toad06
Newly Registered
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Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:59 pm

My succulents are going the way of the dodo

If anyone can help I would be very appreciative!

I bought four succulents about a month ago and planted them all together in a pot. Although I watered them a lot when I first transplanted them, they're in a pot with good drainage and cactus soil, and I let all the water run through before putting them in my room across from a window which I open daily. I haven't watered them since. This morning I noticed that about 50% of the leaves on the little reddish one are all dried out and when I looked at the whole arrangement more closely I discovered that three of my Aloe stems had turned dark green, flat, and mushy. The light green bulbous plant is starting to turn a pale green color, too, which does not seem to bode well. I can't imagine what the problem is since the soil is not wet, but not totally dried out either. It definitely does not need water. I used the same initial dousing treatment on another arrangement I made and it is doing just fine. :?

Help!
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The bulbous succulent is becoming pale
The bulbous succulent is becoming pale
This shows the reddish succulent, which is crispy and dried out
This shows the reddish succulent, which is crispy and dried out

baileysup
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Posts: 435
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:04 am
Location: NE-PA(Zone 6a-5b)

I just saw the pics and if anything is "mushy", it's usually rot from too much water. Have you noticed any pests? The dried out one looks like maybe a bit of transplant shock, and too much sun too soon. Did you give it full sun right after you planted them, cause they need time to get used to their new pot before giving them full sun. Also, sometimes the premix cactus soil is not as fast draining as it should be, and can hold water quite well. That's why I make my own soil now, and will never go back to premix.

toad06
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:59 pm

No, I haven't seen any bugs, but yes, I exposed it to the fullest sunlight it can get in my room. This is the first time that I've heard they need a grace period first! I checked the soil and you are right, it was completely damp deeper down, the cactus soil had barely drained at all. No wonder. So I mixed in some dryer soil and am hoping it will come back, but now another stem of my aloe is going soft and I'm afraid I may loose it. Thanks for your help though, I'm glad to know some extra tricks!

baileysup
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Posts: 435
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:04 am
Location: NE-PA(Zone 6a-5b)

This may sound drastic, but I have aloe experience. If your aloe is going mushy, I would remove it from the pot. A LOT of times, with aloe the rot has gone to the stem. Scrape off the mushy bits, and let it heal for a few days before planting again. I've already posted my own battle with aloes (with good results) on here, but I need to find the name of the thread. brb

baileysup
Green Thumb
Posts: 435
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:04 am
Location: NE-PA(Zone 6a-5b)

Look up "What's next with aloe plant". It's down the page a bit, and I'm the author. This is my own personal experience with an over watered aloe ( with pics). It shows what state the aloe was in, and the state it was in after I got rid of the rotten parts. After you do this, you want to let it heal for AT LEAST 3 DAYS (if it was stem rot), and then plant it in DRY SOIL. DON'T WATER RIGHT AWAY. LET IT SIT IN DRY SOIL FOR A WEEK). Then, if you can't help yourself, give it A LITTLE water. JUST A SPRINKLE. DO NOT SOAK OR SATURATE THE SOIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want it to sound complicated , but get rid of the rot, and let it heal. Then plant in DRY SOIL. Pretty easy. I brought my aloe back from..........well you'll see in the thread "what's next with aloe plant". GOOD LUCK :)

toad06
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:59 pm

Thank you all so much for the GREAT info! I will attempt to doctor the poor thing.

Cheers!

Sweyn
Senior Member
Posts: 211
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:15 am
Location: UK

Judging by your photographs, it looks you have them planted in a smooth pot. Those are not good for succulents (including cacti).

I have aloes and cacti and keep all of them in unglazed, clay pots. After many years of growing them in different types of containers, I have learnt that smooth pots (and other containers) are not good because they hold water in the soil for longer. This is the case even if the pot contains ready made, cactus soil and drainage holes in its bottom. Eventually, all of my plants in smooth containers rotted and died. Those that were in unglazed, clay pots, did not usually.

Unglazed pots are better because they allow the soil to drain quickly. One big requirement for succulents is that water applied to them can drain quickly. This means that they need to be in soil AND pots that allow it.

Sweyn
Senior Member
Posts: 211
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:15 am
Location: UK

Another problem for you could be that there are too many plants in the same pot. They look overcrowded and might be better off if each plant had its own pot.

baileysup
Green Thumb
Posts: 435
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:04 am
Location: NE-PA(Zone 6a-5b)

Oh, and I forgot to add that you never want to water right after transplanting. You should wait about a week so the roots can heal up. If you water immediately after transplanting, there is a high percentage your plant will start to rot.



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