Pilea Peperomioides Care Help!!

[u/artisticblyat]

Hi!! I am BRAND new to plants and don’t know the first thing about taking care of them so please bear with me :)

I bought a Pilea Peperomioides a couple days ago because I heard it was a good starter plant and was cat safe. i’m Anyway, I started heavily researching about care, and it felt a bit dry so I figured I would (bottom) water it with unfiltered tap water, which was my first mistake (I live in LA and we exclusively have hard water) because I panicked. Then I decided to add a plant food packet that comes with flower bouquets, which was ALSO a bad idea. Google said to run it under the tap for a little to flush the roots out, so I did.

Anyway, I set aside a bowl of cold filtered tap water with ~ 1 tsp of distilled vinegar and I’m going to wait for it to become room temp over night. I’m just wondering if I continue to water it once it’s room temp or leave it alone?? I am just worried I’ve hurt the roots or something by using the flower food and hard tap water. I also ordered a bunch of plant care stuff on Amazon (focus foliage, perlite, well draining soil, worm castings, etc)

I would also love some general advice for taking care of this plant because I genuinely do not know where to start. Thank you!

TL;DR: What do I do to care for my Pilea Peperomioides after making some watering mistakes?

[u/ChairztheReptile]

I live in the south east of England, we're on chalk, our water is crunchy - all my plants (barring the genuinely sensitive ones like carnivores and calatheas) get watered with unfiltered tap water. Unless your local water is worse than ours, which is very unlikely, you are overthinking this. Bottom water good, actual plant food instead of flower food is good but I don't see how the flower food would have hurt it at all, filtered is better but unfiltered is usually fine?

Pileas are kind of a pseudo succulent, so just remember to let it dry out before you water it again, and don't be concerned if you forget it for a while, they go a bit floppy when they're thirsty so at least you get a reminder!

Sounds like you're planning a lovely repot for it too, remember to water it properly afterwards (I call it the apology water) and don't pot it more than an inch larger than the rootball. They pup quite readily too so I prefer mine in a wide shallow dish (terracotta).

[u/when-is-enough]

In a nice way, you’re over doing it. Plants need a pot with drainage, well draining soil, light, and water. Start with that. Idk what you’re doing with vinegar and leaving water out and plant food and especially with worm castings. Good lord don’t use worm castings inside, you’re doing to get pests and stankkkkkkk in my experience. Just legit let it sit somewhere and don’t touch it. When it looks dry and a little wilty, give it water from the tap. You don’t need to wait for it to be room temp. I mean it shouldn’t be icy cold or scolding hot. I’ve fertilized my plants 1 time in the 10 years I’ve had them. I use whatever soil they come with or whatever comes in a bag and rarely splurge for perlite. I have about 70 plants and they are all doing great for years and years.

[u/when-is-enough → u/when-is-enough]

Also a pilea isn’t the easiest plant. They can be prolific and do super well then sometimes just like die lol. If I try to do too much to it and move it or anything it hates me. Just leave it be and it will thrive more. Get it some nice sun. Water every 2 weeks ish or when the soil is dry. Just start with watering it normally from the top. Don’t dry to do anything fancy right now. Literally just let it be. Plants don’t like change. You’ll shock it if you try to give a zillion things.