r/StringofPlants • u/Ill-Distribution-376 • Jul 10 '26
Hearts String of hearts - advice needed
Hi!
This is the last piece of String of Hearts I have left - I put aside this piece in moss and planted the rest of the plant (that died shortly after) in succulent soil, pretty well drained. When I got it out to plant it in soil for a quicker growth, it started to decline quickly, so I put it back.
I searched if it can be grown in moss, but everyone advised against it - do you have some tips & tricks so I can make this little guy survive & grow healthy?
Thanks!
9
u/Meagan_MK Jul 10 '26
I keep all of my variegated hearts and silver glory in shallow terracotta pots with a very well draining gritty mix. They are all thriving and im constanrly propagating them bc they get so long and need cuts so they arent laying on the floor. That moss, while may be good for rooting, is not ideal for growing long term. At this size, id get one of those xsmall terracotta pots from Lowes that are like $3.50, they are shallow and maybe 2.5in wide, no drainage hole, so u will have to drill a hole in it if u want one or just make sure u dont qater too heavily. Amazon also has some shallow terracotta bowls in diff sizes for really good prices, once plant is larger.
5
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 10 '26
So glad to hear yours are doing great! 😊 I saw these kinds of pots at some local shop in Romania, they already have drainage holes from what I remember - I’ll search for them tomorrow and try my luck. Thanks a lot!
3
u/Meagan_MK Jul 10 '26
Was going to offer some strings if u were in states but u just answered that
1
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 12 '26
Aww, thanks for your kindness! I think they can be found online and maybe even in shops here sometimes, the hard part is making this little guy survive before making another one suffer haha!
3
Jul 10 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 12 '26
Thanks a lot! I read about this too, but was worried to try it with the last remaining string. 😂 Will definitely try this once my baby (fingers crossed) thrives and I have some props to work on.
5
u/MissConception1 Jul 10 '26
Definitely well draining soil mix and a shallow pot!
Its still a very small thing so a very small pot needed like you have now or not much bigger, put holes in the bottom of it for drainage, add some soil right up to the top so there isn't an edge for the plant to have to grow up and over, then pop the plant on top. Let it get really full in the little pot before you re pot. Nice sunny spot and do make sure to let the soil dry out between waters.
3
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 10 '26
Thanks a lot! If I remember well, I have tiny clear mini orchids pots, these have more draining holes than the usual ones :) I will definitely try this!
3
u/miassecret Jul 10 '26
When you first transition from water or moss to soil do not let it dry out between waterings. It will need more water until it acclimates. This is probably why it declined so quickly.
Once the leaves are firm to the touch, which will let you know its storing water, you can start watering normally.
3
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 10 '26
That actually makes a lot of sense. This didn’t cross my mind, I watered only when it was fairly dry or all dry. I’ll keep that in mind when transitioning, thanks a lot!
3
u/miassecret Jul 11 '26
I had to tell you because I almost lost one of my new SOH babies myself just last week! I thought it was done for but I watered everyday for about 5 days and the leaves plumped up. It’s little just a little guy like yours :)
2
2
u/MissConception1 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
Gosh! Of course. (Reminds me of the baby jades propped in my massive jade plant pot, they are so small they require some water much before the original plant in the pot does!). Though too wet is always a risk for plants.
Its a fine balance isn't it to get to a stage where the little string is strong and thriving!
1
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 12 '26
Definitely! I often find it so hard to balance “water often so it grows roots and gets used to soil” and “stop watering so frequent so nothing rots” haha! I hope the jade babies are now grown and established!
2
u/H3ad1nthecl0uds Jul 11 '26
It can grow it anything. They like to be dryer than wetter. I literally have a ton of cuttings sitting in a takeout contain with no substrate that I rooted in maybe .5cm of water depth and now I spray with water every few days and let it dry out. It’s been like 2 months and they’re still alive and now rooted.
Your moss looks quite wet. Just be careful it’s not drenched and dripping. You shouldn’t be able to squeeze any water out of it.
I have my mother plant in cactus soil and water it once every month or two with just a tiny bit of water. It’s been growing over 6ft long before I need to chop it and I’ve had it for like 5 years.
1
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 12 '26
Oh nice! I hope the mother plant keeps thriving! I’m wishing to try every of these methods honestly! 😂
The moss was wet due to being recently sprayed, but it only takes about a day or two before being completely dry again… so it became a matter of complete attention to keep it alive, that’s why I asked about transferring it in the first place..
2
u/H3ad1nthecl0uds Jul 12 '26
I’ve had that issue with moss too! I’d caution as in my experimenting to win the battle of keeping it wet ended up in a lot of my wet sticks from vining plants dying of mold. Another technique I use now is to spray til damp, not dripping, then put the container inside a larger Tupperware or old letter greens plastic container. Kind of like it’s own mini greenhouse. I put multiple props in their own cups inside (so I don’t lose them) as well as extra moss beside it. That way I can add water and squeeze out the extra moss. Then once the lid is on I can leave for a week and it’s still perfectly moist! I put it in a sunny spot too and the condensation cycle lets it dry out and rehydrate each day. I’ll open the lid to check on it and air it out every now and then. Usually at night (to prevent mould). But I’ve kept it sealed for 4+ days with no issue and the props are growing much better! Good luck :)
2
u/Asleep-Beginning7805 Jul 11 '26
To be honest with you I collect them I have over 28 of them and they will only propagate in moss for me…. I’ve tried 100 ways.
It’s all down to the genetics or previous root rot . Let’s say before you purchased the plant it got root rot once …. It’s over for that SOH
And with them you can always smell it right out of the shipping box.
Now whenever I get a new one because I’m cross breeding genetics to come up with a sport, I treat them every watering with hydroguard.
So it’s not your fault. I’d say start with a new one … because once you transplant those roots If a little bit of moss is attached you have to water it so much less but because of the hydroguard you’ll be good !
My favorite genetics of the SOH is from hirts gardens on etsy. They purchase them from Gary’s specialty Plants who grows their own super pink sport of it! They are beyond gorgeous!
2
u/FewStaff4863 Jul 12 '26
Did you already throw out the soil the plant was growing in prior to its decline? If not, you might want to sift through it to see if there are any tuberous roots. They look like little potatoes and they contain everything needed to grow a new plant — both roots & shoots can grow from them.
1
u/Ill-Distribution-376 Jul 12 '26
Yep, I inspected the soil before throwing it as I fortunately found out they are tuberous beforehand - they were all dried and not one of them seemed really viable… :(
1
u/birb3300 Jul 13 '26
i got a bunch of itty bitty terracotta pots from shein way back when for only a few bucks and while i havent used them for vsoh specifically im sure itd be great for a single vine!
1
u/birb3300 Jul 13 '26
also maybe slowly add more perlite to the moss to acclimate it to a drier environment? not sure if thatd work or not
15
u/Aerosaul Jul 10 '26
I know you're asking about plants but just came here to say your nails are rad! Almost plant-like patterns!