How to Grow and Care for Baby's Tears

Baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) is a mat-forming tropical perennial with myriad tiny leaves. Often confused as a type of moss, it comes from the nettle family. What makes baby's tears special is its dense, delicate mat of fine round or bean-shaped leaves on short, fleshy stems. Lower-light conditions, a warmer climate, and rich, moist soil will enable this plant to thrive. Baby's tears plants are easy to grow for beginners, but they require regular attention to look their best.

Baby's Tears Plant Care

Here are some of the most important things to remember for the care of a Baby's Tears Plant.

• Plant outdoors in moist, well-drained soil.
• Place in a partial to fully shaded area.
• Keep out of harsh direct sunlight and extremely dry conditions.
• Water generously during the Spring and Summer.
• Maintain a 75% humidity level in the plant's environment.
  

Light

Baby's tears plants dislike intense direct sunlight, which may scorch leaves. They look their best in bright, filtered light. Baby tears plants can thrive under artificial lights indoors. Outdoors, place it in a shadier location.

Soil

A rich soil amended with humus, compost, or manure is sufficient for baby's tears plants. It will also help to regulate the moisture level for plants. Commercial potting soil is suitable for growing baby tears as a houseplant or in a container garden.

Water

Baby's tears plants are thirsty plants that never like to dry out. If you allow your plants to dry out, you'll notice a dramatic wilting. Water as soon as you notice wilting, and within a day, they should recover. Baby's tears houseplants will require slightly less water in the winter months. It's fine for the soil's surface to be dry, but the soil around the roots should be moist. However, do not let the roots sit in water, which can promote root rot. Make sure the soil stays moist but drains well.

Temperature and Humidity

As an outdoor specimen, baby's tears plant grows best in a climate that remains between 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the ambient temperature, the more attention the gardener must pay to light and humidity. Baby's tears plants can tolerate a light frost, but freezing temperatures that sometimes occur in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's hardiness zone 9 may kill the plant's top growth. The plant can regenerate after the transitional climate warms up again.

Baby's tears appreciate high humidity with at least 75 percent humidty. These plants are ideal for a steamy bathroom or kitchen. If you live in a drier environment, these plants will appreciate life in a humid terrarium.

Fertilizer

A balanced plant fertilizer will keep the foliage of baby's tears plants bright green and dense. Give the plant liquid fertilizer through spring and summer every two weeks. The liquid form is easier to apply than spike inserts or granular fertilizer when no bare soil is visible.

Types of Baby's Tears

• Soleirolia soleirolii 'Aurea': This variety has golden foliage; it grows a little lower than other types of this species and does not spread as widely. It does better in dappled shade.
• Soleirolia soleirolii 'Golden Queen': This variety has yellowish leaf margins.
• Soleirolia soleirolii 'Silver Queen': This variety has silver-gray foliage.
• Soleirolia soleirolii 'Variegata': This variety has variegated, silverish leaves with white stippling. It was formerly called 'Argentea.'

Pruning

The green color is dominant across all varieties. If you have a variety that comes in a different color, such as a golden or variegated type, prune the green stems to prevent the cultivar from reverting to solid green.

Although it isn't necessary to trim baby's tears, pruning will improve its appearance, encouraging new growth. If you grow baby's tears as a companion plant to another houseplant, give it a trim to keep it in bounds. Pruning is prudent in small terrariums. Baby's tears can quickly overrun other miniature plants in a confined space.

Propagating Baby's Tears

Baby's tears plant propagates easily, especially in its growing season, usually during the spring and summer. Wherever stems touch the soil, they will form roots. Plants can spread without limit. If you want to keep the plant within its bounds but don't want to kill the overgrowth, move it to a container. These plants are seldom propagated by seed. Baby's tears plants are best propagated via division and cuttings. Here's how to do it:

To propagate via division:

1. Divide your plant. You will need a trowel, new growing container, or growing area for your divided plant.
2. Separate a section of stems with soil and roots using a small trowel. Don't worry about damaging the plant; it will regenerate quickly.
3. Replant the division in moist, well-draining potting soil.

