How to grow Chiyoda-no-matsu so it fills the pot? Succulent growing methods and precautions

Growing succulents is all about seeing them thrive and then multiply into a full house, so for most succulents, filling the pot is our ultimate hope and goal. Chiyoda-no-matsu is a very distinctive succulent. How do we need to grow it so that it fills the pot?

How to grow Chiyoda-no-matsu so it fills the pot

1. Pull off the bottom leaves

You can pull off all the lowest leaves of the Chiyoda-no-matsu, then place it in a well-ventilated spot for care. This prevents wound infection, and the places where the leaves were removed will easily sprout side shoots. The removed leaves can also be used for leaf-cutting propagation.

2. Beheading

Beheading is also one of the commonly used methods, but it must be done during its growing season, so that by stimulating its growth point you can make it sprout side shoots. However, this method has one downside: before side shoots grow, the overall shape is somewhat less attractive to look at, though it does not affect its health. So many friends find it hard to bring themselves to behead them. If the plant is etiolated, this method is most suitable.

3. Pinching

Pinching is the best way to make side shoots grow, and it can also make the succulent shorter. It means removing the plant's growth point, disrupting its normal growth, which can promote the growth of side shoots. This method is also very simple and practical. But it must also be done during the growing season.

Growing methods and precautions for the succulent Chiyoda-no-matsu

1. Light

Chiyoda-no-matsu is native to Mexico and likes a warm environment with plenty of sunlight. It can be grown with full sun. When light conditions are good, the leaves will even change colour, from emerald green to pale red with a hint of pink, incredibly bright and beautiful.

2. Water and fertiliser management

Watering: water once a month in spring and autumn; in winter, water sparingly and keep the potting soil dry. In summer, avoid water accumulating in the pot to prevent root rot.

Fertilising: fertilise once a month during the growing season, using diluted cake fertiliser water or a special fertiliser for potted flowers. Light fertiliser is best. In winter, place it in a sunny spot to overwinter.

3. Temperature

The suitable growing temperature for Chiyoda-no-matsu is 18-25°C. It is not cold-hardy, and the winter temperature should not be lower than 5°C.

4. Propagation methods

Chiyoda-no-matsu can be propagated by sowing and cuttings. Sowing is done in spring, and cuttings can be done in both spring and summer.

5. Precautions

Chiyoda-no-matsu does not like muggy, humid environments. Summers across the country are generally hot, and the rainy season is mostly in summer too, which often creates conditions unfavourable for the growth of Chiyoda-no-matsu. In summer, pay attention to ventilation, provide appropriate shading, and prevent exposure to blazing sun and rain.

What to do if Chiyoda-no-matsu becomes etiolated

1. Causes

1. Too much water: Chiyoda-no-matsu can be watered generously in spring and autumn, but watering must be restrained in winter and summer. With too much water, the plant becomes saturated, the leaves stretch out, the plant grows taller, and that is etiolation!

2. Insufficient light: Chiyoda-no-matsu is a succulent grown in full sun. With insufficient light, the leaves are loosely arranged and slender. An etiolated Chiyoda-no-matsu still has leaves so green that you want to peel off a layer of its outer coat to reveal a little pink.

2. Solutions

1. Light and water treatment: increase light and restrain watering. For those with too much water, water control measures can be taken and the drainage performance of the pot improved.

2. Cuttings: an etiolated Chiyoda-no-matsu has a loose plant shape and slender leaves, losing its own charm. Beheading, taking stem cuttings, or pulling off leaves for cuttings are all good ways to reshape the plant's form.

What to do if Chiyoda-no-matsu becomes crested

Gardeners who like cresting could not ask for more, and of course should continue to care well for the crested Chiyoda-no-matsu.

Gardeners who do not like cresting can give up water control, grow it slowly, or even use beheading to re-propagate the plant, restoring your Chiyoda-no-matsu to its original form. Simple is good.

Division and leaf cuttings can also make the cresting disappear, and gardeners can choose for themselves.

One phenomenon that easily arises after a succulent fills its pot is the cresting problem. Regarding cresting, some people are very happy to see it, while others do not like it and think cresting affects the succulent's appearance. So for these two completely different views, we can take corresponding measures.