How to Grow Turtle Vines Properly

Turtle vines (Callisia repens) are spectacular trailing plants that are fairly simple to grow. They only need six hours of partial sunlight daily, well-draining basic soil, and regular bi-weekly watering.

These graceful, decorative plants that produce a small cluster of white blooms are great for gifting a friend or relative. Or you can put them in hanging baskets in your home or office.

As with other important care aspects, we will continue discussing them in this guide. So scroll down to learn more about how to grow your precious turtle vines properly.

Growing Turtle Vines

Growing Turtle Vines

Unlike other plants, turtle vines grow differently because they’re trailing succulents. So instead of growing vertically, they grow horizontally, up to three meters across, given that there’s enough space.

Also, they grow quite fast. Every year, their rate of growth is 0.5 meters, so it only takes six years for them to reach their maximum size.

With this information, you now have to choose the best container and spot for them at your home or office.

Hanging baskets are ideal to accommodate the plants’ outward and cascading growing direction, but you can place them on a simple potted vessel, of course.

Turtle vines aren’t really choosy with regard to their soil so long as it has good drainage. For this, you can simply obtain a succulent or cacti soil mix from your plant or flower specialist.

Otherwise, you can make one yourself by putting together equal parts of moss, sand, and perlite.

Alternatively, you can position these potted beauties outside your window. Remember they need indirect sun, so if you have light curtains, placing the plant behind it will work. If you don’t have these curtains and the sun from the window is bright, place them a bit farther away.

Regarding their required temperature, turtle vines thrive in mild hot or cold environments at 60℉ to 85℉ (15.56℃ to 29.44℃). And they prefer a normal moisture level so they won’t dry up fast.

How to Care for Turtle Vines

When the top one to two inches of turtle vine soil has become dry, you must water it. In doing this, ensure that you have wet the soil thoroughly; however, avoid splashing excess water onto the leaves to prevent root rot.

In general, you should water the turtle vine once every two weeks in spring and once every three weeks in winter. These intervals should be enough for the upper portion of the soil not to dry out completely.

The plant will also benefit greatly from fertilizer. The fertilizer you choose should have balanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content. This helps ensure the leaves and flowers are healthy and the stems are strong.

Furthermore, you should aim to feed your turtle vine from late spring to late summer. After these seasons, stop. When doing so, do follow the packaging label instructions in diluting the fertilizer.

And lastly, it’s advisable to prune the turtle vines in early spring during which it grows. Use a garden shear or sharp knife and cut off the dead leaves or untidy or bothersome plant portions, but keep in mind not to remove more than one-third of the plant.

More Gift Resources

Complement turtle vines with other gifts from these shops:

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