New to succulents, What do I do?

[FreeNatureArts]

Greatings everyone, I'm pretty new here, but before I start with some questions I would like to Thank your Administrator, without that quick reaction to my message, I'm not sure what would have happened to the Warty looking aloe. Thank you so much.

And heres the post

My most ergent question is that one of these unknown aloes are turning yellow, in short, I just bought them, the dirt is very very dry, their on a aquarium under the aquarium light in the west facing side of my room, he's meshed with 12 other succulents too. What should I do to help him from yellowing all over? This question is asked more in depth along with a few others below, I'm still new to home gardening, so thank you for any help you may have. Heres a picture of the aloe in question, and the yellowing spot.

First one is of the plant in general
[url=https://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unknownsucculental9.jpg][img]https://img501.imageshack.us/img501/3773/unknownsucculental9.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Second is of the problem leaf/petal?
It was dark green yesterday
[url=https://img339.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unknownsucculent2hd0.jpg][img]https://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6711/unknownsucculent2hd0.th.jpg[/img][/url]



I just turned 20 and I'm a animal and habitat conservationist, I sell my animal and plant drawings and donate the money to verious habitat conservation foundations.
I've rescued animals as well as plants in my few years, but my very favorite is the house plants, and last year I whent to a Town and country just to have a whole bed of sapling Dragontrees look back at me! I bought the smallest so me and him can learn to live with eachother respectivly, I always choose to get my plants and animals as early as possable, resorting most of the time to the unweened babies of my sisters rattery so I may know the rats right from birth. And with me and the Dragon tree it's helped emensly, this past winter more leafs died then grew, so due to this I racked my brain for days to find what he's liked in the past, sure enough a wet paper towel around his pot and sitting him on a cookie sheet over my space heater had him feeling wonderful and growing new leafs two days later. Since then he's still a lover of moister and for 8 months he's been sitting on my 20 gal Aquarium with moss covered soil for that little extra moister he loves so much.

This year for my birthday ( 4 days ago) My present was three plantstands with 15 clay pots, and I was given ten dollars to buy anything I wanted to put in them. At Manards they have a stand of the smallest little cactuses I've ever seen, some where smaller then a blade of grass, but I picked a pot that had 12 plantlings. Only one is formiluar to me, and it's what my friend calls the Zebra Aloe. But there is five or six aloes, what looks to be three jades and three donkey tails, they happen to have fur with each leaf... I wish to ask if anybody could identefy who I just bought, and maybe how I can repot them in my brand new stands and pots. I have also obtained a grow light for my birthday and it's going to hag over a shelf that holds all 15 pots, I have a hairy cactus and some true donkey tails as well. All are new, and the dirt is rock dry, can't even move the dirt without the whole bed of plants moving, should I water? The small white warty looking aloes are starting to get yellow, is this due to no water? or something about the light? Their sharing the aquarium light of my 2 gallon with a Mimosa I planted and raised from seed three months ago. My mom wishes to install the grow light a little later, but should I rush installation so they have more light? My room has three windows that are in the W- SW possition of my room. Very bright but for only four hours due to the windows overlooking two apple trees, a huge boxelder tree, a maple and a Catalpa.

If you know any hints and tips to keeping them happy so I may have a better knowlege of them then I did of my dragon tree. I'd love to hear it. Though it was fun learning about my little Yuff( the tree) from scratch with no ones help, it was a huge danger for him, and I don't wish to put 12 plants in danger of a horid fate. If it was one I'd jump right into it, but 12?.. I was reluctant to even take them from the light for these pictures lol.

I am however relieved to hear they are forgiving, I wont re-pot or water them till I know what to do, or I have all the info I can gather. Thank you for reading, and I hope you have some insight on these beautiful succulents. Specialy the aloes! My mom has a huge one and I want them to be as happy and big! erm... ( not to big) I only have one room.
At this time I'd also like to ask how I can have the aloes and succulents grow slowly, I'm a slow learner and having them grow slower will help me keep them in my room longer as well. The dragon tree is the only thing I can alow to get 7 + feet tall, I don't know if aloes grow that big though lol.

I know alot of people hate reading my posts in many forums, but I just want to be sure you can see where these plants are and how they are living, if you don't wish to read it, heres those questions and ones I would have asked later as the season drew on.

