When succulents grow more and more crooked, this is how to give them sunlight
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Plants have phototropism, and succulents are no exception. The reason our succulents grow crooked is mostly because they have been placed in the same position for a long time without changing direction. The plant grows toward the direction with stronger light, that is, toward the sun, and over time it becomes crooked, which greatly affects its appearance. So how do we get our crooked succulents to grow straight again through sunlight?
The best method is to rotate the direction of the pot so that the succulent receives light evenly. If a grower's succulent only gets 3 hours of light per day, it easily grows crooked, so you can only change the direction every other day. So what direction is the correct one? Generally speaking, whichever way it is growing, just give it sunlight from the opposite side.
Some succulents grow relatively fast and easily form old stems. As the succulent grows taller, the upper part becomes heavier and heavier, so the stem naturally gets bent over. This is not something that can be changed just by adjusting the light, but once the stem bends, the shape actually looks even better. There is another situation: the succulent is crooked quite severely. In this case, simply adjusting the sunlight cannot solve the problem. Even if you change the direction, the plant's shape will not be perfectly corrected. It is best to behead it and replant a new pot, which can have unexpected results and may grow several side shoots.
As for the problem of succulents becoming leggy, it is similar to growing crooked. Legginess means the whole plant grows taller, and the leaves are not compact or attractive. There are many reasons that cause succulents to become leggy, mainly too much watering combined with a lack of light. Overwatering makes the plant grow too fast. Some people ask why the succulents in greenhouses grow so fast, but greenhouses also provide very sufficient light, so you must provide moderate light and water less.
How to deal with leggy succulents? Behead the succulent and cut off the leggy top part, just like the principle that pinching off the terminal bud of crops allows side buds to grow. Place it in a spot with even light. If the plant is placed in a corner, it will stretch its neck to strive for sunlight, and slowly you will find it grows longer and longer and becomes leggy.
Once a plant has already become leggy, there is no way to remedy it. You can only prevent it from continuing to become leggy in the future. If you are really dissatisfied with a leggy plant, you can behead it to obtain a plant that does not look leggy. You can wait until the spring or autumn growing season, cut off the top, let the wound dry, and then propagate it by cuttings. You can also pull off the excess leaves and use them as leaf-cutting material. With fewer main leaves on the stem cutting, it is easier for it to re-root and reproduce. Be sure to give it plenty of sunlight, except at noon in summer. If you cannot guarantee sunlight, control watering a bit more.
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