12 Common Problems with Succulents and a Complete Guide to Solving Them

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Many people say succulents are very delicate and hard to keep alive. I think that is too one-sided.

Growing succulents cannot be summed up with just the word "delicate"! Come and see whether you have encountered the 12 common problems of growing succulents below!

1. Lower leaves turning yellow and abnormal leaf drop

This is usually caused by temperatures being too high or light being insufficient. If it is because the temperature is too high, there is usually no etiolation, meaning the plant still grows normally, so water should still be given in the normal way;If it is caused by insufficient light, etiolation usually occurs along with it, meaning the plant etiolates while dropping leaves.

This is because the leaf cells are not strong enough, so they do not last long and are discarded,In addition, it may also be a sign of root rot.

2. The peak period of succulent death

The peak period for plant disease is in spring and autumn. Like people, when the seasons change, the climate is changeable, alternating hot and cold, and this is when gray mold and phytophthora blight are most likely to occur, so watering during this period must be done very carefully, always paying attention to climate changes.

3. Treating root rot

If the plant's leaves look listless and wrinkled, and you suspect lack of water, but the medium is soggy, that means the plant's root system has already rotted, causing the root cells to be unable to absorb water normally and supply it to the stem and leaves, which is why it appears listless.

At this time, the entire plant must be dug up, the rotted parts cut off, and dried in the shade for at least three to five days before it can be replanted in new medium. Watering can only be done after new roots have grown.

4. Treating illness

Usually when phytophthora blight occurs, the plant turns to jelly in less than one night, so this disease is relatively hard to control,But basically sometimesbefore it has spread, the rotted parts must be quickly cut off cleanly, the wound can be coated with rooting hormone, dried in the shade for a while, and it is best to wait until new roots have grown before planting it into new medium.

Gray mold is usually a disease caused by mold on the yellowed leaves below, and if the plant is very healthy, it is less likely to develop the disease,So the way to prevent it is to frequently pick off fallen leaves, and the way to handle affected plants is roughly the same as for phytophthora blight.

5. How to reuse medium that has been used for growing succulents

Usually used medium falls into two categories. One is medium that has been replaced, and this medium was removed while the plant was still healthy, when repotting or arranging bowls, etc.,This is medium without pathogens, so it can be reused directly.

The second is medium from failed cultivation or invaded by pests. Because this medium contains bacteria and pests, basically,if it is to be reused, disinfection work must be done, and in fact high-temperature disinfection is the most convenient. The most commonly circulated method is to use a microwave~

A microwave is indeed very useful, but it is not the only method. If the medium is placed in a sealed plastic bag and then placed under the sun to bake, turned every day, after two to three weeks, once disinfection is complete it can continue to be used.

However,it is not recommended to use reused medium to grow new seedlings or leaf cuttings, because there is still a chance of recurrence,Therefore, reused medium is recommended for repotting or for growing common varieties.

6. Etiolated plants

Usually, as long as there is insufficient light, the plant will secrete large amounts of phototropic hormones, which will then produce etiolation. But besides insufficient light, "water" is also one of the very important keys to etiolation. Therefore, if the growing environment has insufficient light and the water evaporation rate is relatively slow, then the amount of water given must not be too much, which can slightly suppress signs of etiolation.

But the best way to suppress it is still "sunlight," so as long as etiolated succulents are moved to a place with good light, they can improve.

In addition, the etiolated parts usually will not change just because the new environment has ample light, so if you feel the etiolation has become very unsightly, then cutting flat and replanting is the only solution.

7. Reasons for coloring

There are two situations for succulents to color up,One is normal coloring from low temperatures and strong light producing anthocyanins; the other is abnormal color change caused by long-term lack of water。

The difference between the two lies in the vividness of the color. Coloring under the first condition is very bright and vivid; while the second kind of abnormal coloring usually appears dull and lusterless, with no brightness in the color.

8. The relationship between root mealybugs and medium

Root mealybugs like a dry and airy environment, so currently most flower lovers like to grow with granular soil. If you are also stingy with water, then the chance of root mealybug invasion is very high!

The way to prevent it is to observe more, or regularly use some pesticides for prevention; and when they are rampant, only repotting can cure it thoroughly, with no other way. (If a more moisture-retaining medium is mixed in or water is given more frequently, it usually occurs less)

9. Notes on beheading

The most suitable season for beheading is autumn, winter, and spring, but the plant must be in a growth state before beheading, so plants that have not grown long enough or are weak are both unsuitable; in addition, during the beheading process, be sure to keep some leaves for the original parent plant, which helps the parent plant recover faster. If not a single leaf is kept, the parent plant is very likely to face failure.

In addition, beheading is a propagation method that greatly damages the plant's vitality, (just like a pregnant woman giving birth, needing postpartum recovery) so after beheading, an appropriate amount of fertilizer can be given, but not too much;In addition, some people say that after beheading, the pot and medium must be changed, but this is asking for trouble, since the plant's vitality has already been damaged, and then to also damage its roots is really like challenging yourself to climb back from a cliff wall to safety, so when beheading, remember not to do these foolish things.

The most important concept in beheading is that the wound should be as flat as possible, so using only a single blade to cut will damage the cells on one side, while the rest is a complete flat cut surface, and the natural healing speed will be relatively faster. A scalpel is recommended, and works better than scissors.

10. Covering the soil surface with airy medium

Covering the soil surface with a layer of airy medium can isolate withered leaves from contact with the moist growing medium, which helps prevent gray mold.

11. Reasons for success or failure of leaf propagation

The success or failure of leaf propagation is mainly affected by climate, humidity, leaf maturity, and leaf integrity, basically the best time for leaf propagation is the same as for beheading, autumn, winter, and spring (some varieties have no seasonal restrictions), humidity can guide leaves to grow roots, but it must not be too moist, and in addition leaf maturity also matters, both too old and too young are unsuitable, andleaf integrity is the most important key。

When removing leaves, if the leaf does not include the bud point at the stem, then the success rate will drop significantly.

Among them, Seven Lucky Gods is the most typical variety. The reason Seven Lucky Gods has a low leaf propagation success rate is that eachleaf is almost never connected to the bud point at the stem, so the removed leaves all lack a bud point, and the final result of leaf propagation is only roots growing, with no buds growing.

12. Reasons for growing aerial roots

There are mainly two reasons for growing aerial roots. One is that the plant's roots have lacked water for a long time, so aerial roots grow to capture moisture from the air; the other is that the plant's roots have already aged and have no vitality to absorb water.

So some potted succulents, after being grown for many years, become more and more listless and even grow aerial roots, and this is why.(Therefore, it is not recommended that flower lovers buy old-stem succulent potted plants)