Hi everyone! I got a little nerve plant last year, and it has not been doing well over the past few months. It started exhibiting extra signs of stress after I repotted in June, which was expected. However, it really started struggling a few weeks later after I went out of town and no one remembered to water it for a week. I had to chop about 1/3 of the plant because it completely shriveled, and since then it's been progressively losing more leaves. They start to turn orange and shrivel at the tips, and eventually they just fall off.

As for current conditions/care information -- I water whenever I notice the soil is dry. The plant sits a few feet from a window in a slightly drafty room, which I unfortunately don't have control over. I put a glass vase over it at one point over the summer to see if it liked the extra humidity, but the next day I checked and it had lost a leaf from that lol.

This plant is very sentimental to me and I would like to save it if possible!

Forgot to include this in my original post, but at this point I've also considered chopping and propagating to make a new plant. However, I'm worried that the props won't be successful, and I don't want to lose the whole plant...

Love fittonia.
On my phone so not much typing at the moment, but I would just give it some consistent TLC so it can recover from the lack of watering while you were gone.

If you cover, make sure it's not airtight, always leave some ventilation.

Water when soil is dry...

How was it doing with that watering, after the re-pot but before you left for week?

Re-potting and up-potting can be stressful, but for a lot of plants it's a sigh of relief and they settle in, take advantage of better conditions, and thrive.

Guessing that your latest pot was watered adequately to survive but not thrive, and the week gone pushed it over the edge for a few leaves to start showing it.

I'd keep the soil a bit moister and give it some time to recover.

Not too worried about the draft, but what kind of lighting does it get?

:)

Curtains are almost closed in picture, I'd guess some better in-direct light couldn't hurt.

Please keep us posted.

The week out of town happened just after the fittonia had visibly recovered from repotting, and both of those happened about 2-3 months ago. I don't let it wilt between waterings, but I do try to wait a bit so I don't overwater. The curtains are closed but sheer, and the fittonia is close enough that I figured it would get enough light from that. However, I may be wrong on that one.

Even though it's been "in recovery" for a few months, I think the leaves are dropping at an even faster rate right now -- the edges turn orange/brown, they lose their firmness, and then they just fall off. I have a tiny prop from the same plant that the same thing is happening to, and I think it's about to only have one leaf left

Does anyone know if there a way to encourage new leaf growth at the nodes where old leaves have fallen off? I've only seen leaves grow in between two preexisting leaves on this one, so not sure if it's typical for them to grow on the now-empty nodes.

Every time mine has gotten that leggy look, with stretches of bare stem, I've cut it back. It's always re-sprouted from the roots AND the cuttings rooted easily. I just stuck them back in the pot and kept it moist. Those nodes will grow roots as well as leaves. I might use a smaller pot than the one you have.
I keep it wetter than most of my plants, water about three times a week. By Arizona standards, this is a swamp plant!
Mine is under a grow light. I think yours might benefit from a bit more light.
Mine was an office plant that ended up in my care. I wasn't expecting success, but it's actually done quite well. It was hard to cut it back the first time I did it, but that really improved its look and health.

MsDoe said: Every time mine has gotten that leggy look, with stretches of bare stem, I've cut it back. It's always re-sprouted from the roots AND the cuttings rooted easily.

Yes.

And, if it works you get a fuller plant just from cutting it back alone.

Maybe give it a little organic food like worm castings. Nerves are so dramatic and will faint when thirsty. I would try a little food and indirect light!

I do love earthworm castings.

Humboldt said: I do love earthworm castings.

My plants love it!