My String of Turtles won’t stop shedding!
I’ve had this string of turtles for a few months now, and since I first got it, it’s been shedding all its leaves and branches.
I water it about once a week and assumed it was a shade plant, so i kept it out of direct sunlight. Then I googled and some sources said it prefers more sun, so I moved it. It has been in the same pot since I got it.
Any recommendations? I don’t know much about this kind of plant, my friend got it for me and I haven’t done any sort of research. I feel like it’s just slowly dying, and I want to help him get big again like when I first got it.
Any help would be so appreciated!!!
#helpneeded #savemyplant #Dyingplant #StringOfTurtles
I water it about once a week and assumed it was a shade plant, so i kept it out of direct sunlight. Then I googled and some sources said it prefers more sun, so I moved it. It has been in the same pot since I got it.
Any recommendations? I don’t know much about this kind of plant, my friend got it for me and I haven’t done any sort of research. I feel like it’s just slowly dying, and I want to help him get big again like when I first got it.
Any help would be so appreciated!!!
#helpneeded #savemyplant #Dyingplant #StringOfTurtles
7ft to light, indirect
4” pot with drainage
Last watered 6 months ago
5
This is definitely a combo of overwatering and no enough light. All plants need light, and although some can tolerate lower light levels, they certainly won't thrive. And if yours was getting that little light, watering it once a week probably wasn't enough time for the soil to properly dry out.
String of turtles are succulents, so they need lots of light and for their soil to completely dry out between waterings. You're right about it slowly dying—it's basically rotting starting at the base. Always check the soil before watering any plant to ensure it's sufficiently dried out before watering. Overwatering is the most common way people end up killing their houseplants.
Typically I'd recommend repotting a plant that's been overwatered, but yours is so stressed and weak I'm afraid it wouldn't survive being moved right now. So I'd suggest moving it to a spot that gets at least 1-3 hours of direct sun in the AM (east facing window), then after a few weeks or so you can move it to either a west or south facing window for 1-3 hours of direct sun in the afternoon. Because it hasn't been getting enough light, moving it straight to afternoon direct sun could cause it to burn, so you want to acclimate it gradually. You also want to let the soil completely dry out all the way through. A wooden chopstick or skewer inserted all the way helps detect soil moisture at the bottom of the pot. Hold off on watering until the stick comes out clean (without any damp soil stuck to it). It's also important to remove any dead leaves sitting on the soil. They can attract bugs, but more importantly they block airflow to the soil. Once it starts showing signs of improvement and is no longer shedding stems and leaves, you'll need to repot in fresh soil. Use cactus soil mixed with extra perlite (half soil, half perlite). Make sure the new pot isn't more than 1-2" bigger than its current pot.
String of turtles are succulents, so they need lots of light and for their soil to completely dry out between waterings. You're right about it slowly dying—it's basically rotting starting at the base. Always check the soil before watering any plant to ensure it's sufficiently dried out before watering. Overwatering is the most common way people end up killing their houseplants.
Typically I'd recommend repotting a plant that's been overwatered, but yours is so stressed and weak I'm afraid it wouldn't survive being moved right now. So I'd suggest moving it to a spot that gets at least 1-3 hours of direct sun in the AM (east facing window), then after a few weeks or so you can move it to either a west or south facing window for 1-3 hours of direct sun in the afternoon. Because it hasn't been getting enough light, moving it straight to afternoon direct sun could cause it to burn, so you want to acclimate it gradually. You also want to let the soil completely dry out all the way through. A wooden chopstick or skewer inserted all the way helps detect soil moisture at the bottom of the pot. Hold off on watering until the stick comes out clean (without any damp soil stuck to it). It's also important to remove any dead leaves sitting on the soil. They can attract bugs, but more importantly they block airflow to the soil. Once it starts showing signs of improvement and is no longer shedding stems and leaves, you'll need to repot in fresh soil. Use cactus soil mixed with extra perlite (half soil, half perlite). Make sure the new pot isn't more than 1-2" bigger than its current pot.
Welcome to the #GregGang I'm not sure why they do that. Mine did the same thing. I watched a video and it said to bring the empty parts into the dirt and put them in the soil they will continue to grow. And not get weaker. It did work! I used un-raveled paper clips to keep them in the soil.... I sure hope this make sense!!! Hope this helps!! 🐞🪴🏜🌵🦋 #StringOfTurtles #SucculentLove #TheWateringHole
@stephonicle @GemMullein44
Am loving your answer, Steph!
Am loving your answer, Steph!
