I love succulent plants but I'm new and experimenting with trying to keep them alive. I have a couple plants I've had for a yr maybe and they are looking a bit leggy and scraggly and I don't know why or what to do to fix this.
This is an echeveria black prince. I didn't think these were supposed to grow so tall.
[url=https://img28.imageshack.us/I/fromcamera005.jpg/][img]https://img28.imageshack.us/img28/174/fromcamera005.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img59.imageshack.us/I/fromcamera006.jpg/][img]https://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3266/fromcamera006.jpg[/img][/url]
And I cant remember what these next two plants are.
Is this one supposed to grow more compact?
[url=https://img339.imageshack.us/I/fromcamera003.jpg/][img]https://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1169/fromcamera003.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img687.imageshack.us/I/fromcamera004.jpg/][img]https://img687.imageshack.us/img687/989/fromcamera004.jpg[/img][/url]
This one keeps getting taller, but lower leaves fall off.
[url=https://img153.imageshack.us/I/fromcamera002.jpg/][img]https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9361/fromcamera002.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img291.imageshack.us/I/fromcamera001.jpg/][img]https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4151/fromcamera001.jpg[/img][/url]
Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
MFedukovich
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mfedukovich
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- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: Southern WV
Perhaps insufficient light? Echeverias need full sun, and really don't do very well as houseplants. They are fairly hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as 20º F and even light frosts. OTOH, they don't care for much heat and will suffer as temperatures approach the triple digits. They dislike humidity, and require extremely fast draining soil. In their native environments, they live on cliffs and steep slopes.
I don't have any echeverias. I'm not set up to provide sufficient light for them in my house, and it's too wet for them to be happy outdoors here.
I don't have any echeverias. I'm not set up to provide sufficient light for them in my house, and it's too wet for them to be happy outdoors here.
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mfedukovich
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- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: Southern WV
Thanks Kisal.
I have all of these plants along with a few others in my south east facing kitchen window right above my sink. That's probably not the best place for them since it is humid there. It's just the only window I can set them in, and I thought it'd be good sunlight for them. I'll move them outside somewhere since its getting warmer now.
So another question then. If I move them to a less humid place, should I move as is or cut the long stems off and let them root first? I know with certain plants you can cut a part off, let it dry and they will grow roots again.
I have all of these plants along with a few others in my south east facing kitchen window right above my sink. That's probably not the best place for them since it is humid there. It's just the only window I can set them in, and I thought it'd be good sunlight for them. I'll move them outside somewhere since its getting warmer now.
So another question then. If I move them to a less humid place, should I move as is or cut the long stems off and let them root first? I know with certain plants you can cut a part off, let it dry and they will grow roots again.
It's perfectly understandable to think that a window such as yours would be the perfect place for escheverias. It would be the perfect place for cacti. 
When sunlight passes through glass, a part of it is converted to heat energy. That little physical process, unfortunately, creates an environment without sufficient light, and with too much heat for escheveria. To move the plants away from the glass, which for most would be the answer, may correct the temperature issue, but will reduce the light even more. That's why it's difficult to grow escheverias indoors.
It might be possible to use artificial lighting -- fluorescent, perhaps -- but I have no experience growing plants under artificial light. I know fluorescent light is cooler than incandescent, but that's about the extent of my knowledge on the subject.
I believe you can cut the stems and root them. Save the old root ball, too, and see if it sprouts a new top for you. Succulents often will do that. In addition, each escheveria leaf will start a whole new plant if it's detached and planted.
Always allow the cut or broken ends to callus (dry) for about 24 hours before you plant them. (I like to place them on the top of my refrigerator for this purpose, because they are unlikely to be disturbed there.) When you're ready to plant them, dip the ends in a rooting hormone, then plant them in moistened growing medium. (I usually use sand for this, but you could probably use a good cactus mix, just as well.)
When you're ready to move your plants outdoors, don't put them into direct sunlight right away. Allow them to acclimate slowly over a period of a couple of weeks, moving them to a sunnier spot every few days.
When sunlight passes through glass, a part of it is converted to heat energy. That little physical process, unfortunately, creates an environment without sufficient light, and with too much heat for escheveria. To move the plants away from the glass, which for most would be the answer, may correct the temperature issue, but will reduce the light even more. That's why it's difficult to grow escheverias indoors.
It might be possible to use artificial lighting -- fluorescent, perhaps -- but I have no experience growing plants under artificial light. I know fluorescent light is cooler than incandescent, but that's about the extent of my knowledge on the subject.
I believe you can cut the stems and root them. Save the old root ball, too, and see if it sprouts a new top for you. Succulents often will do that. In addition, each escheveria leaf will start a whole new plant if it's detached and planted.
Always allow the cut or broken ends to callus (dry) for about 24 hours before you plant them. (I like to place them on the top of my refrigerator for this purpose, because they are unlikely to be disturbed there.) When you're ready to plant them, dip the ends in a rooting hormone, then plant them in moistened growing medium. (I usually use sand for this, but you could probably use a good cactus mix, just as well.)
When you're ready to move your plants outdoors, don't put them into direct sunlight right away. Allow them to acclimate slowly over a period of a couple of weeks, moving them to a sunnier spot every few days.
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mfedukovich
- Full Member
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: Southern WV
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