Is my gynura normal?

That thread title just sounds naughty to me for some reason... *hahahah*

My gynura has decided to fill its pot with roots before it will grow, I think. It was potbound when I bought it, so being a good houseplant mommie, I gave it a slightly larger home. Carefully watering it from below, and being sure to keep it moderately moist and happy, I was troubled when the leaves weren't growing. There are baby shoots at the top of each of the three stems, but they are just sitting there peacefully.

So I peeked into the drainage hole just this morning, and alas! Roots all over the place! I can see about 5 white roots stretching across the drainage hole....

Is this normal??? What is your experience with these non-gender little buggers?? :)

Jennifer

oh for pete's sake, give your plants some privacy and stop peeking at their drainage holes!! LOL :)

sorry, have no idea what a gynura is, but I just couldn't resist. :)

Jennifer, I'd leave it alone for now, even if it gets quite rootbound. Just as you suspect, potting up can cause a plant to concentrate on growing roots at the expense of foliage.

Continue to care for it, and be sure to give it plenty of light. Gynura needs lots of it, and in my experience, when a plant is healthy but growing slowly, lack of light is usually the culprit.

It's getting over 4 hours of direct sunlight and the rest of the day indirect light. I don't think light is a problem.

Still, I will continue to water and feed as normal.

Jennnifer

Your bottom watering is causing water-type roots to develop near the drainage hole because that area is constantly wet. Top watering will lead to better root development throughout the rootball.

Will! :) :)

Thank you. I was trying a combination of the two for the last few waterings (watering from the top a bit, and then putting it in a bowl of water).

I will carefully water from the top now.

:)

Jennifer

Jennifer - Thanks for the smiles!

welcome welcome welcome

here's a few more ... just in case you ran out.

:) :) :) :) :) :)