21falloutroses
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Propeller Succulent leaves rotting

It started with just the tip of one leaf becoming brown and mushy out of nowhere, so I thought I would be doing good to try and trim away the rotted part (I don't think I did the right thing to be honest). There was also another part on another leaf that got punctured and it started rotting too.
How do I stop the rot? I've trimmed away the rotting parts but it just keeps going further up the leaves.
(I have pictures if needed, they're just being annoying to upload right now)

imafan26
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Too much water. If you cut leaves off with tools, make sure they are clean and don't cut any other leaf or you will transfer the bacteria to the other parts of the plant. Take the plant out of the pot. Use clean tools and cut off any dead parts. You will need to cut into healthy tissue so clean after each cut. Orchidists use a torch to heat the blade. If you have any healthy parts left, let it dry out and callous off before you try to replant it again. Make sure your media is well drained and you water only when needed. I.e. wait till you think it is dry and wait another day.

21falloutroses
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imafan26 wrote:Too much water. If you cut leaves off with tools, make sure they are clean and don't cut any other leaf or you will transfer the bacteria to the other parts of the plant. Take the plant out of the pot. Use clean tools and cut off any dead parts. You will need to cut into healthy tissue so clean after each cut. Orchidists use a torch to heat the blade. If you have any healthy parts left, let it dry out and callous off before you try to replant it again. Make sure your media is well drained and you water only when needed. I.e. wait till you think it is dry and wait another day.

So until it scans over I shouldn't repot it? Wouldn't that shock it or something? And would alcohol work for sterilizing? Thanks!

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TomatoNut95
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I love succulents, but that rot problem always happens with me on soft-leafed types. They rot. So I give up. However, I do have a Haworthia pumila in the house. It's been alive for a couple of years now and it has an offshoot.

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AlishaHart
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Hey there! I'm sorry to hear that your Propeller Succulent is having some issues with rotting leaves. Unfortunately, once a leaf starts to rot, it's often difficult to stop the rot from spreading.

imafan26
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This is true. You have to have enough good tissue to cut off all the old tissue and then callous it off. I can take a few days to a week. I live in a warm,humid climate and a wet location, so I keep my cacti in my entry where it cannot get rained on. They are hand watered once a week. The succulents that can handle daily water are outside and usually planted in concrete or terra cotta pots with little media, mostly medium cinder or rocks.

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AlishaHart
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AlishaHart wrote:
Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:05 am
Hey there! I'm sorry to hear that your Propeller Succulent is having some issues with rotting leaves. Unfortunately, once a leaf starts to rot, it's often difficult to stop the rot from spreading.
Trimming away the rotting parts is a good start, but it's important to address the underlying cause of the problem. One common cause of rotting leaves is over-watering. Ensure you're not watering too frequently and that the soil is well-draining. Also, check that the plant is getting enough sunlight and that the area isn't too humid. Succulent leaves turning black can also be caused by a lack of sunlight.

imafan26
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Yes, Alisha is correct. You do need to address watering. Make sure the container has drain holes. Many decorative dishes don't have drain holes. I use porous, not glazed pots like terra cotta because they breathe and the pot should only be large enough to accommodate the roots and not have a lot of extra space. I only leave 1/4 inch around my plants because they grow so slowly. I only have a few pots that contain a cactus mix and a plastic pot, but they grow faster.

I don't use cactus soil either because while it is well drained, cinder and gravel drain better and plants do fine with a pinch of osmocote. I have the plants on a rack with an open bottom and no saucers. If you are using a media that has any organic in it, like peat moss or coir, it will retain water so you need to make sure that the pot dries out quickly and that you don't water until the media is dry. You can tell by feeling the media or lifting the pot to see how heavy it is wet and also when it is dry.

Some cacti like lithops have a dormant period when they shed their leaves where they can't be watered at all for about 3 months. So, you also have to know the kind of cactus you have and know how much water they can tolerate. Most cacti will have a dormant period where they need much less water especially in the winter months. The thicker the stems and leaves the more water they can store. If you live in a humid climate like I do, their leaves will absorb moisture from the air so it takes a while before they need water even if the soil looks dry. Sometimes you have to select a plant that is suitable for how you grow it, rather than because of how you like its' appearance. You can grow more challenging plants, but you need to research the plants' needs for light and water and dormancy requirements. The rule of thumb I was taught was to wait until I think it is dry and then wait another day. Watering also changes with the seasons, in wet rainy weather the humidity is even higher and the pots dry out slower so I can wait more days before watering. I also let the weeds grow in my succulent pots I keep outside in the rainy months because the weeds will take up the extra water.



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