Hi all,
At the beginning of winter I've bought a pretty small succulent - it's been kept in quite a warm place since then, and I've watered it about once or twice a month. Just before the beginning of spring it's started.. shrivelling? I've no idea whether the problem is with watering or the heat or the sunlight. Could anyone help?
Hello, what am I doing wrong with my succulent?
Hello, what am I doing wrong with my succulent?
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HairyHarry
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Re: Hello, what am I doing wrong with my succulent?
Watering twice a month seems about right, but it depends on how warm 'quite warm' is. Even more so, it depends on the potting.
It could be overwatering; Does the pot have a draining hole (it should), and is this standard potting mix (it shouldn't)? If it is rotting; get it out of that mix asap.
It could be underwatering; Was in a very warm place (it shouldn't), and did you water very little at a time (you shouldn't)? If it is underwatered; simply give it a splash.
The plant seems to be close to the point of no return, so act quickly.
It could be overwatering; Does the pot have a draining hole (it should), and is this standard potting mix (it shouldn't)? If it is rotting; get it out of that mix asap.
It could be underwatering; Was in a very warm place (it shouldn't), and did you water very little at a time (you shouldn't)? If it is underwatered; simply give it a splash.
The plant seems to be close to the point of no return, so act quickly.
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esp_imaging
- Posts: 1503
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 4:27 pm
- Location: England
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Re: Hello, what am I doing wrong with my succulent?
It looks as though it's not had enough light - it's beginning to grow tall, thin and lanky.
Shrivelling up is a sign of not getting enough water, although with plants like this it's not necessarily a reason to be too concerned. They are quite resistant to spells of drought and can shrivel up quite a lot (and maybe lose a few leaves) and then spring back to obvious good health a week or 2 after getting a good watering.
So, you could be not watering enough (e.g. if you are just giving a tiny splash, and it's kept somewhere really warm and sunny).
Or it could be because the roots have died, so the plant isn't able to absorb water. This usually happens because it's been given too much water.
So, rather than watering every two weeks, or whatever, it's good to water these plants only when the compost a couple of cm below the surface has dried out.
As HairyHarry says, it helps if the pot has a drain hole in the bottom, so excess water can escape. It also helps if the compost is free draining, e.g. normal potting mix with extra course sand, grit etc added.
Check the roots and base of the plant. If it is rotting, cut the plant off at the stem well above the rot and let the cut surface heal for several days. It should re-root easily if kept warm, bright and in just-about damp (biut definitely not soaking-wet) compost. In fact, you may even find that this plant will reproduce from single leaves, which can slowly root and produce a new plantlet at their base.
Shrivelling up is a sign of not getting enough water, although with plants like this it's not necessarily a reason to be too concerned. They are quite resistant to spells of drought and can shrivel up quite a lot (and maybe lose a few leaves) and then spring back to obvious good health a week or 2 after getting a good watering.
So, you could be not watering enough (e.g. if you are just giving a tiny splash, and it's kept somewhere really warm and sunny).
Or it could be because the roots have died, so the plant isn't able to absorb water. This usually happens because it's been given too much water.
So, rather than watering every two weeks, or whatever, it's good to water these plants only when the compost a couple of cm below the surface has dried out.
As HairyHarry says, it helps if the pot has a drain hole in the bottom, so excess water can escape. It also helps if the compost is free draining, e.g. normal potting mix with extra course sand, grit etc added.
Check the roots and base of the plant. If it is rotting, cut the plant off at the stem well above the rot and let the cut surface heal for several days. It should re-root easily if kept warm, bright and in just-about damp (biut definitely not soaking-wet) compost. In fact, you may even find that this plant will reproduce from single leaves, which can slowly root and produce a new plantlet at their base.
Re: Hello, what am I doing wrong with my succulent?
The plant's been replanted on the day of the post into cacti soil, the watering was the problem, along with the standard plant soil. Now it seems much more lively after watering. It was in the brightest spot of the flat, but sadly it wasn't enough in the winter - not to mention that it was near a heater unit, making the air quite dry. So the water was definitely not enough. Thank you very much for the advices!