Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

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Adastra1018
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Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by Adastra1018 »

I've has this Minnie Belle Aloe for a just under a year now. It gets about 8-9 hours of light from a cfl and lives in a 50/50 mix of cactus soil and perlite. (along with all the other succulents) I water about once every 1-2 weeks but it's winter and they haven't gotten water since October. The room they're all in stays about 65-70 degrees F. It looks like its had some growth and the bottom leaves are crisping, which I know is normal, but the thing is, I was doing some reading and apparently they're winter growers? So should I be doing anything different?
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My Sempervivum I got this past August and it used to have purple tips, which I'm sure will come back once I can set them outside for the summer. I divided it into separate plants and they've been doing great, but I noticed a few weeks ago they're turning white. Is the light an issue or is something else going on?
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esp_imaging
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by esp_imaging »

Your Aloe needs more light, it is becoming etiolated. With temperatures as you say, well over 12 hours of daylight, often as intense as sunlight, would be good. Alternatively, if you kept it cooler it would become more-or less dormant and not grow, and the low light wouldn't be an issue.
Your Sempervivium may well be having the same problem, if its new growth is very pale. These come from cool/cold winter habitats.
So, if you can, put the lights on longer and/or move them closer to the plants. Make sure you use a reflector too, so light isn't wasted shining where it isn't needed.

I wouldn't worry too much about Aloes being described as winter growers. This is often sloppy shorthand for saying they come from areas with a hot dry summer, when they go dormant. In practise, they are often more spring/autumn growers. Usually they will grow fine whenever its warm, or even a bit cool, but are best kept dry to allow domancy when it is cold or hot.
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by ElieEstephane »

esp_imaging wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2018 6:11 pm Your Aloe needs more light, it is becoming etiolated. With temperatures as you say, well over 12 hours of daylight, often as intense as sunlight, would be good. Alternatively, if you kept it cooler it would become more-or less dormant and not grow, and the low light wouldn't be an issue.
Your Sempervivium may well be having the same problem, if its new growth is very pale. These come from cool/cold winter habitats.
So, if you can, put the lights on longer and/or move them closer to the plants. Make sure you use a reflector too, so light isn't wasted shining where it isn't needed.

I wouldn't worry too much about Aloes being described as winter growers. This is often sloppy shorthand for saying they come from areas with a hot dry summer, when they go dormant. In practise, they are often more spring/autumn growers. Usually they will grow fine whenever its warm, or even a bit cool, but are best kept dry to allow domancy when it is cold or hot.
Can you see the sempervivum photos?? To me it says The attachment 20180204_103826-768x1024.jpg is no longer available
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
esp_imaging
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by esp_imaging »

No, I can't see the Semp photos.
A small diverse collection of Cacti & Succulents
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Adastra1018
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by Adastra1018 »

I'm using a 60w daylight bulb. The brightness rating is 900 lumens. Theyre already about a foot from the light. Should I get a different bulb?
I had a feeling the semps were stretching because their leave are turning downwards. Hopefully these pictures work.
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Adastra1018
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by Adastra1018 »

Also, if temps were higher or lower, does that affect the light duration and intensity required?
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by ElieEstephane »

Yes they are definitely etiolating.
900 lumens out of a 60 watt bulb is way too little. Are you using an incandescent lamp? I get around 3000 lumens out of a 40 watt cfl.
Higher temps mean full growth so more light up to a point. Sempervivums don't like too hot temperatures. They are mountain dwellers
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
Adastra1018
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by Adastra1018 »

Ok. Its a cfl but its the ecosmart so maybe that has something to do with it. They were cheap. I'm stopping at home depot today so I'll get something else. The Sempervivums are about the diameter of a nickel right now and once they get bigger and I have my own house I'll plant them outside. (Michigan) how many lumens should I be aiming for?
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by ElieEstephane »

Don't remember the exact number but something around 25000 lux. Thats 25000 lumens per square meter
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
Adastra1018
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Re: Need Advice for Aloe and Sempervivum

Post by Adastra1018 »

Ok, Thanks so much for the help!
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