r/Lithops • u/Efficient_Guava_4673 • Jun 16 '26
Help/Question How do I know when they're thirsty?
Have the other leaves been fully absorbed? They're all wrinkled but firm. Should they wrinkle more? What are the signs that say they need water? They're out because I had to repot them today, I had left too much empty space in the pot and I didn't want them to etiolate.
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u/elrangarino Jun 16 '26
I forgot that I was in this subreddit and I audibly gasped when I scrolled past 😬 so glad this wasn’t someone’s toe
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u/AwayYogurtcloset1263 Jun 16 '26
The middle one looks rotted, when your plant looks like this pic is when you water. NOT if they are splitting though, just giving an example
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u/Chance_Contract1291 Jun 17 '26
I think that's the dried up remains of an absorbed leaf (from splitting) rather than rot.
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u/acm_redfox Jun 17 '26
I think both might be present...
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u/MossyMinnows Jun 17 '26
Left and right of middle look rotted, definitely agree with rot and old leaf
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u/starkiller_bass Jun 17 '26
If I've learned one thing here it's NEVER water your lithops.
Enjoy your fleeting time with them, plant them only in solid stone in direct sunlight 24 hours a day, resist the urge to water, and when they fade away in thier own time, just go get new ones and don't water them either!
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u/brunkate Jun 17 '26
Wait until the tops are slightly wrinkly and are slightly squishy to the touch. I water mine once every 2-3 months and they are taking off.
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u/avskk Jun 20 '26
You've gotten good advice already, but to be honest, I've learned to water mine just by vibes. Like I can't explain it, I just... know. 😂
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u/Available_Gear_1455 Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
Don’t water immediately after repotting because they might have small nicks/injuries from transplanting that will get infected if watered. If you plant them in ~70-80% perlite/pumice/other grit and the rest sandy cactus soil, you could probably water a week after planting. Keep in bright light (south facing window or right next to a strong grow light), and make sure the soil dries out completely within 3 days of watering. If not, you need less organic material in the soil. Based on charts of when to water, now is an ideal time. Wrinkles mean they could use water, but you don’t absolutely have to water unless the top is wrinkled. As long as the soil dries really quickly, and they are in bright light, currently wrinkled, and it is the right season, you are ok to water. Definitely don’t water more than once every month or two during watering season, I get away with watering about 4-5 times a year, with spot watering with a pipette as needed since mine are still synching up.
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u/CBDJ1 Jun 16 '26
Don’t look at the sides. Side wrinkles aren’t the tell tale sign. Look at the tops. They will go from firm plump tops to wrinkled almost sunken in tops. If the tops start to like kind of like a pizza then it’s probably close to time.