Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

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david90531
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Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by david90531 »

After 2 weeks of rest period, the 5 one-year-old Lithops I ordered from Germany are mostly doing well, with one exception of the julii fullergreen.. I'm not sure if it's going to make it.

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The above picture I attached is when I potted them up the first day as they arrived 2 weeks ago and as you can see it still looked healthy and green. And then it just progressively got less green and shriveled up, the last picture is from today (2 weeks after).
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I never watered them when it was shriveling because I wanted to give them the 2 weeks period to rest and grow roots, so I only had just given them a light drink yesterday.
Fullergreen is my favourite of them all.. At first I thought it may be regenerating, but I don't think so anymore. Any idea on what could have caused this?

They're growing in 80% of Turface and perlite, and 20% of C&S soil.

Much thanks!
Astro
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by Astro »

For the record: the reason for not watering for a bit after repotting is not for Lithops to grow roots (which they won't do without moisture) but rather to let any damage to the root or plant heal or callus over. Watering/moist soil + damage = good chance of rot.

Couple options why the seedling looks like it's on its way out:
1. I agree it doesn't look like it's changing leaves. I'd be surprised if it were to recover. The shriveling by itself is not that catastrophic, but shriveling + color change is not a good sign.
2. It could have gotten cooked in the sun (something especially albino greenies are prone to) - if it was exposed to the sun in the first place. No working root system + too much sun can net you a boil-in-the-skin Lithops in no time. Been there, done that. This particular one looks cooked rather than rotten to me. Newly repotted plants should always be introduced to sunshine gradually.
3. Could also be rot due to being potted in too damp a soil. Seems unlikely if your mix is 80% Turface, which is pretty good at desiccating damp soil when first mixed.
4. If you've only had them for a week or two, there's really no telling what hidden damage they may have come with. It could have been on its way out even before you ever potted it up.
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Rod Smith
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by Rod Smith »

As a general comment, they look a bit swamped in that big pot.
Cactus enthusiast on and off since boyhood. I have a modest collection of cacti & succulents.
iann
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by iann »

I don't like that last picture.
--ian
david90531
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by david90531 »

Thanks for the help guys. Yeah I have had a few people telling me it might be sun due to the colour change, but I don't think it is, just because I grow my plants on a windowsill that is north-west facing, so really I don't get much direct sun at all especially this time of year, and I left these yearlings in the shade for at least a week before I moved them to a brighter spot. As for #3 that Astro mentioned, I don't think that's the issue either because as you said, I used mostly Turface and perlite for this mix, and the little bit of soil I mixed in was definitely dry as well. I received these 2 weeks ago, but I think they were in the mailing process for a bit over a week, so maybe something happened to it then, although it was really well-packed and did not seem unhealthy at all when I potted it :(

I'm guessing I should've given them some water a bit earlier then? Seems like that could be the problem... I would like to retry because I really love the fullergreen.
So according to Rod, if I get more yearlings should I pot them into the same pot so they will have tighter space? I wanted to plant these 5 in a smaller pot but at the moment I only had a 4" one..

Again thanks for the comments!
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Rod Smith
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by Rod Smith »

david90531 wrote:... should I pot them into the same pot so they will have tighter space? I wanted to plant these 5 in a smaller pot but at the moment I only had a 4" one...
You could certainly get more plants into the pot. Lithops look good in mixed plantings but there is a snag, which is watering. You are committed to watering them all at the same time, whatever their needs, so some could get too much, others too little. I've just de-potted a mixed planting for that very reason.
Cactus enthusiast on and off since boyhood. I have a modest collection of cacti & succulents.
david90531
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by david90531 »

Rod Smith wrote:
david90531 wrote:... should I pot them into the same pot so they will have tighter space? I wanted to plant these 5 in a smaller pot but at the moment I only had a 4" one...
You could certainly get more plants into the pot. Lithops look good in mixed plantings but there is a snag, which is watering. You are committed to watering them all at the same time, whatever their needs, so some could get too much, others too little. I've just de-potted a mixed planting for that very reason.
Thanks Rod, yes I have definitely learnt that they would do better in their own pots, and will certainly do so when they're more of an adult size. For now since they're still tiny seedlings I thought it would be okay to put them in the same pot, I find it hard to imagine each of these tiny Lithops in their own pots.. plus I also don't have the space (live in apartment and just have 1-2 windowsill for my plants)
iann
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by iann »

I'm guessing I should've given them some water a bit earlier then?
I doubt it. Even a small seedling like that would be quite happy for many weeks without water. Certainly the (probably fatal) effect you see wouldn't be caused by lack of water. Watering too early is a risk. Often it will just help the plant establish roots more quickly, but sometimes it will kill it. Given the trade-off between a few weeks when a plant needs a little extra shade and it dying, I know which one I choose. Actually I don't always, if I'm transplanting lots of seedlings I may just shove them all in and water, losing two or three out of twenty isn't the end of the world.

A NW window might have been the problem. Small Lithops cook very quickly behind glass with no moving air, but given that the others look unaffected it was probably something else.
--ian
david90531
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Re: Is this Lithops yearling going to make it?

Post by david90531 »

Thanks Iann, I did put them in the shades for a good 5-7 days before moving them to a brighter spot though (and even though "bright", there's barely direct sun at all), and they also get some fresh air because these few weeks weather has been good so I left the window open 24/7. But during those few days it already started to lose colour bit by bit. I guess I'll just have to retry and hope it will go better this time around. I'm glad the others are happy so far though, even after their first watering they pumped up a little and haven't shown any signs of distress
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