How to Care & Root Wandering Jew Hanging Flower Baskets

Fill a basket about three-quarters full with a well-draining potting soil. Choose a basket at least 8 inches in diameter with drainage holes in the bottom. A self-watering basket works well for a Wandering Jew plant.

Set the Wandering Jew in the center of the basket at the same level as it was in the store container. Fill in around the roots with potting soil.

Hang the basket indoors in bright, indirect light away from drafts or outdoors in partial shade.

Water the Wandering Jew until the soil is moist when the top 1 inch of soil dries out. Once a month during the active growth period, give the plant a general-purpose fertilizer diluted to one-half recommended strength.

Take cuttings to start a new plant or to fill out the current plant any time of year. Make the cut just below a node, where a leaf attaches to the stem. Cut a 4- to 6-inch section of stem with at least four leaves on the cut section. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and stick the cut tip about 1 inch deep into the soil. The cutting develops roots and grows where it is placed in the basket.

Prune the trailing stems if they become spindly. Pruning encourages branching growth and bushiness, and you can root the stem sections you remove to fill out the top of the plant. Make cuts just below a leaf set on the stem. You can remove just the spindly parts of each stem or cut the entire plant back to a certain length. You can remove as much of the stems as you like as long as you leave at least three or four leaves on the remaining part of each stem.

Look at the undersides of leaves for tiny moving specks if you see leaf damage. Wandering Jew plants do not suffer from many disease or pest problems, but they can occasionally be infested by mites. Spray the leaves with water to dislodge the mites or spray the leaves of the plant with a premixed insecticidal soap if the infestation is severe. You may need to repeat the treatment weekly until the mites are gone.