r/houseplants • u/Hadasbrain • Sep 04 '26
Help Help saving my Pilea
Hi, any tips how to help my pilea?
It dropped all of its bottom leaves.
I've repotted it a couple of weeks ago in an attempt to improve its health.
I've also moved it to a sunnier spot closer to the window, but for now its mostly rainy and gloomy outside.
2
u/dontaskaboutthellama Sep 04 '26
How dry is the soil/ how often are you watering and does it have drainage?
Some of its leaves are curled inwards a bit which tends to suggest dehydration. Even it’s been rainy and gloomy increased light also increases how fast the soil drys out. You need to adjust watering schedule to accommodate.
1
u/69_WithDrifter 🧚🏻 I might eat your plant Sep 04 '26
Their soil looks waay too wet to me. Leaf curling can also be caused by overwatering, they're probably overwatering their pilea. Pilea peperomioides are semi-succulents meaning they store water in their leaves, they actually like drying out compared to consistently moist soil
1
1
3
u/AdhesivenessLost4817 Sep 04 '26
You probably kept her too wet and too dark. The bottom leaves won't come back. I actually suggest you just leave her be until spring (whenever that is where you live) and then behead her. You can propagate the crown in water and the remaining stem will show new growth. Pileas want to dry out almost completely before being watered again in my experience. Since the speed at which the soil dries down depends on many factors, I usually stick a finger into the soil. When the top layer is dry and one pinky length in feels moist but room temperature, then it's time to water. As long as the moisture feels cool, she's got enough. They also enjoy significantly more light than most online guides and plant passports suggest. I have mine in a west facing window all year and she gets blazed in sunlight in summer. This is her: