A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Wandering Jew?

I Know nothing about plants!

Not sure if this is the correct name. Just doesn't seem politicatlly correct?!

Anyway, I have 4 Wandering Jews hanging outside. At what temperature do I bring them in??

When I do bring them in, what do I do??

Thanks in advance for the help!

Zebrina pendula is a more botanically correct name.

They can withstand temps as low as 45 to 50 degrees without damage.

Hose them down with a sharp spray to knock any critters loose before bringing them in. Place them in your sunniest indoor windows. Expect some decline after they are inside for a while because of the reduction in light and fresh air. Don't repot them and stop fertilizing them until next spring.

Thanks!

Is there any reason to cut them back?

I've grown these plants for years with much success....they are such an easy plant to grow....I've never cut mine back, unless you take into consideration the masses of cuttings I take off of them to start new ones....lol I guess if there were some dead looking parts it is a good idea to clip it off........my mom cuts hers back each year when she brings them in, just for the fact that they get so big outside during the summer....she tries to tame them down a little by cutting them back....

You also might want to try the bolivian jew....I am not a big fan of the names either but I can never remember the proper names....They are hard to mess up, and you can root many cuttings from them.....They aren't as pretty as the wandering jew plant.....just green leaves with the tiniest hint of purple underneath the leaves....I love to use them in hanging baskets because since they don't flower they don't attract so many bees....

I have 2 kinds of wandering jew one purple one lighter purple with greenish both bloom I take cuttings all the time.they are a rooty plant look great in hanging basket or in bed as ground cover.they are pretty truoble free but if you see it stop growing it needs a bigger pot

GGGG,

Regular pruning does help keep vining and hanging plants full. If allowed to grow unchecked, eventually they reach a maximum length and then start to lose leaves at the ends closest to the pot. I am sure you have seen vining plants that are long strings with some leaves at the ends. Not very attractive.

To avoid this, every month or so, take one or two of the longest stems and cut them back to within a few inches of the soil. This gradual approach means that the pruned off stems won't be noticeable. New growth will emerge at the end of the cut stem, close to the soil and grow out from there.