Growing plants in water, whether indoor herb gardens or houseplants, is an excellent activity for anybody starting in the gardening space. Having plants grown in water can be good practice if you have limited space or an aversion to messy dirt.
Having plants grown in water allows for greater flexibility in arrangement and can be attained in almost any vessel that can hold water. Growing herbs or houseplants in water may be a slower method than soil-based planting, but you will have a lush garden for a long time.
This article covers some indoor plants you can consider growing in water and other important topics tied to indoor plants grown in water.
Read also: 13 Common Indoor Plants With Big Leaves
Top 9 Indoor Plants grown in water
1. Herbs
Soft-stem herbs are known for surviving in water. It is necessary to cut from the soft, green stem and not the woody stem for optimum results. Herbs with woody stems will survive, but the stem tends to get mushy before the roots develop. You can take a cutting from a mature, healthy plant and put it in a sunny spot. Herbs require plenty of bright, indirect light to do well.
2. Lucky Bamboo
This plant is almost exclusively sold in a jar of water. Often, the bamboo is held in place by a layer of pebbles to aid in stabilizing the sites. You need to add sufficient water to keep the roots covered. It does not need fertilizer, but you can give it very diluted fertilizer every month.
Read also: Do Indoor Plants Purify Air?
3. Vegetable Scraps
Regrowing vegetable scraps such as green onions, lettuce, and carrot tops is an exciting way to reuse parts of the vegetable you typically toss. Nonetheless, do not expect a large harvest from them – regrowing scraps is mostly for fun.
Keep around 3 inches of the bottom part of the vegetables and put them in a shallow water bowl. Your scraps will root and put out new growth from the centre.
4. Pothos
This easy-to-grow and maintained houseplant grows happily in the water. Pothos produces plenty of auxins – a hormone in plants that controls growth and helps stimulate root growth. Most houseplant gardeners mix pothos cuttings with other stems they would like to propagate to speed up growth. Also, it is a vining plant that produces aerial roots, making it even easier to root out. All these roots need is exposure to water to have a growth spurt.
The same applies to any vining plant, including English ivy, monstera, and hoyas.
5. Coleus
This colourful foliage plants roots quickly in water. Take a 6-inch cutting and get rid of the leaves from the bottom four inches before placing them in water. Keep the cutting in a sunny spot and fertilize monthly for optimum results.
6. Philodendron
Philodendrons have either an upright or vining growth habit. The vining varieties, including Brasil, heartleaf, and micans, can be grown similarly to pothos in water. You will need to cut below a leaf node for the upright varieties such as lemon-lime, pink princess, and Birkin before putting them in water.
Read also: How Often Should You Water a Houseplant?
7. Begonia
All begonia varieties grow well in water, but tuberous and rex varieties do exceptionally well. These lovelies will root as long as you take a healthy stem cutting with a node. Before you notice any root development, it takes several weeks, but do not worry. As long as the leaf and stem look great, change the water regularly and be patient.
8. Chinese Evergreen
This hardy plant demands little attention, both in soil and out. You can cut a few inches of your Chinese evergreen plant. Ensure the cutting is long enough to have a few inches submerged underwater and some leaves above the waterline. Replenish the water as needed.
9. Baby’s Tears
This plant belongs to the trailing variety that produces tiny leaves along its stem. You can cut a 6-inch piece and get rid of any leaves in contact with the water. Otherwise, the leaves will rot and cause the water to turn murky. New roots will grow from where the leaves were removed.
How Often Should You Fertilize Plants Grown in Water?
While plants will easily root in plain water, they will need food. Normally, houseplants grown in water need lower strength fertilizer than those grown in soil. You can dilute a water-soluble fertilizer to a quarter strength, but this will also be affected by the plant and fertilizer.
Which is the Right Water for HousePlants Grown in Water?
We recommend you use unchlorinated water for the houseplants grown in water. For best results, consider using tap water that has stayed at room temperature overnight. Most plants only require a monthly water change to remain healthy, but this depends on the type of vessel, the plant, and the amount of sunlight it gets.
Over time, the water will evaporate from the container. Replenish the water weekly and completely change it once it appears murky.
How Much Light Do Houseplants Grown in Water Need?
Like growing plants outdoors or in pots, you will have to provide them with essential light requirements. Light is necessary for photosynthesis, and without the right amount of light, the plant will not do well. Just like when growing plants in soil, plants that grow in water need varying amounts of light. It is best to confirm the light preferences for each specific variety you grow.
Choosing the Ideal Vessel for Houseplants Grown in Water
Any water container will work well for growing plants in water. Glass containers are easy to find, and it is good to see the roots growing.
Nonetheless, glass containers are also more susceptible to algae growth due to light exposure and stagnant water.
One way of controlling this is using an opaque container (ceramic, glass, or plastic). An opaque container does not prevent algae growth, but it does slow growth. You can add a pinch of powdered charcoal or a few small pieces of charcoal to the water to aid in inhibiting algae growth.
Avoid using metal containers since they rust, and the metal may react with plant fertilizer.
