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NICE!

SWEET!!! A forum I've been waiting for!

I love cacti and succulants, though I have been having trouble with my succulants recently. They are growing tall, upward, they are almost getting leggy. Why is that? The bottom leaves are drying up, and either turning yellow or pink.

This guy I buy the succulants from says to repot them, by removing the bottom dead leaves and them pluck them into the soil. Now, he sells his plants in potting soil, but shouldn't they be in either dessert sand or a mix of peat and sand? I haven't had much luck repotting these guys, does anyone have suggestions?

Oh yeah... and watering? how often? how much? top or bottom? I think I am doing something wrong!

Thanx!
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Tall and leggy sounds like not enough light. As far as watering goes, you need to let them dry out before rewatering. Also a well drained soil (lots of sand)should be used so they don't stay wet for prolonged periods.
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I water maybe once a week, or every week and a half. It gets about 14 hours of light a day, and about 4-5 are direct sunshine. The soil is a different thing... I am not positive about the soil they are planted in, but when I do water them, the water runs right through the soil, and out the bottom. Is that bad? Should I plant them strictly in sand?
 
Hey Meagan,

I hope you're not watering on a schedule? Assuming your succulents are just the regular old generic plants commonly found in shops (as opposed to the epiphytes), here is what I know: cacti and succulents can take underwatering much better than overwatering, but people often assume that the soil medium needs to be dry for a long period until they water again. This is not so--you should let the medium dry out for a short period and then water thoroughly from the top, still making sure not to overwater (BTW, watering a plant heavily just once is not overwatering--it's watering too frequently over a long period that causes the dreaded root-rot). So, I am not saying that you are underwatering--you may actually be overwatering.

And light: people sometimes think that with cacti/succulents, the more sun, the better. Not necessarily. Epiphytic varieties may require a fair amount of shade (not to mention a medium kept wetter), and even your usual garden-variety species need protection from intense heat present in a very sunny location--and chlorophyll-free grafted plants require some shade.

Soil: you can find bags of soil specifically designed for cacti/succulents at places like Home Depot and Lowes, and garden centers.

Good luck!

Chris
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Dionaea Enthusiast @ Aug. 05 2002,10:21)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Soil: you can find bags of soil specifically designed for cacti/succulents at places like Home Depot and Lowes, and garden centers.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Careful with this... it has fair drainage but it can retain a lot of moisture. I lost a couple of lithops using it.
 
Thank you Chris.

Let me see if I have this right... when watering, use more water, a thorough watering, but water the plant less frequently? When watering, should I put the plant in the sink and water it until the water comes out from the bottom of the pot?

Is everyday potting soil not good?
 
Dyflam, yeah...lithops are about as succulent as succulents get
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, so they DO require a more aerated mix that retains less water.

Meagan, everyday potting soil is not good. But yes, that IS how I water most of my cacti/succulents; it seems to work pretty well. Important thing is that you remove the water that drains into the saucer--do not let them sit in water.
 
Megan,
What kind of suculants do you have? Some naturaly grow leggy, see my picture of the mother of thousands!
 
  • #10
Thank you Marjorie!

I saw your picture (beautiful by the way) but my plants don't look anything like that. Yours looks more like a cactus. Well, I just bought another succlant this morning, and the tag says Sempervivm (hens and chicks) I believe that is the same as what I already have. Now, when I say it seems leggy, each mini plant is growning upward and the bottom leaves are turning a yellowish pink and then they dry up. I know I am doing something wrong, but what? too much/little water? too much/little sunlight? soil conditions, just not sure.
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  • #11
if it is a Hen & Chick is it looking like this one?

hen1.jpg



instead of looking like these?

hen2.jpg


These are growing side by side and get the same amount of sun and rain. They are potted in the same soil. The only thing I can guess is that this is normal as the plant gets older, but is not normally seen because the other plants are around its base. Hope this helps.
 
  • #12
YES!!!

that is it!!! So, that is normal? does that mean it is about to flower?

Thank you!

Where are the pictures from? Are these your personal plants? I keep these plants indoors, do you think that is a problem?
 
  • #13
I have them in pots on my deck. I have heard that they flower but I have never seen one. I gave one to my sister-in-law and she said that hers was growing tall also. She also grows hers inside. Mine get no protection in the winter and only ocasinaly water besides rain water. I think it may be a charastic of that paticular species sense none of my other Hen & Chicks grow this way.
 
  • #14
Oh, you made my day! Thank you.
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All this time I thought I was doing something bad. Do you know how much sun your sisters plant gets?
 
  • #15
Sempervium flowers are unbelieveable!  That is a beautiful pot of Sempervium arachnoidum.  When the plant flowers, the rosette appeats to elongate, producing a thick scape with many beautiful red starry flowers at the terminal end that are long lasting.  It really is like a rocket, shooting up it's scape.
From your photo I think there is a good chance this plant is sending up a scape. I have never had this particular species flower, but all others follow the form.
 
  • #16
When I go to longwood there cacti are always flowering. Many of my own cacti also flower for me. It just seems kind of random.
 
  • #17
Most cacti require a cold winter rest at about 40F for reliable flowering.
 
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