1. The warty looking aloe is turning yellow, what should I change from their conditions?
2. How should I split them for repoting?
3. Other then mushroom stuff, what can they grow in?
4. Pots are clay but don't have holes, any sub soil to suck water away from plants?
5. The grow light is 18 watts, that good?
6. Is that hair okay on the dokey looking one?
7. Is my Fish water still good fertilizer for them like my dragon tree?
8. Any idea on their final size?
9. My room can be 15 F in winter 119 F summer, should I heat/cool it for these?
10.What are these guys/gals?
11.Are they pet freindly or poisonis?

I'm sorry it's alot of questions, but nothing I found answered these, they just answered how important bright light was, how little they need water, what material of pot to put them in, and how to raise humidity. And thanks to my moms aloe I already know this, but her aloe wasint as cramped as these 12 plants, and so small. I never saw succulents this small. Thank you for reading, and answering if you can, I just want to make things right for them, and even if they are forgiving, I don't want them to forgive me for anything lol.

[Gnome]

FNA,

Hello and welcome to the forum. I applaud your enthusiasm but I feel that you are making this more stressful than it needs to be. Firstly, I keep all of my plants outside during the summer. I have the same "warty looking Aloe" that you own and I find it to be one of the easiest, most trouble free plants that I own.

You wrote:

they just answered how important bright light was,

But earlier:

under the aquarium light

Without seeing the setup I would venture to guess that the light level is too low.

My mom wishes to install the grow light a little later, but should I rush installation so they have more light?

The sooner the better.

The small white warty looking aloes are starting to get yellow, is this due to no water?

No, this plant does fine on low levels of moisture. I have never worried about humidity with succulents either.

At this time I'd also like to ask how I can have the aloes and succulents grow slowly,

Once you re-pot them the Aloe can be left for years, so in effect you control how fast they grow by confining them. Also, don't fertilize heavily.

1. The warty looking aloe is turning yellow, what should I change from their conditions?

More light, I think.

2. How should I split them for repoting?

Just dig in and gently separate them. If I understand correctly you have group planting. I think I would separate the species but the Aloes can stay as a clump if you wish.

[url=https://img462.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aloepk9.jpg][img]https://img462.imageshack.us/img462/8669/aloepk9.th.jpg[/img][/url]

3. Other then mushroom stuff, what can they grow in?

I have given up on conventional potting soil in favor of the free draining bonsai soil I use for my trees. Visit the bonsai forum for more information if you wish.

4. Pots are clay but don't have holes, any sub soil to suck water away from plants?

I would never consider using a pot without adequate drainage.

5. The grow light is 18 watts, that good?

Light levels are measured in Lumens, Watts is a measure of energy consumption. Is this a fluorescent or incandescent light?

6. Is that hair okay on the dokey looking one?

7. Is my Fish water still good fertilizer for them like my dragon tree?

I have never used this but have heard of others that do. I doubt that you have anything to worry about. If anything it is probably on the weak side.

8. Any idea on their final size?

I've had one of those Aloes for about 10 years and although there are now many more of them they are in a pot about 10 inches in diameter.

9. My room can be 15 F in winter 119 F summer, should I heat/cool it for these?

Never mind the plants, how are you surviving a sub-freezing room during the winter.

10.What are these guys/gals?

You mention Aloes and Jades so you are familiar with these. Beyond that I can't help without a picture, and maybe not even then.

11.Are they pet freindly or poisonis?

The two species mentioned are not hazardous as far as I know.

And as an aside:

I know alot of people hate reading my posts in many forums,

If you kept your posts a little more succinct and focused you might get a better response.

Norm

[FreeNatureArts]

FNA,

Hello and welcome to the forum. I applaud your enthusiasm but I feel that you are making this more stressful than it needs to be. Firstly, I keep all of my plants outside during the summer. I have the same "warty looking Aloe" that you own and I find it to be one of the easiest, most trouble free plants that I own.

I understand, I'm glad to know you believe it is overstressing, meens I can relax abit . My mom tried making a container vegitable garden and it was a horible failure last year, nothing survived for more then two or three vegies. So I'm very nervious about container gardening in the house.

Without seeing the setup I would venture to guess that the light level is too low.

The plants are showing segnifigant signs of light problems, to little is exactly what it is now that I see the jade acting up, thank you for your advice, for I'm in the middle of installing it now, just got the light on a wall over the shelf and we'll be buying a exstension cord soon.

The sooner the better.

In progress now

No, this plant does fine on low levels of moisture. I have never worried about humidity with succulents either.

