Hey everyone, I really need help because my plant keeps getting worse and I don’t know why.
I bought my first succulent about 1.5 months ago from a reputable garden that specialize in succulents (they provide the plant, soil mix and pot). It looked perfectly healthy at first. Here's the surroundings:
- It sits on my work desk near a window with direct sunlight (as shown in the photos)
- I’ve only watered it once, about 2.5 weeks ago
- The climate is Vietnam's hot, humid weather, and my room is a bit stuffy with limited airflow
So it started with just 1, 2 yellow leaves at the bottom then more turned yellow/brown. Now it looks significantly worse, the whole plant turns yellow-ish with some leaves falling off. The first two photos is when I just got it, the last one is the plant currently. 3 days ago it's still green-ish. There's even some white dots in the last photo
I contacted the shop and they just told me: “Increase light, give morning sun, avoid humidity/darkness" repeatedly
But I already have sunlight, and I haven’t watered in 2 weeks, so I don’t think overwatering is the issue? The substrate seems to also drain well
I’m worried it’s dying. If so, can it be saved?
Is this root rot? Sun stress? Lack of airflow? Sth else?
Any advice on what to check or do next would be hugely appreciated 🙏
by DavidTrong2001
12 Comments
Perdon por decirlo de esta forma pero es muy probable que esa planta ya no tenga salvacion, a este punto diria que esta totalmente podrida, diria que la saques de la tierra y revises el tallo si esta podrido o no y aunque es muy probable que lo este revisar hasta donde llega la pudricion y si queda algo sano separarlo de lo enfermo
Check the roots! Most likely they rotted. Cut anything mushy brown or hair thin stringy. Let it callous for a few days. Put it on wet perlite. It should root pretty fast. Good luck and let us know what you decided to do.
its yellow and translucent all the way up, most likely a goner but unpot asap and check for anything firm and healthy in the roots to see if it can be saved. if there is anything, keep it fully dry
it’s rotted. it’s too far gone sadly, probably from high humidity and lack of airflow. i don’t think there’s anything salvageable since the leaves have all become translucent and swelled up with water and even the stem looks black in the last photo. the white on the stem is most probably mold.
take out all the translucent leaves and have a look at the stem. if there’s anything white then slice that good part off and replant it after letting it dry over, although i don’t think anything is salvageable now. sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
>I haven’t watered in 2 weeks, so I don’t think overwatering is the issue? The substrate seems to also drain well
You should pull it out of the soil and check if the soil is still wet from when you watered it. 2 weeks without drying pretty much guarantees rot no matter how well draining the soil is.
https://preview.redd.it/6dzixix70gzg1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e2bdbdb9f5723613bc75f39d8584955e32b50e4
Not sure if I’m allowed to post this but hope this helps. If you have issues the PictureThis app really helps with plants.
It’s completely rotten. Next time, use a terracotta pot and put it closer to the window.
Anyone else think it’s crazy that the shop is selling succulents with top dressing to beginners and marketing it as some kit that includes all you need to care for the plant?
Anyone else think it’s crazy that the shop is selling succulents with top dressing to beginners and marketing it as “all you need for this plant” ?
Your plant is definitely at or well on its way to permanent dormancy. The humidity and lack of light indoors (it might look bright but what is the PAR?) probably killed it. Warm and humid is not what this cooler Elevation plant from Mexican Pine forests is adapted to.
If you want to give it a shot, consider propagating it. Carefully pull off the some more leaves of the stem, they should be firm, fully green and not translicent. Let them dry for a day or two (callus over) and put them onto some soil. No need for misting (!) It can take a while, but you might get some new plants to try again. If you want a more in-depth description, look up leaf propagation. Good luck!
(If there aren’t any leaves like that left, then it’s truly gone)
I don’t like that coloring at all. You need to check the roots, it might be too late for it already.