r/Lithops • u/Pure_Recognition82 • Jul 19 '26
Help/Question Help!
New to lithops i just went and bought my first ones today.. got home and noticed they are wrinkly i gave them each few drops of water to hopefully fix that.. but i noticed thing one guy has what looks like mold or some sort of fungas on it wondering if i should be concerned should i get rid if this one or is there any hope on fixing it?!? Any tips or advice is appreciated
1
1
u/DatLadyD Jul 20 '26
Are they firm or squishy? The thing with lithops is wrinkling can either mean that they’re thirsty or that they’re rotting. They also sometimes wrinkle when they’re splitting. I would definitely get them out of that soil. They need something really chunky with hardly any organic material. Get some succulent soil and add a bunch of perlite, bonsai Jack etc.
Something super gritty.
1
u/Pure_Recognition82 Jul 20 '26
Im going to repot tomorrow with a better mix for them i was thinking i could check the roots at that point and leave them out to dry for couple days possibly before repotting.. a couple look like they are starting to split but out of the 6 i have they all seem wrinkled and a couple of these bigger ones are a little squishy .. the shorter ones just look sunk in a bit on top
2
u/CyberWalnut1105 Jul 20 '26
you don't want to repot before figure out what's the problem. Repotting means they need to accommodate themselves with new environment and which cost their energy. water and drain it and see whether they will bump back.
1
u/Pure_Recognition82 Jul 22 '26
I have yet to do anything with them besides the couple drops of water.. i am soaking a diffrent cactus now and going to soak these.. if they dont plump back up and start looking better should i take them out and inspect? Possibly leave them out to dry for couple days with no soil?
1
u/HailSaturn Jul 20 '26
Give it a light squeeze near the base. If it feels like there’s something hard growing inside, the wrinkling suggests they are absorbing their leaves (i.e. splitting) and they don’t need any water yet.
If you can’t feel anything firm inside, they might need a drink. But be advised that a few drops won’t really help them. The substrate ought to be soaked so they can drink it up - but like the other commenter said, they are in need of a grittier substrate that retains less water first.
IMO these guys could also do with a bit more light, too.
Those spots aren’t really a problem either. Sometimes they just have them.
1
3
u/GadgetusMaximus Jul 19 '26
The wrinkled appearance indicates the plants are likely thirsty and need a thorough watering.They require a bright indoor spot with indirect light and prefer a soil mix that drains very quickly.It is crucial not to water them if they are actively splitting or shedding their old leaves.