Nobody likes a floppy Chinese money plant! Find out what’s wrong and how to fix this frustrating issue the easy way!
The Chinese money plant is a popular succulent having a compact clumping form and disc-shaped leaves! It gives the uniqueness of a lily pad, but in a pot! Now, the problem is that it often leans or flops over, ruining its aesthetics. Read on and find out how to fix that!
Why Does Your Chinese Money Plant Lean and How to Fix It
1. Uneven Sunlight Exposure
Did you know that plants lean towards the side where the sunlight is brightest? This is a natural instinct to ensure the plant’s survival.
In your case, if only one portion of the Chinese money plant is exposed to sunlight, the entire plant begins to lean towards that side. In fact, even nearby light can contort it to reach the source!
Inadequate sunlight also makes the plant leggy and elongated, causing its stems to droop. To solve this, you don’t need to do much. Place your pot in front of a large, unobstructed east- or north-facing window, and rotate the pot by 90 degrees every few weeks to ensure even distribution.
When the plant grows too tall without enough light, it can become “lanky,” meaning the stems stretch out too far, get thin, and weak. This makes the plant look messy and causes it to lean or flop. For this, give it bright, indirect sunlight so it grows compact and sturdy.
2. Reflective Surroundings
This sneaky culprit ties in with the previous point. If you have placed your plant in a location where a reflective surface focuses sunlight on just one part of the plant, inclination towards it is inevitable. This problem often goes overlooked as no one believes that a shiny tile, mirror, or any other reflective surface can do harm, but trust us, it can!
To eradicate this issue, simply move the reflective surface to another location. If that’s not possible, try covering it with a piece of cloth or relocating the pot entirely.
3. Overwatering Issue
Anything given in excess is harmful, especially water for your plant! Since your Chinese money plant is a succulent, it doesn’t require tons of water. Oversaturated soil and stagnant water lead to root rot and also make the stems flimsy, leading the plant to flop over.
The watering routine must be optimal. A simple rule of thumb is to water your plant only when the top 2 inches of the substrate have completely dried out. To test this, just stick a finger in the soil and feel for moisture. In most cases, watering your plant once every week in the growing season is sufficient.
Note: Proper draining soil and terracotta containers with drainage holes are a must to ensure free seepage of excess water.
4. Tiny Pot = Leaning Plant
If the foundation of a building is quite narrow, sooner or later it will topple over! The same principle applies to your Chinese money plant! In a small pot, a mature plant will soon be root-bound and top-heavy. The lack of stability and burden of top growth will make it flop down.
If you notice roots poking out of the drainage holes of the pot, it’s time to repot! Simply transplant the succulent to a container 2 inches larger than the previous one and allow it to adjust to its new home.
Note: The plant may go into transplant shock and not grow for a bit. In this time period, do not force-feed it by applying fertilizers. Regular care will help it adapt and then get into the swing of things.
5. Asymmetrical Pruning
This issue arises due to a lapse in human judgment. When pruning your plant, if you cut short certain stems or leaves more on one side and ignore the other, the heavy side will weigh down the entire plant.
Remove all the dead, damaged, or infested parts of the plant. Also, if your plant is overgrown, snip away the leaves and stems from the topmost part of each stem. But remember to do so from all sides equally, not focusing solely on a certain section.
6. Weak and Unstable Central Stem
The central stem is like the skeleton of your plant. It is the main vertical stalk that provides support to most other stems. As the plant matures, this stalk turns woody and stiff. However, large leaves can cause an imbalance in weight distribution, forcing the central stem to lean, dragging the entire plant along with it.
This is when stakes or trellises come to the rescue! You can use this external support system to provide stability to the plant. Tie the plant using jute thread or zip ties to a strategically erected chopstick, thin metal rod, mini bamboo stick, or moss pole.
Note: Do not tie the plant tightly, as this will damage the stem and also restrict growth.
7. Constant Environmental Stresses
Most plants adapt to the environment. If, in your case, your Chinese money plant is exposed to the constant wind flow or if it is propped up against a wall restricting its free growth, it may change its posture to survive.
Make sure that your plant is in a comfortable position away from air vents and cold drafts and has enough room to stretch out its stems. A tabletop or a large windowsill is optimal for their growth.
8. Lack of Nutrients
Plants not only obtain water from the soil but also essential nutrients, as we all know. Out of these nutrients, some, like potassium, calcium, and iron, are responsible for maintaining the structural growth of the plant.
If the potting mix does not provide a sufficient amount of these, your plant will begin to turn flimsy and lean or flop over. That’s where fertilizers come into play. Replenish the soil’s nutrient deficiency by applying fertilizers rich in these specific nutrients.
Note: Using eggshells rich in calcium, banana peels rich in potassium, and seaweed extract rich in iron is an organic alternative to industrial fertilizers.
9. Uneven Surface
This is quite an obvious one, but still, we thought it was necessary to mention. If your pot is placed on an inclined surface, the water begins to pool on one side due to gravity. As the plant grows, the same happens with its foliage.
It is necessary to balance out the plant, keeping it stable and flat. In fact, try picking up the pot with both hands, making sure it does not lean and damage its root system, which can cause it to flop over.
Keep your Chinese money plant upright and happy with just a few simple tweaks. A little attention goes a long way in keeping it looking its best.
