What to Do When Your Succulent Starts Growing Flat Like a Pancake? Here Are the Fixes
Succulent plants are loved for their cute appearance, small size and easy care, and more and more people are now growing succulents. Many friends encounter a certain situation while growing succulents, and that is "spreading flat like a pancake." What does "spreading flat like a pancake" mean? Most succulents have a plump form, and "spreading flat like a pancake" means their leaves are no longer compact and plump, but instead grow spread out flat, and become flatter and flatter, just like a pancake, which affects their ornamental beauty. So what causes this flat spreading, and how should it be solved? Let us take a look together below.
Flat spreading during normal growth
Succulents can show flat spreading during their growth period, especially rosette-shaped or paddle-shaped succulents, because they also need to grow, so their leaves open up. This is especially true for succulents bought online, which curl up to protect themselves during transport and then slowly unfold their leaves as they grow. When this phenomenon appears, observe carefully: as long as the leaves are not spaced too far apart and do not show any tendency to turn downward, there is no problem.
Overwatering
When caring for succulents, we must pay attention to the amount of water given. Overwatering can cause flat spreading. So how do you judge the amount of water to give? Pinch a leaf with your hand: if the leaf is thick and plump, it means its water-storage capacity is strong, and at this time you must not water too much. Some succulents will turn to mush and rot if overwatered, while those with stronger vitality will spread their leaves open to release excess moisture on their own.
Insufficient light
Insufficient light can also cause flat spreading. It may be that with insufficient light, moisture evaporates more slowly, which is why flat spreading occurs, so succulents must be given plenty of sun when being grown.
Sudden changes in light
During the growing process, a sudden increase in light intensity can also cause flat spreading. This mostly happens in late spring and early summer, when the sunlight suddenly becomes intense; if there is not enough water at this time, flat spreading is even more likely to be triggered. At this point we should provide shade and water, but the plant takes a long time to recover and will only improve with careful care, so do not rush and be patient.
The above is the complete content on what to do when your succulent starts growing flat like a pancake, as introduced by the editor. I hope it is helpful to you. The editor also reminds everyone that although succulents are cute, they are also very fragile, so we must be careful and patient when growing them.