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Water Growing Indoor Plants – Without Soil

Water Growing Indoor Plants

Hello gardeners, here today in this article, we are going to discuss water growing indoor plants. Do you want to have water growing indoor plants? Well, we are here in this article to let you know all about water growing indoor plants. In this article, we also cover or discuss the following topics:

  • Introduction to water growing indoor plants
  • Suitable Plants for Water Growing Indoors
  • Growing Plants in Water
  • The Best Suitable Containers for Plants That Grow in Water
  • Caring For Plants That Grow In Water
  • Planting Procedure to Grow Plants in Water
  • Maintenance and Problems
  • Commonly Asked Questions for Water Growing Indoor Plants

Introduction to Water Growing Indoor Plants

Indoor plants are very popular and they are frequently preferred because they are very easy to take care of. People who love to have plants but if they don’t have any space for gardening, indoor water growing plants are best for them.

A Step By Step Guide for Water Growing Indoor Plants

Indoor plants are easy to maintain and they are also called low maintenance plants. There are many types and varieties to grow in water. Growing plants in water, whether they may be houseplants or an indoor herb garden, it is a great activity. This method for water growing plants is not only low maintenance but also disease and pest resistance.

Suitable Plants Are Listed Here

  • Philodendron

In all the different species of philodendron, heart-leaf philodendron is quite chosen for growing in water. You need to keep at least 6 inches long plant cutting in a clear glass jar or a bowl in a location with bright and indirect light. You should not forget to change the water once in 3-4 days and it will keep growing.

  • Lucky Bamboo

This is one of my favourite water growing indoor plants. This plant is very famous for its forgiving nature; the lucky bamboo is one of the best and amazing indoor plants that grow very well in water. Narrow vases or pots are perfect for this bamboo plant, depending on the size. You need to make sure that the roots are submerged in the water and you need to add some gravel around them for firm placement.

  • Pothos

Pothos has glossy heart-shaped foliage. You need to grow it in water, in a clear fishbowl, and you can keep that on a shelf, cascading pothos leaves will look very beautiful and wonderful. You need to keep changing the water every few days to maintain the right oxygen level.

  • Chinese Evergreen & Dumbcane

It has variegated and leathery leaves having a silvery pattern. Chinese evergreen plants can be grown in water. You can easily propagate the cuttings of the plant in a transparent vase filled with small aquarium rocks.

  • Spider Plant

Spider plants look quite interesting and beautiful with their narrow arching foliage and they even have baby spiderettes. You can grow them permanently in a glass jar or bowl and you can also change the cuttings into a new pot, once they root. You need to keep changing the water every 2-3 days.

Spider Plant
Spider Plant (Image Credit: Pixabay)
  • Arrowhead Plant

The arrowhead plant is pretty straightforward to grow indoors in water like other climbers and vining plants. You need to keep adding fresh water twice a week and it will keep on growing.

  • Coleus

Coleus will be the most colourful addition to glasses and jars. They have colourful and serrated leaves. This plant likes indirect light. So, you can keep it as a table top centrepiece in a wine glass or a decorative Mason jar filled with water.

  • Wandering Jew

Wandering Jews are very tough plants that grow like a weed in warm and hot climates. The best part of this plant is you can grow them in water in terrariums.

  • Dracaena

Many indoor dracaena types or varieties can adapt to growing in water. Glass jugs and narrow jars are very suitable and good for them. Just you need to remember to use chlorine and fluoride-free water. Also, never let the water in the jar that become very mushy and unclear. You need to keep changing it two to three times a week.

  • Croton

Croton has the boldest foliage in all the indoor plants. While it may not grow permanently in water but you can use them from root cuttings.

In case if you miss this: Container Gardening for Beginners.

Croton Plants.
Croton plants (Pic source: Pixabay)
  • Impatiens

Impatiens can grow in water very easily and they grow for quite a long time. You need to remove all the lower leaves and need to submerge their cut ends in water.

  • Begonia

Like impatiens, growing begonias in water is also very easy and possible to grow. You need to keep them in a clear bowl for around two months before they start to fade. You should not forget to change the water every week to save the begonia cuttings from rotting.

  • Paper white

You can grow these paper white narcissus bulbs in water and you can force them to flower easily. For this, you need to get a glass terrarium and need to fill one-quarter of the terrarium with seashells and gravels. Now you need to arrange the bulbs closely and need to cover half of them with these gravels to fix them at their spot. After this, you need to fill the terrarium with water, up to the base of bulbs but in a way that it’s not wetting them. That’s it, you need to keep them at a bright spot and they’ll start blooming after 4-5 weeks from planting.

  • Ornamental Sweet Potato

Ornamental sweet potato is a vine that can be placed in a glass jar that will add a tropical touch to your kitchen windowsill. You need to trim a few 6 to 8 inches long stems just below the leaf node and need to remove the lower leaves and submerge them half in water. You need to keep changing the water and it’ll grow very well.

  • English Ivy

English ivy can be your next indoor water garden plant. You can grow it from cuttings and can be placed in vases for a long time. You need to snip all the bottom leaves of an ivy stem and need to transfer it into a glass jar and you can enjoy it on a bright windowsill.