Thanks, then they should be fine, our humidity is always around 67/78. Not really sticky but just enough for my more tropical plants. Mainly because their the ones making the wet air lol.

Once you re-pot them the Aloe can be left for years, so in effect you control how fast they grow by confining them. Also, don't fertilize heavily.

Left for years? That sounds alot like angel fish, put them in a ten gallon and they'll only get so big.
The only fertilizer I've personaly handled is slow release pellets and my fish's waist water, if I use anything els I'm horible with burning roots.

Just dig in and gently separate them. If I understand correctly you have group planting. I think I would separate the species but the Aloes can stay as a clump if you wish.

Heres a Picture of them, they are a group planting from Manards, very beautiful but with my new pot sets I wish to give them just a we-bit more room. The numbers are the amounts of each type.

[img]https://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1385/Succulentnumbers.jpg[/img]
Stay in a clump? Oh gosh that would be beautiful, the roots look abit bound up, is it okay to loosen abit before seperating, or should I just cut near the plant I wish to remove? ( The jade looking one and that hairy one)

Note: That aloe you have is so beautiful, very full and every leaf is tight, nice and healthy. With how they look I'm honored to have your advice.

I have given up on conventional potting soil in favor of the free draining bonsai soil I use for my trees. Visit the bonsai forum for more information if you wish.

I've thought about having some bonsais, even looked at that soil before. That forum area will help in more then one way , thank you.

I would never consider using a pot without adequate drainage.

Hmm.. In that case do you know of a way I may bore some holes into the clay pots without breaking it? We don't have a router, but we do have some other drilling and parting tools from my sisters work on plastic bins.

Light levels are measured in Lumens, Watts is a measure of energy consumption. Is this a fluorescent or incandescent light?

It's a Fluorescent light, long slender one like a 20 gallon aquarium light. The lumins are 200-400 depending on a Energy Balb or the one it came with, if I get the energy saving one it's 400 lumins, but the light is smaller.

On number 6. My sis wants to go online, but I'll be posting his picture alone tomorrow, the one above shows him to the back/right.

have never used this but have heard of others that do. I doubt that you have anything to worry about. If anything it is probably on the weak side.

Thats good, then it should work alright after the plants heal from the transplant. I use it all the time for outdoor plants as well, seems to work in making green blooms orange.

I've had one of those Aloes for about 10 years and although there are now many more of them they are in a pot about 10 inches in diameter.

Ten years!? , the new pots are 9" so these little guys may look simular in ten years. That would be perfict.

Never mind the plants, how are you surviving a sub-freezing room during the winter.

Alotta blankets, a warm space heater for the rats and my cat, a heater in my fish tank and one lump of pasiants for spring

You mention Aloes and Jades so you are familiar with these. Beyond that I can't help without a picture, and maybe not even then.

The jade looking one is alot like my aunt tinas, but hers grew into a tree, and these guys are alot smaller, so I'm not fully positive, it's the plant at the front of that picture above. I'll be posting closer pictures tomorrow when I'm on after lunch.

The two species mentioned are not hazardous as far as I know.

My cat rarly eats plants but she does get curious, so it's always a concern with new house plants. Thanks for letting me know what you do about the situation.

If you kept your posts a little more succinct and focused you might get a better response.

I'm truly going to work on that, thanks for the advise on plants and my own posts. It'll be a big help.

- Lucia

[Gnome]

Lucia,

our humidity is always around 67/78. Not really sticky but just enough for my more tropical plants.

I was referring more to low humidity inside during the winter. My Aloes stay outside during the summer so I don't suppose higher humidity will be much of a problem either.

Left for years? That sounds alot like angel fish, put them in a ten gallon and they'll only get so big.

They do get larger of course, mine did not start out that way but they seem happy enough to be pot-bound.

Stay in a clump? Oh gosh that would be beautiful, the roots look abit bound up, is it okay to loosen abit before seperating, or should I just cut near the plant I wish to remove?

If you are going to do them all at once then just remove the planting from the pot and gently tease them apart, it will be easy. If you are going to do one at a time you can cut if necessary. An old spoon can be used as a small shovel to help.

That aloe you have is so beautiful, very full and every leaf is tight, nice and healthy. With how they look I'm honored to have your advice.

Thank you for the comment and your confidence in me, I hope it is not misplaced.

Hmm.. In that case do you know of a way I may bore some holes into the clay pots without breaking it?... the new pots are 9"

I have not had much luck drilling glazed pots. I have another concern though. I feel that 9" is too large even if you could get some holes without breaking them.

