Troubleshooting Succulents

Succulents can be amazing or frustrating. Until you have mastered a particular variety, it can be frustrating. I have had a string of pearls that I have cried over and screamed at for getting mealy bugs, and echeverias that I have overwatered when I thought I was underwatering it.  Often, a succulent is misunderstood by the new owner as that of its needs, and I hope in this Blog to help enlighten them about our plant baby’s needs.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    OVERWATERING

Proper watering of succulents is the single most important part of succulent care. The quickest way to kill a succulent is by overwatering. The water storage cells inside an overwatered succulent swell and burst. It makes the leaves look discolored, yellow, and translucent. When this occurs, the damage is irreversible. It’s important to recognize the signs of an overwatered succulent so that you can take immediate action to salvage as much of the remaining plant as possible

When the leaves grow translucent and squishy, that is a clear sign the cell walls have broken, and the leaf is full of water. These leaves cannot be saved. However, other leaves that are still healthy can be removed for leaf propagation.

Make sure the soil is well-draining with the pot having a hole in it. The best practice is that the lower part of the pot does not allow water to sit either.

If the damage was already done, remove the plant from the soil and let sit out in open air for a couple of days to dry out and then re-pot it after removing damaged leaves.

Shriveled, wrinkled leaves will tell you its time to water. If only the very bottom older leaves are shriveled check the soil 1 inch deep to see moisture level. Older bottom leaves may just be dying or need removal, and water is not needed.

Leaves will also fall off due to intense heat. Try moving the plants to a cooler more shaded position.

Yellow leaves can also mean the need for more nutrition, check out options for fertilizer.

STRETCHED

 We’ve all seen succulents grow long stems and keel over. That is an advanced form of etiolation- when the succulent is stretching for more light. When your succulent needs light, it first will tip its leaves down to maximize the surface of each leaf’s exposure to the sun. If this change does not garner sufficient light, it will begin to stretch and lean toward the light. Ideally, you’ll make note of the leaves pointing down to move it (gradually!) into more light. Down-tipped leaves will tip up again. But once the plant begins to stretch, it will not be able to correct the stretched growth pattern.

Etiolation is a serious succulent problem that can lead to the death of your plant. Watch for the early signs that your succulent needs more light. If the plants are indoors for the winter, consider getting a grow light.

 To resolve:

Start by cutting off the top of the succulent using sharp scissors. Leave at least an inch or two on the base with 2-3 leaves. The base will do best if you leave a few leaves to absorb sunlight.

Bare stems can send out new offshoots; it takes much longer than when you keep a few leaves on the stem. If the cutting (the top part you cut off) is too tall for your liking, you can cut off some of the stem to make the cutting shorter.

Be sure to leave enough stem on the cutting to plant in soil later.

Let both the cutting and the base dry out for a few days. Once the end of the cutting has calloused over (dried out completely and looks “scabbed”) you can plant it in soil and begin watering it.

Cuttings typically need to be watered slightly more often than a fully rooted plant, but not much. Make sure you are using a really well-draining soil so the stem doesn’t get too mushy and rot.

SUN DAMAGED                                                                                                                                      As much as succulents need sunshine, it is possible for them to get too much sun. When they do, it is at least scarring and can be deadly. Watch for the early signs that your succulent is in too much sun. In the same way that a succulent moves its leaves to capture more light, a plant may fold its leaves up when the sun exposure is too fierce. Most plants you can see the leaves are more closed than typical. This is the plant’s way of shading each leaf as much as it can.

Treating your Succulent Sunburn

If you get to your succulent during the whitish stage of the burn, there is still time to undo the damage. Get it to a shady spot for 3-7 days and moisten the soil immediately if it’s dry. … If the succulent has brown marks, the damage is severe. Don’t throw the plant away! The damage can grow out.

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