Timely Removal of Dead Leaves from Succulents Is the Only Way for Them to Thrive
Succulent plants producing dead leaves is an unavoidable process for most plants. Actually, it is nothing for succulents to grow dead leaves, but if the dead leaves are not dealt with in time, you may run into big trouble, because in a humid environment, dead leaves are especially prone to trapping moisture, creating a stuffy, damp, unventilated environment.
Because succulent leaves are thick and juicy, they stay on the plant for a relatively long time. Therefore, some friends who are new to succulents, when they encounter the lower leaves drying up and shriveling, may even wonder what is wrong with my succulent. Actually, it is just the succulent's natural metabolism.
The withering of leaves means they are dying. There are two situations for dead old leaves. One is like those of the genera Pachyphytum and Sedum: because the leaves are thick and fleshy, once they have completely shriveled, they will fall off on their own. In summer, when the growing environment changes abruptly, even perfectly good leaves will drop right before your eyes.
Layer upon layer of dead leaves is a hotbed for the breeding of scale insects. In the south, in summer, because of rain or watering, the accumulated dead leaves easily create a stuffy, hot and humid micro-environment. Add to that the wounds made by scale insects' piercing and sucking, and the stems very easily develop black rot.
When pulling off dead leaves, be careful to steady the succulent first, then clean up, so as not to disturb the roots. For some leaves that are hard to pull off by hand, you can use tweezers. When pulling off leaves, you can get close to the base of the leaf and tug left and right to pull it off. After cleaning up the dead leaves, if you find the succulent cannot stand steadily, you can prop it up with a small object first.