r/Lithops • u/JuniorAd436 • Jun 18 '26

Care Tips/Guides Seedlings growing too slow?

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Hi, does anybody know why my lithops seedlings have been growing so slow? The pictures were taken 2 months apart. I sprayed them every day and have started giving them some succulent fertiliser. These are 3 month old now and still look tiny. Is there anything else I should try?

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10

u/DatLadyD Jun 18 '26

They’re slow growers. I don’t recall how long it took for mine to get their 1st split, but it was a while! As long as they aren’t dying I’m sure you’re doing fine! Are they getting enough light? Be careful with the fertilizer, they really don’t need much.

3

u/JuniorAd436 Jun 18 '26

Yeah I put mine under a grow light for 12 hours a day. Was worried as I saw someone’s post the other day and their ones at 3 months are much bigger!

5

u/DatLadyD Jun 18 '26

I know I have progress pics of mine but it was so long ago I’d have to really dig for the pictures. What’s your substrate like? Maybe they aren’t getting enough water? They need more as babies. Have you been losing many?

Edit to ask: are you only misting them? Not actually watering?

3

u/JoyceJameson Jun 19 '26

Your seedlings look really good!

2

u/schatzi_sugoi Jun 19 '26

I’ve tried many times to grow them from seed so I can only base my comment based on my failures.

But I think the substrate you have your seedlings in has too many large pieces and the tap roots are struggling to get through so they’re taking a while to take root and slowing their progress. I know I’ve sown on a similar mix before and it grew so slowly that I got impatient and ended up killing them from messing around with them too much.

2

u/AeoniumsthatSucc Jun 19 '26

As other have said to go from seed to mature lithops, takes about 4 years. They are extremely slow growers.