To propagate via stem cutting:

1. Gather scissors or pruning snips, a potting container, fresh moistened potting mix, and, optionally, some rooting hormone.
2. Cut healthy stems that are at least 2 inches long. Remove the base leaves and keep only the leaves at the top of the stem.
3. Make holes in the potting medium with your finger and plant the cuttings in the holes. For better results, dip the cut ends in water with the rooting hormone before burying the cut tip in the hole.
4. Cover the cuttings with plastic wrap or a clear plastic or glass dome. After 3 to 4 weeks, the stems should be well-rooted.

Potting and Repotting Baby's Tears

Containers are another good option for people who live in subtropical zones, where this plant can become invasive if planted in the ground. As a potted plant, baby's tears grows easily in a standard potting mix.

Baby's tears plants adapt well to life in containers. In a small hanging basket, the spreading plants can spill attractively over the sides. In a terrarium, the plants can creep to the edges of the glass, hiding the bare soil. In a mixed outdoor planting, baby tears plants work great as an edging plant.

Baby's tears plants grow quickly and need to be repotted regularly. Get a larger pot—in this case, the larger, the better—and get a commercial potting soil lightened with additional peat moss or perlite.

Because the plants' stems are fragile, do not pull them out of their containers by the stems or leaves. Turn the pots upside down and tap, squeeze, or push on the drainage hole with a pencil to coax the plants loose. Place the roots in the new potting mix. Water thoroughly.

Overwintering

If you live in a place that gets frost or cold weather conditions, it's a good idea to grow baby's tears in containers. Bring these plants indoors before the weather approaches freezing temperatures. Frost will begin killing off the outer layer of leaves first. The plant will not survive outdoors if you live in a location with sustained wintery weather or in any hardiness zones less than 9. The plant should be able to bounce back if exposed to frost briefly.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Outdoors, baby's tears have almost no serious pest or disease problems. Indoors, it may be affected by some of the same pests that affect many houseplants—aphids, mites, and mealybugs.

This plant is also susceptible to root rot if the soil becomes too waterlogged. Although Baby's Tears will quickly wilt if too dry, you also don't want to oversaturate the soil.

How to Get Baby's Tears to Bloom

Bloom Months

They bloom outdoors from May to July.

How Long Does Baby's Tears Bloom?

The plant will bloom continuously for a month or two from late spring to early summer.

What Does Baby's Tears Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Baby’s tear plants produce tiny, creamy white, fragrant, otherwise insignificant flowers. These petal-less blossoms are less than an inch in size.

How To Encourage More Blooms

Baby's tears rarely flower when kept indoors or cultivated. The best chance of plentiful blooms is to plant them outdoors as an evergreen cover or filler plant for rock gardens. With plenty of irrigation, partial sun, and adequate shade, they should bloom easily.

Caring for Baby's Tears After It Blooms

The plant will bloom throughout the warm season. Once finished, it's a good idea to prune the plant back, especially if it has overrun your container or garden.

Deadheading Baby's Tears Flowers

It is recommended to deadhead any spent blooms and foliage to make room for more and keep the plant neat and healthy.

Common Problems With Baby's Tears

Baby's tears are an easy plant to grow and care for—once you understand their needs. Your biggest considerations with this plant are making sure the plant gets sufficient water and humidity.

Wilting

Wilting occurs because the plant's leaves are not getting enough water. Pot-bound plants are more susceptible to drying out. You'll notice continued wilting in plants that need to be repotted. Divide the plant and transplant the division in a new pot.

Browning Leaves

Plants growing in full sun may develop brown, scorched leaves. Move the plant to a shadier location or give it some cover if it's in-ground.

Blackening Leaves and Foul-Smelling Soil

Root rot can kill a plant if not caught in time. Overwatering causes this deadly disease. If you notice a few blackening leaves and a foul smell, the soil is likely soggy, too. However, all may not be lost; you still might be able to rescue the plant. Unearth the root ball and repot it in a better-draining soil, amended with perlite. Prune off the blackened leaves. Cut off any rotten or blackened root sections. Look for fungus gnats or aphids on your plant, too. They often infest plants that are weakened by root rot. If you notice pests, apply an insecticide soap or neem oil to remove the insects and keep them away.