Money trees are a great way to lighten up a living space by adding a touch of greenery into your living space. Not only are they a statement decoration piece, but they’re easy to care for, apart from when you end up questioning ‘why is my money tree trunk soft?’.
Money trees are also known as Pachira Aquatica. They’re a symbol of prosperity and luck. These trees are popular as houseplants as they add an exotic touch through their luscious green leaves and gorgeous braided trunks. That is why it is painful when the tree trunk starts to get soft.
Are you asking yourself, ‘why is my money tree trunk soft?’. Let’s dive deep into it!
Why Is My Money Tree Trunk Soft?
If you want your money tree to get healthy again, the first step is to identify the problem. Many reasons can cause your tree’s trunk to go soft, and if you’re observant and vigilant, you’ll detect the issue in no time.
1. Over-watering
Money tree has specific water requirements, and over-watering your plant can cause serious damage. The natural environment of this tree is the tropical region which is why money trees prefer infrequent, but thorough watering. In tropical areas, the trees get heavy rainfall after prolonged droughts.
The money tree trunks will thrive if you soak them until water starts seeping out of the drainage holes. And then let the soil dry out completely. If you water the plant too frequently without checking the soil, it will be considered over-watering.
Over-watering can cause issues like pests infestations and root rot. This is because the moist and wet conditions attract pathogens to use the root cells as hosts. Soggy soil is also a preferred environment for many pests. These infestations can lead to the tree trunk turning mushy.
Solution
Money trees need watering only once in one or two weeks. However, there is no fixed duration to look for between watering. Always check the money tree’s soil before watering it. If the soil is at least 50 percent to 75 percent dry, water it, otherwise don’t.
Novelty Indoor Watering Can help you control the water intake of the plant because of its thin nozzle. It’s available on Amazon.
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2. Heavy Soil Mix
Using regular potting mix for a money tree is a big mistake. Regular potting mixes retain way more water than what is needed by the plant. Even though money trees like their soil to be moist, they don’t like soggy soil.
If the roots and soil get too moist, problems like root rot will develop. The only way to cure this is to switch to a more suitable potting mix.
Solution
A peat-based or succulent blend soil mix is ideal for a money tree trunk. These soils have excellent drainage, so they’ll be ideal for a money tree. If you still want to use a regular potting mix, you can add sand and perlite to improve the drainage.
3. The Wrong Pot
If you’re growing your money tree in a pot with not enough drainage holes, the excess water won’t have any way to leave the pot. This can lead to flooded soil, and problems that accompany soggy soil and over-watering.
Sometimes, a pot with drainage holes might cause issues too when the drainage holes get blocked. If the pot is too big, that can increase the damage, as a larger pot can hold a large quantity of water.
Solutions
Some requirements that your money tree pot must fulfill are:
- Has plenty of drainage holes
- The drainage holes aren’t blocked
- It is medium-sized. Not too large as to store loads of water, also not as small as to suffocate the roots.
A way to avoid blocked drainage holes is to throw some pebbles inside the pot before adding the soil.
4. Too Little Light
Due to its native conditions, the money tree is intolerant to minimal light. It prefers long hours of bright and indirect sunlight, but can also tolerate short periods of shade. But if it’s in these conditions for a long time, the trunk will start weakening.
Low light causes the soil to stay moist for longer than preferred. This causes root rot, fungal infections, pests infestations, and over-watering. Light is essential for all plants as it provides them with the energy required for photosynthesis. Without light, any plant will die.
Solution
If your plant isn’t getting enough light, move it to a spot with bright and indirect sunlight. Artificial light can also help plants grow and thrive.
5. Over-fertilization
Many plant parents over-feed their plants thinking, ‘what bad can a little extra fertilizer do?’. But in the case of the money tree, excess fertilizer can cause the trunk to get soft and mushy.
Gardeners often fertilize the plant during winters, when the money tree is dormant. Winter fertilizing can shock the plant, burn the roots, and make the trunk soft. A money tree is a light feeder, so it doesn’t need much fertilizer.
Solution
Dilute the fertilizer before feeding your plant. A 1-1 ratio of water to fertilizer works best. Only fertilize once or twice a month, during the growing season. As winters approach, the plant becomes dormant. So stop fertilizing during the winters.
6. Drastic Temperature Changes
Money trees are sensitive to a sudden change in temperature. This can lead to the trunk weakening and softening. Money trees thrive in medium to high temperatures, so low temperatures must be avoided.
Solution
Don’t place the money tree near any exposed window or air conditioning vent. Avoid exposing the plant to low temperatures, frost, drafts, and fireplaces.
>> Related Post: Why Is My Money Tree Turning Yellow? (5 Real Causes)
Conclusion
In conclusion, your money tree trunk is prone to getting soft and weak if it’s not taken care of properly. If your plant’s needs aren’t met, it can be very damaging. Your money tree’s trunk will get weak and soft if proper care techniques aren’t used.
But there are ways to avoid the ‘why is my money tree trunk soft?’ issue entirely. If you put your plant in the right spot, properly fertilize it, keep an eye on any temperature changes, and choose the right spot, your plant will thrive. Novelty Indoor Watering Can will help avoid over-watering.
Hopefully, this helped you achieve the goal. If you have any more questions, leave them in the comment section down below and we’ll get right back to you.