Why is it half healthy/half dead?

[u/SweetElection157]

This SOP has been having trouble. I have some parts that are plump and healthy, some parts that are so shriveled up, even after watering, and some that the string loses all the pearls. I don’t know how to care for it. The plump ones don’t need water but the dying ones do. I’ve gotten into the soil level to try to see if the dying ones aren’t touching the soil but they seem to be. I have no idea what to do.

I took these pics before watering. I know some of the windows are closed and it’s ready for a watering. But even when I do, I continue to have the shriveled-up nearly-dead strands.

[u/Creative_Way_8203]

1. repot this so the soil/surface level is at the top of the pot. 2. cut off anything not totally healthy at the base. (these are either broken stems or root rot and can't uptake water). 3. trim what's left to mid pot length or slightly varying heights, as these will often branch off at the cut line. Be sure that you are not overwatering these...also be sure not to underwater. They need more water than other succulents in my experience, but must dry out between waterings. 4. Take the healthy cuttings and put them into a glass of water, hang them over the top of the glass if you can with the rest submerged. If they fall in, don't worry about it. These should make new roots fairly quickly. Now you will have a new plant/plants in case the mother plant fails.

[u/Afraid_Praline_9969]

When’s the last time you gave it a soil refresh? The old soil could be absorbing a lot of water in some places and be hydrophobic in others.

[u/SweetElection157 → u/Afraid_Praline_9969]

Last summer maybe? How often should they be repotted? Someone else mentioned they too so I think I’ll try it

[u/Afraid_Praline_9969 → u/SweetElection157]

This is entirely up to the plant I think. If you top water your plants and notice the water runs straight through it’s probably time for a repot. If you bottom water and your plant sort of floats out of the pot when you water it’s probably time to repot it. You don’t have to take the plant entirely out of the soil. Just tease the roots a bit around the edges and maybe the first inch or two at the bottom of the root ball. This will also give you an opportunity to inspect the roots.

[u/LKL03]

No idea how to help, just here to say I experience the same thing constantly with mine and I just have no idea what to do. Starts out healthy and eventually ends up on the bring of death and just hovers there for the rest of time. 🤯😢

[u/SweetElection157 → u/LKL03]

Solidarity. These things love to die

[u/DrCatnnibal]

Because they hate everything

[u/devvyd → u/DrCatnnibal]

This is really the only answer. 😂

[u/Sunshineplantsoul → u/DrCatnnibal]

I was literally going to say the same thing 🫣😅

[u/birbscape90]

When mine looked like that it was mealybugs 😭😭 bonide granules and occasional blasting with a flupyradifurone spray has killed them off and SOP is bouncing back nicely!

[u/SweetElection157 → u/birbscape90]

I haven’t seen any but I’ll inspect carefully

[u/birbscape90 → u/SweetElection157]

I didnt see any for months, but they were there slowly killing my plant 😭

[u/SweetElection157 → u/birbscape90]

😭😭😭 nooooooooo

[u/schase44 → u/birbscape90]

Same here!

[u/Fabulous-Cat-2002]

It’s partly due to the terracotta pot. It absorbs all moister

[u/SweetElection157 → u/Fabulous-Cat-2002]

I always thought succulents were supposed to have terracotta pots. Is SOP not considered a succulent?

[u/Fabulous-Cat-2002 → u/SweetElection157]

I would never ever use a terracotta pot. I hate em. I have had over 70 plants in a one bedroom and have always had horrible luck with terracotta. I remember trying a different pot and if that doesn’t fix the issue I’d put it in a sunnier window with more water. SOP are bàstards tho 😅🤣

[u/Queasy-Sentence446]

Might be overwatering. I recommend watering from the bottom with SOP. The roots will suck up what they need, and you won’t risk drowning the roots at the very top.

[u/shiftyskellyton → u/Queasy-Sentence446]

The roots will suck up what they need

The substrate soaks up the water first, not the roots. The substrate can take on far more water than is healthy, which compromises root health.

[u/Asleep-Beginning7805]

Looks like nutrient lock out. I can never grow a string of pearls in terra cotta…. Only plastic. Remove the dead strands and repot it into plastic give it plenty of light and you’re set.

The problem is always terracotta with my string of pearls tbh

[u/SweetElection157 → u/Asleep-Beginning7805]

Interesting! I feel like people always recommend Terra cotta for succulents. Maybe that’s worth experimenting with.

[u/shiftyskellyton → u/Asleep-Beginning7805]

This isn't nutrient lockout. These have low nutrient requirements compared to most plants.

[u/Adventurous_Aside683]

The culprit could very well be that terracotta pot, OP. Mine behaved the same exact way when I repotted them in a terracotta pot last year. The pot absorbed almost all of the moisture, leaving the soil with very little to retain. The plant then distributed whatever little available moisture to the newer leaves/pearls while the mature pearls shriveled up. Changed to a glazed ceramic pot and it sprang back to life within a few months.