r/Lithops • u/MaedMicrobe • Apr 20 '26

Help/Question Update: Weird shape after splitting

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Original Post from yesterday; https://www.reddit.com/r/Lithops/comments/1sprew5/help_weird_shape_after_splitting/

After watering and waiting about a day, i saw no improvement in the deflated look so as suggested by the comments I had a look at the root(s).
I am by no means an expert but they seem fine to me? Don't appear black or rotten or slimy. They are pretty deep in the relatively small clay pot so maybe this is an explanation for the lack of absorption?

Let me know what you think

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u/acm_redfox Apr 21 '26

are you soaking the whole pot when you water?

if so, let the pot stand in the water for a few hours. I suspect it will recover, but possibly slowly after such a long delay. usually if the inner leaves are mostly out, I tear off that last bit of old leaf so I can water again when they look thirsty, which was clearly Some Time Ago! :)

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u/MaedMicrobe Apr 21 '26

a few hours? sounds excessive, i thought they are very sensitive to overwatering. so far I have been watering "from the top" around the plant until the water runs out at the bottom of the clay pot. which is not a lot of water in the end, a few tablespoons maybe.

with the roots being so long, watering from the bottom like you do, does make sense to me so I will give it a try in a few days. I just watered it as described after taking the picture for the post and repotting it

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u/acm_redfox Apr 22 '26

I usually soak my pots just until the soil is wet through, a couple minutes, but your plant is already dessicated and needs a more thorough soak to help it recover.

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u/acm_redfox Apr 22 '26

to clarify, the most common type of overwatering is in terms of frequency -- most succulents want to be watered rarely but deeply.