How do I prune my wandering jew to get/keep it healthy?

[mfedukovich]

Hi, I have had this wandering jew plant inside for a little over a year. My sister gave me a couple pieces of hers and told me that to get it bushy to wrap the stems around on top of the soil once they get longer, which I did. A couple weeks ago I repotted it because it was getting huge and you could see roots on top of the soil. After repotting I thought the reason the roots were on top was because of me wrapping the longer pieces. The roots under the soil were filling the pot though. Before repotting it was looking pretty stringy but now its worse. Some of the stems bent and broke and now I'm thinking I shouldn't have repotted it.

What can I do to make my wandering jew healthy again? Should I prune all or most of the stems? I'm afraid of shocking it and killing it. I put some of the broken pieces in water and once the roots grew planted those small pieces. When and how is the best way to prune these to keep my plant healthy and bushy?

Thanks in advance for any advice!
M Fedukovich

[pd]

M Fedukovich, Tradescantias are vigorous growers and will produce roots from all of the nodes along the stems; this is quite normal and pegging the stems down to the surface of the compost is a good method of propagation. These plants look, and are, most natural when allowed to extend unrestricted whether hanging down from a pot or a hanging basket. If you want to reduce the stem growth just cut back as required at any time of the year but preferably when in active growth during spring and summer. Most. freely produce basal and side growths when stems are cut back. I would regularly propagate these plants to have young ones coming on to replace those having outgrown their welcome. Cutting them back can spoil the form of natural growth however careful you are.
One of my favourites is the silver, hairy T. sillamontana.

[mfedukovich]

So if I wrap the longer pieces on top of the soil will that not cause too big of a root system? It seemed the top of the soil before I repotted was very firm. I thought there might have been too many roots closer to the top from pegging pieces down.

I like my wandering jew plants to flow over the edges of the container (mine is in a hanging pot) and grow naturally. But since I repotted its very stringy and I would like it to be fuller too.

Thank you,
M Fedukovich