• Keep Moist - Pileas need to be maintained moist for best results.  If the soil becomes hard to wet, let the pot sit in a small tub of water to resaturate the soil.  Like all plants, Pileas need air to reach the roots so don't let them remain saturated for more than a few hours.  You can tell how wet the soil is by it's weight.  A dry plant will weigh almost nothing.  

Fertilizer

• Any fertilizer that contains macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients will work.  For best results use a slow release fertilizer that will continuously feed the plant over the release period.  The amount of fertilizer depends on where the plant will live.  If light is high and the plant will be growing, fertilize at the medium to high rate.  If the plant is in a darker location and will not do much growing, use the lowest rate.  Liquid fertilizer can be applied, when the plant is watered, using the same principle as above.  The more growth, the more fertilizer the plant will need.   Frequent applications using a low liquid fertilizer rate are better than high rates given infrequently.   

Insects

• Insects are not a huge problem with Pilea.  If you suspect insects are present, use horticultural oil, according to the label directions to eliminate them.  A careful wiping of leaves with insects will also help.
• Insects we have observed in the nursery listed from most probable to least probable

  • Mealy Bugs - Bright white cotton like deposits and insects right around the growing point.  Especially on older plants

  • Aphids - Small green stationary bugs located on the small new leaf growing in the center of the plant.  Aphids may be a bigger problem in the nursery environment. 

  • Spider Mites - Webbing on bottom of leaves with a speckled appearance.  The actual spider mites are small, but can be seen.

  • Fungus gnats are small flying gnats that live just above the soil and may fly very close in front of your face if present.  They do not bight, but they are annoying.  A yellow sticky trap placed in the soil for a couple of weeks will trap the adults.  Leave the trap in place until no new adults have been caught.

Propagation

• The suckers growing around the main plant can be cut below the soil line and transplanted to a new pot with fresh soil.  Try to harvest some active roots when propagating and plant gently so as not to destroy small roots.  

Light

• Full sun is too much for this plant.  Indoors near a window or on a patio receiving diffuse light is best.  Too little light will also cause a slow decline in the plant.  If placed in a very low light area try to let the plant have a few days in a brighter area each week.

Links

• Horticultural Oils