How to care for a fittonia (nerve plant) (2024)

Have you ever looked at an indoor plant and wondered how to keep it healthy and happy? Or have you ever received a plant as a gift and felt a bit clueless about how to care for it? Fear not, my friends! In this plant care guide, I will guide you through the exciting world of plant care, starting with a beautiful and unique plant called Fittonia, also known as the nerve plant.

The Fittonia gets its nickname from the prominent veins on its leaves. Not only is it a beautiful plant, but it's also an excellent choice for beginners because it's low maintenance. With proper care, Fittonia can thrive in any environment, adding a pop of color and texture to any room. So, get ready to learn about the simple yet crucial steps to help your new plant flourish!

In this guide, we'll go over these topics:

Let's get started and dive into what a Fittonia needs to look and stay healthy.

Humidity

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The trick to keeping these plants alive is humidity. This plant needs to be in a humid environment at all times because it dries out quickly. Before I discovered this trick, the plant constantly dried out, no matter how often I watered it. Now, after discovering the trick, I don't water the Fittonia anymore. I hear you screaming: "What is this trick?!". Here we go:

The most low-maintenance way to keep your Fittonia alive and even make it thrive is by planting it in a terrarium. This might sound like a strange idea, but there are some very simple approaches to achieve this. A terrarium is usually for animals, they're these large aquarium tanks with plants, water, and animals. However, you can make a smaller version of this by using a mason jar with an air-tight lid. You might have some unused jars in your cabinet right now, go ahead and grab those.

I won't go over how to make a terrarium because frankly, I'm not an expert. I will, however, recommend this YouTube video by SerpaDesign. Even if this video won't help you, this channel has amazing resources to help you out. This channel helped me a lot when creating a terrarium for my Fittonia.

Watering

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Assuming you've put your Fittonia in a terrarium, you don't need to water it. The terrarium should be closed the whole time and the humid environment will make it so you won't have to water it at all.

The only time you should add moisture is when you've cleaned the terrarium. At this point, you'll have had the lid open for quite some time and all that moisture that's evaporated during that time will need to be replenished. You should use a plant spray for this.

Instead of putting water in the terrarium, thoroughly spray the Fittonia inside of the terrarium and then close the lid. The watering cycle inside the terrarium will maintain itself and you won't need to do anything for a very long time. As an example, I clean the terrarium every 3 - 6 months and that's when I'll add extra moisture, but in between that time, it's not necessary.

If you assume the Fittonia is in the terrarium the whole time you own it, it's the easiest plant you'll own. It won't need your attention for a long time and it'll grow by itself while you won't have to take care of it.

If you don't keep your Fittonia in a terrarium, just make sure to mist it regularly and make sure the soil stays moist all the time. Luckily the plant will let you know when it's not getting enough water. It'll start to droop and its leaves will get crisp. So watch out for the signs and you will be fine.

Sunlight

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The sunlight of the Fittonia is quite important. Whether you keep it in a terrarium or not, the plant needs a lot of light. Keep it in bright, but indirect sunlight. If you have a colored Fittonia, a red or pink one, for example, it will lose its color when it's in the dark for too long.

If you keep the plant in direct sunlight, it will dry out very quickly and you'll have to constantly water it. This is where the terrarium could do very well. If you do keep the Fittonia in a terrarium, you could place it in a spot where it gets a few hours of direct sunlight in the early morning, as it'll be in a very humid environment the whole time.

The key to keeping the leaves nice and colored is to give them enough sunlight. If you were to keep it in a darker spot, the leaves might turn completely green, or in the case of a colored Fittonia, the colored areas will turn white. So when you notice a change like this, move it to a brighter space, but make sure to adjust your watering/misting schedule to accommodate for this extra light and higher temperatures.

Soil

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Fittonias love humid environments and don't do very well when they're in dry soil. To give your Fittonia the best chance to do well, you should give it soil that retains moisture for a few days. This way, the Fittonia will be in a more humid environment and it'll stay in that environment for much longer.

If you're looking to mix your own potting mix, you can add 1/2 general potting soil, 1/4 peat moss, and 1/4 perlite to a bowl and mix this thoroughly. This potting mix will make sure the soil retains moisture but also stays light and airy for oxygen flow to your plant's roots.

Fertilizing a Fittonia

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Fertilizing a Fittonia is not necessary, but can help keep the plant healthy and help it grow. You can fertilize your plant with a liquid fertilizer diluted with water around once per month in the spring and summer. Make sure to follow the instructions on the label of your liquid fertilizer for optimal results.

In the fall and winter, you shouldn't fertilize your Fittonia as it'll be in its dormancy state. During this time, it won't grow and won't use the nutrients in the fertilizer. This means the nutrients will stay behind in the soil and this could make the soil acidic over time.

Pests and Diseases

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Common pests that affect a Fittonia are spider mites, mealybugs, and aphids. Spider mites are tiny creatures that create webs on the stems and leaves of the plant, causing leaves to yellow and fall off. Mealybugs are small white insects that feed on the sap of the Fittonia, causing leaves to drop. Aphids are small insects that also feed on the sap of the Fittonia, causing deformed and yellow leaves.

The best way to get rid of pests is to check for infestations and wipe off any bugs you find with a wet cotton swab or paper towel. You can also use neem oil or insecticidal soap to get rid of the pests.

Fittonias are also susceptible to fungal diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew. The best way to prevent these is to keep the humidity in your home at a comfortable level and make sure there's enough air circulation around the Fittonia. If you do notice any signs of these diseases, make sure to act quickly and treat the plant with a fungicide.

Propagation

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Propagating a Fittonia is a relatively easy process as it grows from cuttings. You can take cuttings of the plant in the spring or summer by snipping off small sections (3-5 inches) of the stem and leaves with a sharp, sterile knife or pair of scissors.

Once you have your cuttings, you can place them in water or moist soil. Over time, new roots will start to grow from the stem and you can then transfer them to a pot with fresh soil. You should see new growth within a few weeks of transferring the cuttings.

Conclusion

The Fittonia can be as easy or as difficult as you want. If you just want to keep it happy, but don't want to spend a lot of time keeping it that way: put it in a terrarium, it'll love this. If you do want to spend more time taking care of it, place it in a pot. Whatever you choose, be sure to keep it very moist at all times, as this plant loves this.

Thank you for reading this post! I hope it helps you to keep your plants healthy and beautiful! If you're looking for more guides on specific plants, you can always request a plant guide to get a guide for the plant you have trouble with.

Tags:Plant care tips, moisture-loving, terrarium