  • Herbs

Not just the indoor plants, there are many herbs and vegetables that you can grow in the water at home. Some of the best herbs and vegetables are mint, green onions, fennel, and celery.

Growing Plants in Water

Many plants can grow easily in water and they are an often used method of propagation as well, with some plants choosing to root indoor plants in bottles. Indoor water plants may often consist of clippings from existing indoor plants in bottles. You need to cover every surface available, to a couple of growing plants in water perched on the kitchen window. Growing plants in water allow for greater flexibility in arrangement and they can be accomplished in almost any type of utensils that will hold water well. Growing indoor plants in water may be a slower growing method than soil-based planting.

The Best Suitable Containers for Plants That Grow in Water

Any vase, glass, jar, or bottle can be used to grow water plants at home. When picking or choosing a container, you need to try to match it to the size of the plant. A newly cut or clipped stem may only need a small bottle but as it grows high it will need to be moved to a larger container. Here are a few containers for growing indoor plants in water are listed below:

  • Vases – Vases that come in all shapes, sizes, and colours also. They can be made up of glass, or made from pottery or another material. Just you need to be sure that they are water-tight so you don’t have any leaks from them. For a single stem or two stems, you need to use a vase with a narrow neck to help keep the plant upright.
  • Jars – These jars usually work as containers to root cuttings or as a permanent home for indoor plants.
  • Test tubes – One of the trendiest and popular ways to display indoor plants in water is with a test tube set. These can be bought from any lab, science store, or online store. There are also different test tubes called copycat test tube sets intended for plants. The narrow tubes make the best plant propagators when you are rooting cuttings in water or you can also display a collection of single stems. There are also many similar products with wooden stands and glass bulbs for growing water plants.
  • Wall vases and vessels – Because the plants that grow in water don’t need direct sunlight, they can be placed in wall-mounted containers like vases and vessels. There are endless different styles and sizes available; from wood mounted test tubes, to hanging glass globes, to wall-mounted vases. 

Caring for Water Growing Indoor Plants

Growing plants in water are one of the joys and that they are very low maintenance plants. You need to keep an eye on the water, topping it up as it evaporates and changing it every few weeks or if it becomes cloudy. It is also a good idea to give plants a little boost by adding a few drops or few amounts of liquid organic houseplant fertilizer to the water.

After a few weeks or months, you can notice that your plants have formed roots. If your goal or aim is propagation, you need to remove them from the water and pot them up. Generally growing plants in the water will survive long-term, with most thriving for years with little care.

Planting Procedure to Grow Plants in Water

Step 1: You need to identify a plant that can grow in water.

Plants like a spider plant, lucky bamboo, and the above-mentioned plants.

Step 2: You need to take a cutting from an existing plant.

You need to take a good-sized but not larger cutting. Cuttings need to have only a leaf or two from an existing plant just below a node.

Step 3: You need to find a suitable vessel for your plant.

A glass vase with a thin neck that to help hold the plant upright or you can use a similar vessel will do just fine.

Step 4: You need to find a spot for it.

Find a place in your home with bright and indirect light. This is a perfect spot. Try to find a slightly warm spot and you need to find the spot where the temperature doesn’t change too often, so you need to avoid places next to aircon or heaters.

Step 5: You need to wait for it to grow

For the first couple of months, you need to change the water weekly. Tap water is good because it has oxygen in it. Once roots are formed you can continue to grow them in water, but need to replace the water monthly.

Maintenance and Problems

If you have followed all the steps above you will now have a happy cutting working hard to produce its new root system. The advantage or benefits of growing houseplants in water is that they require very little maintenance, although there are still a few tasks they are listed below:

  • Water changes

The plant will absorb all the nutrients from the water in its container. If the nutrients are completed a bit of leaf or root might die off and foul the water. All this means that it is a very good idea to change the water regularly.

  • Fertilizer

You should not add any type of fertilizer to your cutting if it is still in the beginning stages of root forming. After that, however, you can add a few drops of liquid indoor plant fertilizer whenever you change the water. Or, you can even use pond – or aquarium water. Your plant will also love the nutrients contained in fish waste.

  • Algae

Algae is formed if your plant might be getting too much light or you are overdoing it on the fertilizer. While algae growth is not necessarily a problem it can be unsightly, and it is also difficult and hard to remove if you can’t take the plant out of its container. By covering the glass for a week or two the algae from light are usually enough to get rid of it.

Commonly Asked Questions for Water Growing Indoor Plants

Can indoor plants survive in just water?

In the case of plants in water, oxygen might be the greatest problem. Plants that grow in water must extract oxygen from the oxygen dissolved in the water.

Do water plants need sunlight?

The sunlight has a special role. Aquatic plants usually get water and carbon dioxide from their aquatic environment only and plants like land plants, light energy from the sun. Even though the plant is underwater, plants still get their energy from the sun because sunlight can pass through water for them.

Can you grow plants in glass jars?

You need to add about 1-2 inches of rocks, gravel, pebbles, or marbles to your glass jar. Then you need to fill the jar with potting mix, and leave some space at the top for more potting mix after planting the seeds.

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