When you over-pot to such a degree you set up a situation where there is a large volume of soil that will be slow to dry. This is always a problem with potted plants. A better approach would be to locate some smaller pots with drainage holes and use these for now. It is always better to work your way up in stages.

My Aloe was not in that pot from the beginning. When I purchased it, it was a single plant in about a 3" pot. After a time the plant produced secondary plants around the outside. I then re-potted keeping the new plants around the outside of the larger one in the center but moving them out a bit. This was repeated several times over the years. You can also pot the new ones up separately.

Alotta blankets, a warm space heater for the rats and my cat, a heater in my fish tank

Crassulas (Jades) will not tolerate such low temperatures, it they freeze they will turn to mush when they thaw. The larger Aloe in the back (Aloe vera, I believe) will probably behave similarly. In fact I would not allow any of these to get that cold.

The jade looking one is alot like my aunt tinas, but hers grew into a tree, and these guys are alot smaller, so I'm not fully positive, it's the plant at the front of that picture above.

Now that I see it I don't believe that it is a Jade. It looks to be a Crassula of some sort though so it is related. Look [url=https://danielscactus.hypermart.net/crassula.html]here[/url] to see some of the many forms of Crassulas.

thanks for the advise on plants and my own posts.

You are welcome and if I missed any questions please ask again.

Norm

[FreeNatureArts]

It's been abit cloudy after our tornadoe two days ago, so I let them see natural light and their already looking better! Thanks alot Norm , and you did answer all my questions.

I have not had much luck drilling glazed pots. I have another concern though. I feel that 9" is too large even if you could get some holes without breaking them.

When you over-pot to such a degree you set up a situation where there is a large volume of soil that will be slow to dry. This is always a problem with potted plants. A better approach would be to locate some smaller pots with drainage holes and use these for now. It is always better to work your way up in stages.

My Aloe was not in that pot from the beginning. When I purchased it, it was a single plant in about a 3" pot. After a time the plant produced secondary plants around the outside. I then re-potted keeping the new plants around the outside of the larger one in the center but moving them out a bit. This was repeated several times over the years. You can also pot the new ones up separately.

I love making small pots for saplings to grow in, so I'll just put them in the small pots untill their happy enough with the new soil and growing for awhile ( few years if they grow good). I found someone who could ech holes in the bottom of these pots, so that helps in using the 9" when they " graduate" from their sapling stage and make a few babies.

They do get larger of course, mine did not start out that way but they seem happy enough to be pot-bound.

Pot bound plants don't seem to mind it as long as they have enough air in the soil and water at their roots.

If you are going to do them all at once then just remove the planting from the pot and gently tease them apart, it will be easy. If you are going to do one at a time you can cut if necessary. An old spoon can be used as a small shovel to help.

After they spend a few more days recovering in the sun I'll be doing a full transplant, that way they can be farther apart so they don't scratch eachother like the blue aloe is doing to the big one in the middle( Aloe -vera). Thanks for the tip on getting smaller pots for this step.

Thank you for the comment and your confidence in me, I hope it is not misplaced.

My mom says I have a nack for outdoor plants cause I can grow things that other people consider impossable in our zone, so some knowledge is already down when it comes to plants, and your advice has guided me into my first succulents. If anything happends I'll be sure to post it here, otherwise from how your aloe looks, I have a feeling things will be perfictly fine now . I doupt it's misplaced, but if it is their forgiving, and in their meens so am I .

Crassulas (Jades) will not tolerate such low temperatures, it they freeze they will turn to mush when they thaw. The larger Aloe in the back (Aloe vera, I believe) will probably behave similarly. In fact I would not allow any of these to get that cold.

In that case I'm going to get someone in and clean the vents of my room heater, it's connected to the whole house and when clean I'm 70F through the winter. Can be even hotter but my rats hate it.

Now that I see it I don't believe that it is a Jade. It looks to be a Crassula of some sort though so it is related. Look here to see some of the many forms of Crassulas.

Wow, the world of houseplants seemed so basic but now that you showed me that link.. Theres more succulents then I ever imagened ... I whent to my aunts last night and she called it Crassulas too,you have a fine eye for plants. She's had her Crassulas for as long as I can remember, at least 13 years.

Thanks again, with all the info you've given and shown me with your aloe and the Crassulas site, I don't feel so nervious about them and I'm very excited to have these species.

-Lucia