The Painted Fingernail plant is a part of the Bromeliad family. It is a tropical type of plant whose leaves resemble the shape of fingers. The tips are red and therefore appear to look just like painted fingernails. These are great houseplants as they adapt well to home environments that are generally hard on other types of plants.
Type of Pot
You can use a plastic or clay pot to keep your plant in. Once the plant begins to get much larger, a clay pot is probably preferable only because it will be more stable than a plastic pot. If you choose to plant it in a plastic pot, you should keep in mind that these hold water better than clay pots. Therefore, you will want to water the plant less often in this case.
You do not need a large pot for this plant. The roots are relatively small so it doesn't need as much room for growth as other plants do. Each Spring, you can move the plant to a pot that is one size larger. This should be a good guide rather than trying to guess when the plant needs to be repotted.
Soil
This plant grows best when it is grown in tree-fern bark, cork-oak bark or on a tree-fern slab. You
can also use pieces of wood for this plant. Planting the Painted Fingernail in traditional soil will not promote the proper growth of the plant.
You will need to stabilize the plant in the type of materials that you will be using. Mount the plant by wrapping the base, including roots in sphagnum moss. Tie the base to a support by twisting plastic coated wire around the moss and other supporting materials. Wrap the wire so that it is tight but easily untwisted when needed. To keep the moss from completely drying out, spray it often with water. Once the roots have grown over the sphagnum moss and around the mount, you may remove the wire.
Watering
To keep this plant in tip-top form, you should water it at least twice a week. This should be done throughout the year. Be sure to water the roots and it's supporting materials well. You can use a spray of water or you can submerge the plant in water for a few seconds. Depending on the environment in your home, you may need to adjust how much you water the plant. If your home is low humidity, you should water the plant more often.
Lighting
This plant is very adaptable to any type of light. It will survive in a low light atmosphere. It is suggested that you find a spot that has good lighting though. This will allow the plant to live to it's full potential. If the plant gets a yellowish or pale green color, the light level may be too high. Move it to an area that has a lower level of light to bring it back to it's full beauty.
Temperature
The Painted Fingernail plant will fair best indoors when the room is kept at temperatures of between 70-75 degrees during the day and 60-65 degrees at night. They should not be exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the best results.
Humidity
These plants grow best in a humidity of 40-60 percent. Homes don't often have this high humidity so to create more, place this plant near other potted plants. Put it in a pot that has a base on it. You can add stones to the base which will create more humidity. Be sure to keep the roots of the plant off the water.
Fertilizing
You do not need to fertilize this plant often. Do not fertilize in the winter months. When you do fertilize it, use a light mixture. This plant does not need much food. Only fertilize once every one or two months. Using a controlled release fertilizer works the best because it will slowly release the nutrients the plant will need.
Taking good care of your Painted Fingernail plant will give you many years of enjoyment from this unique plant. Be careful not to overwater. This plant is a tropical version and is used to living in drought areas. Enjoy your new beauty.