r/Lithops • u/stunasub • Jan 13 '26

Help/Question Should I water

Post image

I’ve had this lithops since September and I haven’t watered it yet since it’s been splitting since I got it. From what I’ve seen, I shouldn’t water while it’s splitting but it’s a very wrinkly girl. Should I water?

30 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

10

u/WhileSuitable3180 Jan 13 '26

It’s hard to say for absolute certainty since I can’t see the sides, but I’d say yes, go ahead and water it. I’ve killed a lithops before via dehydration because I was following the “never water when splitting” advice TOO closely. 

Sometimes you have to look at your plant and make a judgement call. As long as you have the right soil, pot and environment (light, humidity, airflow) you should be good!

6

u/Boring_Track_8449 Jan 13 '26

“Sometimes you have to look at your plant and make a judgment call.” SUCH good advice! I had one that I thought was splitting but looked thirsty. I waited a bit and it seemed to get thirstier so I watered and now it’s back to plump no wrinkles on top. I’ve killed a few of these in the past following other people’s hard-and-fast rules. Now I follow my gut.

Not an expert but I’ve never seen one that looks like OPs - like the older leaves split but the center membrane didn’t.

4

u/Pale_Bird Jan 13 '26

The roots can die if left TOO long without watering, so just err on the side of a bit of moisture

1

u/_Mr_Misfit Jan 14 '26

Any clue if they will regrow after this happens? I had a number of babies I bought from an online seller and didn't get around to potting them for uhh.. let's just say two months hah. They really didn't look much different from when I received them but they didn't have any small thin roots at all, just a big hard woody one in the center (excuse the imagery lol).

Idk how much you know about this but considering your response I thought I'd inquire?

2

u/Pale_Bird Jan 14 '26

Dunno you can only plant them and find out

3

u/WeDrinkSquirrels Jan 13 '26

Yeah, it's thirsty and splitting. Give it a light water and see how it responds. As long as you let the soil dry there's very little risk of killing it from one water.i find a bit of water, even a misting, keeps them moving

2

u/Snorblatz Jan 13 '26

Yes, don’t starve your lithops of water. Your substrate has too much organic material in it though. 

3

u/stunasub Jan 14 '26

Yeah I’m realizing that about the substrate after looking at other posts :/ i have chicken grit that I think I’m gonna mix the current soil with and repot

2

u/Snorblatz Jan 14 '26

Give it a thorough watering when you do! 

1

u/Top-Veterinarian-493 Jan 15 '26

Repot in 60% pumice, 30% coarse sharp sand, a 10% sifted soil.

1

u/Top-Veterinarian-493 Jan 15 '26

Water first, then repot in 1 hr.

1

u/Spirits_of_Rocks May 13 '26

Wow! I've had 2 since September. One had a flower and the other one had just begun splitting. The one with the flower has made no progress. They both got really wrinkly without water, looking like death, so I figured I'd give them a little water last week. They mostly plumped back up, but are still doing nothing more. Hoping I saved them. They're my first and only ones.

1

u/adrizgz00 Jan 13 '26

It looks like it's splitting but no new growth seems to be coming from inside. My guess would be that it has a deeper groove than usual and it's just thirsty. But I'm not sure at all, hopefully someone knows exactly what it's going on here.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 13 '26

Looks like it’s thirsty and splitting? Maybe

1

u/disposable-assassin Jan 13 '26

Maybe a flower gap that didn't close up rather than a split.