko Hometown, IL(Zone 5a) Jun 13, 2013

What wattage is your bulb, and is it in the red or blue spectrum?
Plain florescent lights that have a pinkish tint to their light are warm/red. Florescent lights that have a blue tint (think the glare of shop lights) are cool/blue.
Cool/blue lights tell plants it's summer- time to grow leaves. Warm/red lights tell the plant that winter is coming, and they'd better start to set seed or fruit, etc.
The optimal florescent light system would be 2 cool bulbs to every warm one, until it's time to get fruit, seed, etc.

Hope this wasn't too far off topic!

Marsha.

(PS, Here's a picture from 2010. It was of the jeeps in the carrier parking lot. Would you believe that we all had to fill in paperwork to explain why we couldn't make it to work?!? It took me one whole hour just to make it around the block, so I could get home. My DH and I took turns digging, pushing, and putting kitty litter down. I even had to use all of the potting soil I had in the car! I worked at the PO as a clerk for 36 years, and just retired, I AM LOVING IT!!) I thought I'd include the picture to help give you thought to keep in mind..."It's not snowing, and below zero! Yay!) ;D

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