Hello, I am an experienced plant parent but brand new to Haworthia. I'm not very familar with succulents generally, so I'd love a steer.
Firstly, can anyone identify the plant? The label on it was just 'Haworthia variegata'.
Secondly, I have potted it into a mix of 50:50 soil for cacti/succulents and perlite. The terrarium (actually a repurposed glass jewellery box 🤫) is sitting directly in a north-facing window above a radiator. I thought the mixture of dry air and warmth while being protected in an open terrarium might be a good idea but… 🤷♀️ I'm open to direction!
Thanks all.
by hwayte87
4 Comments
You should remove them from the terrarium and put them in pots that have drainage. The haworthia looks like a cuspidata to me.
It’s cymbiformis variegated.
Terrariums are generally frowned upon for succulents as they have zero drainage and generally have poor airflow and high humidity.
That’s not to say it can’t be done, but careful watering is key. If in doubt – wait. No haworthia was ever saved from doom by watering early.
Since you mentioned it’s just above the radiator for warmth, most Haworthias are cool growers… dormant during summer.
There’s a basic set of rules we follow for keeping cacti and succulents alive, good lighting, excellent substrate & drainage (not so-so drainage), proper watering (deep watering after a dry period), good ventilation.
And after you do everything right, your succulent may just say f**k it, I wanna die.🫠🫠🫠
Your setup may be successful short term, but I predict it is destined for failure, and here’s why….
– You’re relying on your radiator to dry your substrate, what happens in the summer when your radiator is off and the humidity increases? your substrate stays wet longer, succulent don’t like wet feet as they say.
– Your choice of a large glass container with no drainage is the most egregious mistake, they are more suited for terrariums. It is designed to hold in moisture and it is incapable of dispersing that moisture away from the roots.Thus creating the perfect opportunity for fungal issues to creep in, leading to root rot, stem rot, and eventually death.
– A glazed or plastic pot with proper substrate, drainage and ventilation will work, but terrecotta is the absolute best.
– A 50/50 substrate is a bare minimum for most cacti and succulents, 70/30 is more effective.
– Peat based organics is a hard no, they tend to hold too much moisture, and then gets hydrophobic over time. Pass on the Home Depot miracle grow
(guilty🤚), there are better options (Read the ingredients in your potting mix). Bonsai jack, rosy soil, Coco coir, are good choices, there are others, or mix your own.
– Perlite is ok but tends to flow to the top, leaving the roots in compacted soil over time…pumice is better.
It was my intention to provide you with a little guidance, hope this helps.