Got the larger ones at the same time, the biggest one probably about a week or two later. There is soil on the bottom and then rocks. The terrarium drains well. Everything was going well, one even flowered. Me, thinking now I knew what I was doing, got a batch of small ones online. They arrived loose in a plastic tub. This was probably the first week of september. I put them in there, and they are not doing well. 3 have already died, almost seemed like over watered but then some are shriveled. All the roots look crispy. I am thinking i need to pull them out, put them in a different medium to ensure root coverage? Can they be saved? Please help me. If i am doing everything wrong tell me. Swipe for pictures.
by Direct-Emu1960
7 Comments
Terrarium causes humidity – lithops love airflow. Noticed that mine flower better under a fan. I also fan after watering. Put in a pot instead
A glass box is a no no!
The right Lithops is mega.
First off: your collection is beautiful đ
I started collecting lithops this summer. From what I can learned, for beginners, putting them in seperate pots (each with drainage hole) is helpful as some will be set to flower this time of the year and need more water than those who are not. I got several from local nurseries as well as online. For those from nurseries, remove the soil and replant them into a mix of perlite/pumice/lavarock (whatever you have available- if lava rock is fairly big, I crushed it into smaller pieces hutting it in a bag with a hammer), then add a little bit of regular soil mixed into. 1part soil, 4parts inorganic material. Looking at the rocks you are using, they are fairly big and it might be hard for the new lithops to develop roots in it. Not saying that some of them wonât, but especially for the little guys it might be rough.
I let them sit for a few days before I water first. Same for the ones that are âbare-rootedâ from your online purchases. Their roots have been trimmed, thatâs why they just show those little nubbins. And then I truly just watch them. If they get wrinkly on top, Iâll water. Check in two or three days and mostly they will have Plumbed up, if not I wait until itâs been a week from the last watering.
The ones in picture number 4 def need to be potted and given water a few days after. Number 5 looks great and # 6 and three probably need a little water. Drainage is super important as these little guys dont like âwet feetâ and like to develop root rot. Some will die just bc they are plants đ¤ˇââď¸. They have been stressed from transport and so on.
Once I figure out whoâs on which schedule I might combine those that bloom within a week from each other into one pot next year. Also know, lithops can get by (not necessarily thrive) for months and months without water. So them blooming might be still a result of the water storage they had available. Same for some dying. Not your fault. It happens.
Thats just my take on it. They are fun little projects.
You need smaller medium. Space between those rocks are too big for the root to latch on to. My small lithops never roots in too large spaces.
They had no roots when you bought them
They have made no roots. You need to put them in a medium with finer grit or some organics and water them for roots to start forming. Problem is, if you are in the northern hemisphere itâs also soon time to stop watering, so limited time for yours to form roots.