I am a first time plant parent and I got these string of pearls from a flower market. I don’t really know how to care for them. I brought them home from school (where it was doing pretty well) I would water 2-3 times per month. I forgot to water for a couple weeks (maybe 3) and I checked on my plant, and it looked like this.
(At my dorm & at home the plant was placed in front of a shaded window, it is slightly hotter at home, same amount of humidity.)
Please help me save my plant baby! What can I do to have it look lush again? -Should I cut off the dead “pearls”
Thank you in advance 🙂
by Sunlightgrape
3 Comments
*these photos are 4 months apart*
Honestly the same happened to my boston fern. Couldn’t figure out why it was dying, so try identifying these steps:
1. Lighting. It’s possible the plant feels like it’s not getting enough light and doesn’t have the energy to push out new growth, so it’s dying back.
solution: move to a brighter (but not harsh) area.
2. Compacted soil. If you got this plant 7 months ago, it’s about time for a repot. It’s possible the soil from the nursery has ran out of nutrients, so the plant doesn’t have much energy to grow and the soil isn’t breathable anymore. My fern got repotted into a chunky mix that allows me to water him more frequently without overwatering so he has breathing room. And think about it this way: We don’t *know* when the nursery potted these guys up.
3. Not enough water
Sudden dying in plants can also be indicative of under-watering, and if that’s the case it needs to be addressed asap.
It could also be 4. Too much water. SOPs are a succulent, succulents don’t need too much water, just a consistent amount to be happy. It’s possible you may be unknowingly overwatering the plant despite going 2-3 times per month, and the 3 week window where you didn’t water was the chance it got to relax.
What i would do based on what you’ve said is repot my plant into a soil mixture that they do well in (you can find some options on google and create it after you buy said ingredients, making it cheaper than just buying a specific box store mix. I’d give the plant one watering and then leave it alone. My boston started to recover only weeks later after i saw new growth… then it became rapid with new fronds sprouting everywhere. Be patient with your SOPs and don’t be disheartened if nothing happens quickly.
When you get new plants it’s a good idea to repot them because nurseries ususlly put them in the cheapest stuff they have at hand. String of pearls really need their soil to dry out and stay dry for a while between waterings. Soil that stays wet too long will smother their roots and the plant will die. Same with very dense soil. Peat and coco coir is often used by nurseries and they become like dense bricks after a while
Try repotting it in a little compost mixed with very coarse sand and pumice. Water enough to soak the whole pot, let it dry out and wait at least a week before you water again. You can wait longer