How to care for your beautiful Syngonium Panda variegated plant
How to care for your beautiful variegated Syngonium Panda plant can be challenging, especially when many popular online resources conflict with each other or don’t fully address the challenges you may face while maintaining this beautiful plant. Here, we’ll go over some of the challenges of growing this plant as well as how to fix them so that you can have the most beautiful and healthy Syngonium Panda variegated plants possible.
Choosing a pot
A syngonium requires a container with drainage holes and a very loose, fast-draining potting mix. The best potting mix is 70 percent peat moss, 15 percent perlite, 10 percent vermiculite, and 5 percent composted bark. A clay pot is ideal because it allows water to seep through slowly, providing ample time for leaves to extract nutrients from the soil. An 8-inch (20 cm) diameter x 6-inch (15 cm) deep container is perfect for young plants; larger plants will need larger pots.
Choosing a location
It’s important to think about where you’re going to put your plants before you buy them. You may want something that can be planted on a desk (or even just added in a corner), or you might want an impressive floor-covering plant for a living room. Think about how much light each place gets and what type of environment is best suited for it, and how often you’ll be able to check on it.
Soil
Like all plants, your amazing Panda needs soil to survive. Make sure you buy a soil that is well-draining, as Panda plants like their soil moist but never soggy. An easy way to tell if you’re watering correctly is by monitoring how quickly water drips out of the bottom of a pot after it has been watered—if it takes more than two hours, chances are that you’re keeping water in its pot too long and are overwatering.
Watering schedule
The most important thing when caring for a Syngonium Panda plant is making sure you keep it properly watered. Watering should be kept on a schedule, with 1-2 inches of water per week. The best way to tell if your plant needs watering is by checking for moisture at its base—if it’s dry, add some water.
Fertilizer schedule
Water whenever needed, but no more than once a week. Feed every 2-3 weeks with a quality liquid fertilizer containing micronutrients and trace elements diluted to half of what’s recommended on the label. Keep in mind that it will take time for these new plants to adjust, so don’t be concerned if they look stunted and undernourished initially—they will soon show signs of recovery.
Pests and diseases prevention
Keep an eye out for signs of pests and diseases that can affect Syngonium plants. If you notice any problems, treat them as soon as possible. Some of these include Fungus Gnats, Aphids, Mealybugs and Spider Mites. Remove pests immediately by removing infected leaves or wiping them away with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Aesthetics, tools, and tips
Knowing how to take care of plants is important when you consider that approximately 70% of American households have a green friend in their home. Considering that about 30% of millennials want a pet but don’t want to deal with a dog or cat, it makes sense that some homeowners are opting for houseplants as an alternative. However, it’s important to keep in mind that plants aren’t pets—and aren’t always easy to keep alive. (You may be familiar with people who have gorgeous hanging baskets that they maintain regularly…which translates into water when it feels dry.) To ensure your lovely Syngonium Panda continues living happily in its new home, follow these tips
