A friend gave me a small pot of succulents for my birthday about a month ago. I did 6 years in a garden club, but never learned anything about this type of plant. She said they thrive on neglect and to water once a week or so and the little pot would be fine. Well, the largest plant, which looks like a flower with petals, has a few petals turning brownish. The pot doesn’t have a drainage hole. So, wise gardeners, what do you suggest?
Two ice cubes once each week if it is one of those 4" pots, just set them on the dirt and let them melt. It’s easier to dose the water that way.
Will brown petals drop off or will they regain the green color as I regulate the watering?
Just pull off the brown ones or let them die and fall off. That’s the normal way they live.
We have an aloe that was left by a neighbor moving away. It grows, pieces die off, pieces crack off - and ooze aloe, which is cool - and it doesn’t much care if the soil is moist or relatively but not bone dry.
We also have a jade plant. They can be finicky but this one requires only a bit - like ½ cup of water every week or so. They do better underwatered because too much and they rot from the core and don’t recover. Leaves break off or die back. You can pull off any that are losing color or wait until they want to separate. We have propped up one of the limbs with a plastic thingy so it doesn’t break or tip the plant over.
They like sun but we’ve found they do better out of harsh sun because that requires less watering worry, less maintenance. They may grow bigger in harsh sun but the greater care needed seems to put them at more risk.
It depends on where the brown petals are. Near the bottom then it’s normal. Near the top is not.
I would repot it, with a pot with drainage. ( not much bigger than current pot). Use cactus mix.
Is this what you have?
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/hens-chicks/growing-hens-and-chicks.htm
My master gardener friend suggests you change to a pot that has a drainage. She also said once a week watering is likely too much. And it can rot from over watering and no drainage. She thinks once a month watering or every two weeks at most. Needs good sun.
If you repot, try not to play with the roots because they generally don’t like to be disturbed.
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate all the advice:)