wandering jew/ breaks easily

Annette · #1 April 30th, 2006, 10:47 PM

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I just bought a wandering jew today. I changed it to a different pot from the one I originally bought it with. I didn't know that it breaks extremely easily. When I changed it to the other pot the leaves and stems just broke. I am going to go buy another one. I want it as an inside plant. Am I suppose to leave it in the original pot or can i change it.

Thanks for your help
Annette Telles

**globalist1789** · #2 April 30th, 2006, 11:26 PM

You can certainly change the pot. It does break very easily. Just stick the parts that broke off into the same pot or another pot and they will grow. Just try to be careful when repotting and fear not, it grows very fast so.

**wild-rose-43** · #3 May 1st, 2006, 12:54 AM

I have a Wandering Jew also that was very crowded in its pot. I took the whole thing out of the pot, cut the root ball in half, and re-potted it in 2 different pots. A lot of the stems broke off in the process so when I was finished I took the scissors and trimmed the plants then put them in a sunny window. That was about 2 weeks ago, they're now happy, healthy and you can hardly tell they were so abused. One other thing, if you want the plant to be bushier you should periodically pinch off the growing ends to encourage side shoots.

**Woodsprite** · #4 May 5th, 2006, 12:13 PM

Hi,
I can't seem to grow wandering jews to save my life! Could you give me some tips on keeping them healthy, happy and ALIVE?
Thanks, Woodsprite (seedling)

**wild-rose-43** · #5 May 6th, 2006, 01:36 AM

There are several varieties of plant referred to as a Wandering Jew. The most readily available is the Tradescantia. Tradescantias require bright light with several hours of direct sunlight every day. Water plentiful during the growing season, enough to keep the potting mixture moist. During the winter rest allow the top 2/3 of the mixture to dry out before watering again. Feed with a standard liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks from early spring to late fall.

Good luck :)

**Woodsprite** · #6 May 7th, 2006, 08:37 PM

Thanks wild-rose-43,

I do have a very difficult time deciding on the right way to water them. I have another question for you... I just started from a slip a "wandering jew" looking plant. It grows like a wj but the stems and leaves are fuzzy and purplish green colored, can you identify such a plant? I know pics would help, but I have none.

Thanks, Woodsprite

**wild-rose-43** · #7 May 8th, 2006, 12:57 AM

If you're having a hard time with the watering, I'd suggest picking up a hydrometer. Its a little gadget you stick in the soil and it will tell you how much moisture is present. You should be able to pick one up most anyplace that sells gardening supplies.

You're purplish green, fuzzy plant could be a Purple Passion Vine Gynura Sarmentosa. Google it and see if that's right, without pictures I can't be sure. Word of warning, should it be a Purple Passion Vine; if it sets buds to bloom you'll want to pinch them off before the flowers open. They have an extremely unpleasant aroma. Best description I can give is they smell like cat urine. . .yuck!

Saren · #8 May 17th, 2006, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodsprite

Thanks wild-rose-43,

I do have a very difficult time deciding on the right way to water them. I have another question for you... I just started from a slip a "wandering jew" looking plant. It grows like a wj but the stems and leaves are fuzzy and purplish green colored, can you identify such a plant? I know pics would help, but I have none.

Thanks, Woodsprite

Would it by any chance, happen to be this plant?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...knownplant.jpg

If so, I'm trying to figure it out, too. It's a pretty hardy fella, moreso than the Jew, I think. I took it from a cutting from my aunt who keeps it in a hanging basket outdoors in Nelson (and you know what that weather gets like in winter if you've been there) and she got it from another one of my aunts, her older sister, who found it growing wild in a public park in Kamloops. It really likes to grow! It grows as fast as my wee bamboo. And it's especially hairy around its new growth.

If anyone knows what it is (or wants some of it before it takes over my bathroom! lol) I'd love to hear from you.

~s

rentarobyn · #9 November 3rd, 2007, 10:53 PM

Hello Annette,

I dont have a post about plants, I say your name on Google.com and my name is also Annette R. Telles. I thought we might have relatives in common. I live in California and some of my relatives are from Arizona and Mexico. You can contact me at rentarobyn@yahoo.com.

Thank you for your time.

KCaprioni · #10 December 28th, 2007, 08:50 AM

My s-i-l has a wandering jew and for some reason it seems to be dying where it goes over the side of its pot. Can anyone tell me why this is and is there something that can be done for it? Thank you.
KC

**Liz** · #11 December 28th, 2007, 10:15 PM

Oh I wish mine would die. It is climbing with gay abandon over the side garden up the wire fences all over the path.......... It is funny how some nurture and fuss gently over their plants and others of us would really like to do a ground zero operation on them.. Re the dying off over edge of basket maybe the basket edge is sharp and if it is padded the circulation won't be cut off. I don't think you can overwater these also dryness in a garden situation makes very little difference. They just hang in there, are flat and grey, one squirt of rain and off they go. You can tell I really love this plant ...NOT what ever colour I have a civilized purple green leaf one but the common green words fail me.

Liz

jroger · #12 December 29th, 2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCaprioni

My s-i-l has a wandering jew and for some reason it seems to be dying where it goes over the side of its pot. Can anyone tell me why this is and is there something that can be done for it? Thank you.
KC

If the plant is hanging down quite a ways it is the weight of the plant that causes it and if not maybe it needed watering.If it was mine i would take sissors and trim it aroound the pot,water with a mild water soluible fertilizer.Also you can use the excess for cuttings, just put them in another hanging basket.I took one hanging basket and made 20 one winter.

**bcsister** · #13 April 14th, 2009, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saren

Would it by any chance, happen to be this plant?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...knownplant.jpg

If so, I'm trying to figure it out, too. It's a pretty hardy fella, moreso than the Jew, I think. I took it from a cutting from my aunt who keeps it in a hanging basket outdoors in Nelson (and you know what that weather gets like in winter if you've been there) and she got it from another one of my aunts, her older sister, who found it growing wild in a public park in Kamloops. It really likes to grow! It grows as fast as my wee bamboo. And it's especially hairy around its new growth.

If anyone knows what it is (or wants some of it before it takes over my bathroom! lol) I'd love to hear from you.

~s

I, too amtrying to find out what this is....
the lady who gave me some said it was a "jumbo wandering jew", but I can find nothing under that common name.

Unfortunately, mine didn't fare so well. Spray, or not?
warmer temps? I dunno. I would love to find out what it is and get my hands on another!