Weirdness?
I need help. I have a Vera Higgins “Grapedosum” that isn’t very happy right now. Her leaves turn a brilliant red, then wither and fall off. She’s also developed odd shiny bumps on her. It’s not getting better. She’s lot most of her overall mass and I’m quite worried. What am I doing wrong? I’ll include a picture of what she looked like when I first got her, and what she looks like now, along with a picture of some of the leaves that have fallen off. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
1ft to light, direct
3” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 year ago
6
Hello @Faith385. A few questions. Is it in the windowsill? What is your window orientation or do you have grow lights? How often do you water and what is your watering method? Do the leaves get wet?
@FairyFly hello! It’s real near a window, but I live in an apartment complex and there’s a balcony above us so there’s not a tone of light. I have a grow lamp but to be honest my plants are super sensitive to it and I don’t want to try them. Also I water her probably once a week.
That sounds like the culprit @Faith385, over watering. Succulents should only be watered when the dirt is COMPLETELY dry. Indoors/winter I'd say maybe once a month, a little more or when the leaves show signs of thirst like wrinklng. Always check the soil before watering. I would suggest unpotting and checking the roots and stem for rot. If it looks good, replant in about a 4 inch terracotta pot with drainage hole and a chunky/gritty succulent mix with added perlite for extra drainage and aeration.
@Faith385 it definitely looks like it's rotting. What does the soil feel like right before watering? My guess is the soil isn't drying out enough between waterings. This is a drought-tolerant plant and it's native habitat is the desert, so the soil needs to be allowed to completely dry out. Have you repotted since getting it? Many commercial growers use moisture-retaining soil that's not a good fit for succulents. They need a gritty, well-draining soil like the kind specifically made for cacti/succulents. I also like to add in extra perlite or pumice (3 parts succulent soil, 1 part perlite or pumice). They also need lots of direct light, ideally 4-6 hours a day, so don't be afraid to hit it with that grow light! Just remember with this kind of plant: it's always better to underwater than overwater, and the more light you give it, the better 😊
@stephonicle thank you so much!