You may see pictures of a string of pearls looking really full and wonder how you can get yours to look that way. A string of pearls tends to grow really long and become quite heavy. The long trails can weigh the plant down and as a result, the top may start looking sparse
To make your string of pearls look fuller, trim the plant down and add the cutting to the top of the plant. The stem cutting will root in a few weeks and will start growing like regular plants. You can keep doing this whenever your plant grows really long. And at some point, you’ll have a fuller and healthy-looking string of pearls plant.
To make your string of pearls fuller cut a few trailers and lay them on top of soil on bare areas. Use a couple of pins for pegging them down and add more soil to promote aerial roots growth. Give proper water, light and fertilizer for a beautiful and full pot.
1. Properly cut off trailers of your string of pearls
You know nothing livens up your room quite like a full, lush string of pearls. The stem gracefully spill over your hanging basket or pot, making it eye candy. That’s why it can be disheartening to see bald or thin areas on the crown of your string of pearls. Your mission is to fill those gaps on the crown with more stems and pearls.
To do this you simply have to take a few trailing stems and place them on top of the soil. You want the stems to cover or coil them on top of the barren spots on the soil.
Alternatively, you can snip a few strands of your pearls and lay these stem cutting on the thin crown areas. This is a more effective way because its much akin to propagation. You will need a well made set of pruners, trowel and pins.
Use a couple of pins to pin down the stems to the soil. You can use wooden pegs or horticultural pins. This will ensure that the cut or laid strands of pearls will touch the soil so that it can sprout new roots and start absorbing water and nutrients.
2. Add more soil to promote growth from Aerial Roots
Once you have pinned or laid the strands on the crown, consider adding more soil. This should cover the trailer stem cutting lightly. Make sure to raise the soil level to the pearls.
The added soil will do two things. First of all, the newly-placed strands will easily burrow into the soil and develop new roots faster. Secondly, the presence of the light soil cover will encourage the growth of aerial roots so that it starts getting water and nutrients sooner rather than later.
What type of soil is great for the job? You can get away with the most well-draining and fertile potting mix. However, I have found a blend of potting mix with perlite( in ratio 2:1) will do better. You can also use cactus mix. Be sure to add in some perlite in the same ratio of 2 parts cactus mix and one part perlite. Also, see to it that the soil is slightly moist and not too wet or soggy to avoid unwanted guests in the form of fungal infections.
You may also want to cut along the trailers to release apical dominance. When you cut the apex region( tips of your strands), your string of pearls will go into survival mood. This way it will tell the strings to grow more branches and more peals on the stems, hence a fuller appearance.
3. Fertilize your String of Pearls
Your strings of pearls will grow fairly vigorously during spring and summer if you give it enough fertilizer. For more robust growth, pump up your fertilizing.
Ideally, you should feed your plants once every two weeks during the rapid growth period. That’s what you want to make it fuller. For best results, use a standard water-soluble or liquid fertilizer for houseplants.
Make sure the ratio of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous are well balanced. Dilute your fertilizer to 1/2- strength and apply it during watering. Don’t over fertilize your string of pearls, though this will scorch the leaves, burn the stems and kill your plant. During its period of dormancy, you should only fertilize your string of pearls once every 6 or so weeks.
4. Provide sufficient bright, indirect sunlight
Alas, you’d expect your string of pearls to thrive in full sun – after all, its an arid climate species. But that isn’t a good idea. Your string of pearls will feel the happiest in the combination of part sun nd part shade.
However, in practice, you should give your plant 6-8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight everyday. You should park your string of pearls near an east- facing window during the morning softer hours for indoor growth.
Later, when the afternoon sun is harsh, make sure it is in an area that gets indirect, diffused light, or partial shade. Your string of pearls needs plenty of this bright, indirect light to photosynthesize and grow fuller.
5. Keep them well-watered
Watering is perhaps the biggest dilemma you will face while caring for your string of pearls. How much does it need to thrive? And what’s too much water?
There are two proven ways to know when to water your strings of pearls:
- Water when the pearls just start to show signs of flattening out. Don’t wait until they wrinkle, shrivel or worse, turn brownish.
- Check the top 2-3 inches of soil. If the soil has dried out completely, its time to hit the watering can. If its not then wait a couple of days and check again.
As a general rule of thumb, you should water your string of pearls until liquid runs out of the bottom of the pot. You should let it sit that way for then minutes, then empty the saucer.
6. Make sure its the right Temperature
A string of pearls will do best in warmer temperature in the range of 70-800F(21-260C) from early spring to late summer. During cooler winter months, ensure the temperature stays in the 55-600F(13-160C).
They will suffer sunburn if you expose them to too much blazing direct sunlight or heat. More importantly, you should note that a string of pearls is a very sensitive plant to cold weather, so avoid cold drafts.
Final Thoughts:
After following above steps i am able to make my string of pearls fuller.
